Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private John Connor, 2nd Battalion, 1st Royal Regiment

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (2895 John. Connor. 2nd. Battn. 1st Royals) regimentally impressed naming; China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Taku Forts 1860, Pekin 1860 (Corpl. John Connor, 2nd Bn. 1st The Rl. Regt.) officially impressed naming, suspension re-fixed and rank a little weak through contact wear; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue (J. Connor 1st Royals) contemporary engraved naming, fitted with Crimean suspension, mounted as worn from a contemporary engraved silver triple-brooch pin, edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine (3) £500-£700

John Connor was born in the Parish of St Peter’s, County Cork, Ireland, and enlisted into the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment, at Westminster on 20 February 1854, aged 18, a shoe-maker by trade. He arrived in the Crimea in April 1855 when the army was engaged in besieging Sebastopol and soon after was admitted to hospital.

He afterwards spent two years in the Mediterranean, at Malta (June 1856 to May 1857) and Gibraltar (to March 1858), before commencing the long voyage to Hong Kong where he arrived towards the end of 1858. He was promoted to Corporal on 1 April 1860, and shortly afterwards his regiment joined the Expeditionary Force to northern China. In August 1860 the Allied force captured the Taku Forts at the mouth of the Pei-ho river after some hard fighting. The British and French force then advanced to Tientsin, and reached Pekin on 13 October, after which the notorious looting and destruction of the Summer Palace occurred.

In November 1860, Connor embarked with his regiment for home, and arrived back in the United Kingdom in April 1861. He was absent from duty on the 24th April, for which he was confined and reduced to private. He spent the remaining four years of his service at Manchester, Aldershot and Portsmouth, where he was finally discharged on 1 March 1864, having completed his limited service engagement.

Sold with an original post card photograph of Connor, with his wife, in 1917 wearing his medals, and some research.