Orders, Decorations and Medals

Hong Kong Plague 1894, silver issue (Private W. Humphreys, S.L.I.) extremely fine £1000-1200

William Humphreys was born in the Parish of Lingden (?), near Shrewsbury, Shropshire. A Labourer by occupation and a member of the 3rd Battalion Shropshire Light Infantry, he attested for service with the Shropshire Light Infantry at Shrewsbury on 9 May 1887, aged 18 years, 3 months. Posted to the 1st Battalion as Private 2321, he served in Malta, September 1888-March 1891; Egypt, March-December 1891, and Hong Kong, December 1891-January 1895. Whilst in Hong Kong he was fined by a Civil Court for Drunkenness and twice imprisoned for a short period for breaking out of barracks when a defaulter; his service papers record his general conduct as ‘difficult’. Returning to Britain in January 1895, he was transferred to the Army Reserve and was discharged on 8 May 1899. The Hong Kong Plague Medal was his only medallic award. With copied service papers.