Pair: Private E. Howell, Royal Marine Light Infantry

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Cape Colony (8802 Pte. E. Howell, R.M., H.M.S. Monarch); Italy, Messina Earthquake Medal 1908, small, silver, this last with edge bruising, otherwise generally very fine (2) £250-300

Ernest Howell was born at Norton St. Phillips, near Frome, in April 1877 and enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry in October 1896. Posted to the Portsmouth Division as a Private, he joined H.M.S. Monarch in November 1899, in which capacity he gained entitlement to the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasp ‘Cape Colony’, having been landed at Simonstown in the same month for services in connection with the military operations - most probably guard duties in respect of Boer P.O.Ws.

Subsequently present at the Messina Earthquake rescue operations of 1908, while serving in the Exmouth, Howell was invalided ashore with a heart complaint in September 1913 and, although recalled in August 1914, discharged within a week as medically unfit; sold with copied medal roll verification and service record.