Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private T. J. Smith, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry

India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98, unofficial rivets between clasps (3457. Pte. T. Smith. 1/D.C.L.I.) engraved in the usual style associated with the Regiment; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, South Africa 1901, date clasp loose on riband, as issued (3457 Pte. T. J. Smith, 2: D. of C. Lt. Inft.) nearly extremely fine (2) £360-£440

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 46th Foot and its Successor Units.

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Thomas James Smith was born in Birmingham in 1872 and attested for the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry on 29 August 1891. He served with the 1st Battalion in India from 20 February 1893 to 2 March 1899, and took part in the operations on the North West Frontier of India and with the Tirah Expeditionary Force in 1897-98. Returning home, he transferred to the Reserve on 5 March 1899, but was recalled to Army Service on 9 October 1899, and posted to the 2nd Battalion. He served with them in South Africa during the Boer War from 5 November 1899 to 5 September 1901, and was present at the Battle of Paardeberg on 18 February 1900, when, in the ‘Cornish Charge’, the Battalion suffered total casualties of 28 killed and 52 wounded. He was evacuated from South Africa in 1901, presumably suffering from some sort of malarial fever which decimated the Battalion, and was discharged, medically unfit, on 8 October 1901, after 10 years and 45 days’ service.

Sold with copied service papers and other research.