A Boer War D.C.M. group of six awarded to Regimental Sergeant Major P. J. Lydon, East Lancashire Regiment, late King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Distinguished Conduct Medal, E.VII.R. (3617 Serjt:-Maj: J. P. Lydon. 1st. E. Lanc. Regt.); India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Relief of Chitral 1895 (3617 Lc. Corpl P. Lydon 1st Bn. E. Lanc Regt); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg (3617 Sgt. Drmr: P. J. Lydon. E. Lanc: Regt.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Sjt. Major. P. Lydon. E. Lanc. Regt.); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (3617 C. Sgt. P. Lydon, E. Lanc. Regt.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 3rd issue, coinage head (R.S. Mjr. P. J. Lydon. E. Lan. R.) note variations in initials, contact marks, generally nearly very fine; the MSM better (6) £1,400-£1,800

1 of 8 D.C.M.s awarded to the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, during the Boer War.

D.C.M. London Gazette 31 October 1902.

Patrick Joseph Lydon was born in Athlone, County Roscommon, Ireland, in 1867. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he enlisted into the 60th Rifles at 14 years and 3 months on 7 June 1881, and spent the following 9 years on home service, in which time he earned his 3rd and 2nd Class Certificates of Education. Posted to India on 25 November 1890, Lydon transferred to the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, on 30 September 1893; advanced Bandsman 1 October 1893; Lance Corporal 11 October 1893; and Sergeant 27 January 1896. Present at the Isazai Expedition of 1892 and the siege and relief of the Sikh and Kashmiri-held fort at Chitral in 1895, Lydon was subsequently transferred to Burma on 29 February 1896. He married Lilian Horlick at Meikhtila and returned home aboard the S.S. Dunera on 18 December 1897.

Posted initially to Portsmouth, followed by Hilsea and Jersey on 12 September 1899, Lydon witnessed active service with the 1st Battalion in South Africa from 13 January 1900 to 9 September 1902. As part of the 15th Brigade under Major General A. G. Wavell - and later, part of VIIth Division under Lieutenant General Tucker - the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, soon gained plaudits from high command. The Battalion was said to have done well at Karee Siding on 29 March 1900, losing 5 men killed and 14 wounded. Similarly, at the crossing of the Zand River on 10 May 1900, they were noted for doing their portion of the task well. In 1901, the Battalion furnished the infantry of columns which operated in the Southern Transvaal and in the Orange River Colony under Brigadier General G. Hamilton, Colonel Grey, Colonel Garratt, and others, and necessarily did a lot of very hard marching and engaged in a good number of skirmishes. For his service during this time, Lydon was Mentioned in both Lord Robert’s Despatch of 4 September 1901, and Kitchener’s Despatch of 23 June 1902, and was later decorated with the D.C.M.

Advanced Sergeant Major on 22 January 1902, Lydon was discharged at his own request on 2 July 1909. His departure was much lamented by his Regiment:
‘On joining us he was found to be a musician of no mean order, due no doubt to some of his service K.R.R.s being spent in the band of that distinguished Corps, combined with a natural inclination for music. This accomplishment caused him to join the drums... In bidding good-bye to Sergt. Major and Mrs Lydon and Family, we hope that “Versicus” will continue to support our columns with his welcome contributions from time to time.’

Lydon took employment with the Civil Service as a Messenger in the Office of the Board of Trade, and then returned during the Great War to serve at home as R.S.M. with the 6th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment. This almost certainly involved the training of new recruits, local lads borne of the industrial centres of Preston, Blackburn and Burnley. Transferred to depot at Bury, he was brought to the attention of the Secretary of State for War for valuable services in connection with the war, before discharge in consequence of sickness on 17 September 1917. Awarded a silver war badge, he was also the recipient of a rare G.V.R. ‘coinage head’ M.S.M., one of only five issued in total to the Regiment.

Sold with a comprehensive file of copied research, including a photographic image of the recipient, compiled whilst part the Usher Collection and subsequently retailed in October 1983.