Pair: Private J. Giblin, York and Lancaster Regiment

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1865 (966 John Giblin, 65th Regt.) impressed naming, suspension refitted, solder marks; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., small letter reverse (966 Pte. J. Giblin, York & Lanc. Regt.) first with edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine and better (2) £450-550

Approximately 38 New Zealand Medals with this date issued to the 65th Regiment.

John Giblin was born in Kilkelly, Co. Mayo. A Labourer by occupation, he attested for the 65th (2nd Yorkshire, North Riding) Regiment of Foot at Liverpool on 7 December 1863, aged 18 years. In January 1865 he was posted to New Zealand, where his regiment had been based since 1860, heavily involved in the Second New Zealand (Maori) War. The regimental history records, ‘The York and Lancaster Regiment, the old 65th, or as the Maoris, with whom they were on terms of chivalrous but warlike friendship, used to call them, “The Hickety Pip”, that being the Maori pronunciation of “Sixty-Fifth”’. Giblin returned home with the regiment in October 1865. He then served in the East Indies, January 1871-April 1888, his regiment becoming the 1st Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment in 1881. In 1882 he was awarded the Army L.S. & G.C. Medal. In February 1884 he was transferred to the Royal Munster Fusiliers. Giblin was discharged at Gosport on 8 May 1888 ‘in consequence of his having claimed discharge after having prolonged his service beyond 21 years’. With copied service papers.