Pair: Private C. Hosey, 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers), who later received a few kicks from a one-legged ‘mad’ drunkard whilst serving as a Police Constable in Wiltshire

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal (3180 Pte. C. Hosey. 6/Drag: Gds); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (3180 Pte. C. Hosey. 6th. Drgn: Gds:) mounted as worn on original ribands, contact marks and wear to naming, nearly very fine and better (2) £180-£220

Charles ‘Charlie’ Hosey was born in Farleigh Wick, near Bradford Upon Avon, Wiltshire, around 1875. A labourer by trade, he attested at Bath for the Corps of Dragoons on 4 September 1893 and was passed fit for service at Taunton the following day. Posted to South Africa from 3 November 1899 to 13 October 1900, and again from 11 March 1901 to 14 October 1902, he completed 12 years’ service as part of the Army Reserve and was discharged on 3 September 1905.

Having married Hannah Bedford at Hinton Charterhouse, Somerset, on 30 December 1902, Hosey soon took employment as a Police Constable in his ‘home turf’ and set about raising a family. Despite the somewhat rural location of his policing, The Wiltshire Times of 10 October 1903 gives a rather interesting story regarding his early days on the beat:

‘A One-Legged Ruffian sent to Prison

At the Devizes Police Court, on Saturday morning, before Messrs. R. D. Gillman (Presiding) and H. Biggs, a one-legged man named George Thornton, who said he was a shoemaker, was brought up in custody charged with being drunk and disorderly, and doing wilful damage to windows at the Waggon and Horses Inn, on the previous night. – P.C. Hosey said he was called to the Waggon and Horses, and there saw the prisoner being held by two men outside the inn. He was drunk and using filthy language. He became disorderly and abusive when witness took hold of him, and he was obliged to call on the assistance of a young man. They put Thornton on his crutch, and carried him up the street. When near Wadworth’s Brewery he got down in the road and refused to move. They procured a pair of trunks, and having with some difficulty put him on, they proceeded towards the Police Station. In the market place he succeeded in getting off the trunks, and when they were putting him back he kicked witness and the other man several times. They were obliged to get someone to hold him down as he was “perfectly mad.” – Inspector Collins remarked that he was the worst fellow that they had had in custody for the last twelve months…’