Pair: Private John Kearns, 2nd Connaught Rangers

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (4315, Pte. I. Kearns. 2/Con: Rang:); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 2 clasps, Firket, Hafir (4315, Pte. I. Kearns. 2/Conn: Rang.) note initial on both medals, light contact marks, otherwise very fine and rare (2) £600-800

Provenance: Lieutenant-Colonel Jourdain Collection; Power-Hynes Collection, Spink, July 1996.

Only 1 officer and six men of the Connaught Rangers were entitled to these two clasps, all serving with the Maxim Gun Detachment in the Sudan.

John Kearns was born in Tipperary and enlisted into the Connaught Rangers at Birr on 13 September 1892, aged 20. He passed classes of instruction in Mounted Infantry, Nursing Duties and Field Butchery. He served in Egypt from February 1895 to January 1897, and was present with the Maxim Gun Detachment in the Dongola Expedition of 1896, including the actions of Firket and Hafir (Queen’s Medal; Khedive’s Medal with two clasps). He served afterwards in India from January 1897 to March 1906, and was finally discharged after 12 years’ service on 11 March 1907. Sold with copied discharge papers and medal roll entry.