Three: Sergeant Instructor of Gunnery E. Eyre, Western Division, Royal Garrison Artillery, and later Corps of Commissionaires

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State, Transvaal (68853 Sgt. I. of G., E. Eyre, W.D., R.G.A.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (68853 Serjt: Inst: Gnry: E. Eyre. R.G.A.); Mayor of Kimberley’s Star 1899-1900, reverse hallmark with date letter ‘a’, with integral top riband bar, unnamed as issued; together with Corps of Commissionaires Order of Merit, Class I for 20 years, silver and enamels, the reverse hallmarked and named (E. Eyre), light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (4) £400-£500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Simon C. Marriage Collection of Medals to the Artillery.

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Dix Noonan Webb, June 1999.

Edwin Eyre was born in March 1866 at King Williamstown, Cork, and enlisted at Londonderry in September 1888. He lost his left eye in October 1895, but this disability does not appear to have affected his rise through the ranks and he became Sergeant in 1896, promoted to Sergeant Instructor of Gunnery in April 1898 and posted to the Depot Establishment, Western Division, Cape District. After serving throughout the Defence of Kimberley, Eyre re-engaged at Cape Town, to complete his 21 years’ service. He returned from South Africa in May 1906 and was posted as Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor of Gunnery to the School of Gunnery at Sheerness. He was discharged in January 1909 and in the following July joined the Corps of Commissionaires with whom he served until October 1935. He died at New Barnet on 28 July 1945.