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Lot

№ 659

.

28 September 2017

Hammer Price:
£80

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (9183 Pte. T. Gallagher, Lanc: Fus:) contact marks and edge bruising, worn in parts, nearly very fine £70-90

T. Gallagher served with the 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers in South Africa, and was severely injured in a railway accident at Dalmanutha on 26 April 1902:
‘In the last week of April, a serious railway accident occurred. Two companies were being removed from Pan, the station west of Wonderfontein, to Dalmanutha, which is two stations distant on the east side. As they reached Dalmanutha and when half the train had passed the points, the pointsman dropped the lever, which caused three of the trucks to take the line parallel to the main one upon which the train was running. Before they had passed a few yards, the coupling links snapped, and the three trucks were overturned. The train was moving slowly, so that the men had time to jump clear, but ten were injured, two seriously.’ (
History of the Lancashire Fusiliers refers).

Gallagher was invalided out of the service on 5 July 1902.