Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (4420 Pte. T. Finnigan, 11th Hussars) good fine, clasp rare to regiment £200-260

Thomas Finnigan was born in Edinburgh. A Hammerman by occupation, he attested for the Hussars of the Line at Edinburgh on 13 March 1900, aged 18 years, 9 months. Posted to the 11th Hussars, he served in Egypt, October 1900-April 1902 and Somaliland, April 1902-May 1903. Only one officer and one other rank of the 11th Hussars gained the clasp ‘Somaliland 1902-04’, these being Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. Rycroft and his servant, Private Thomas Finnigan. Rycroft was on detachment as base commandant and commanding Lines of Communication troops. Finnigan was listed as being in the Army Reserve, March 1908-August 1914. Mobilized at the start of the Great War, Finnigan was posted to the Military Mounted Police and later served in the 12th Reserve Cavalry Regiment and later the 3rd Reserve Cavalry Regiment, all served at Home. He was discharged to Class ‘P’ Reserve in June-December 1918. Employed at the time as a Cable Car Driver, he attested for the Labour Corps on 14 May 1919, then aged 39 years but was discharged due to a disability in January 1920. With copied service papers, A.G.S. roll extract and an accident report - he fell from his horse in 1901.