Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Boer War D.C.M. pair awarded to Corporal M. Maher, 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment (5th Battalion Mounted Infantry)

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (3078 Pte., Rl Irish Regt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen, South Africa 1901 (3078 Cpl., 1st Rl. Irish Regt.) last clasp attached by wire, mounted as worn, good very fine (2) £2400-2800

D.C.M. London Gazette 27 September 1901.

Michael Maher was born in the Parish of Callan, Co. Kilkenny. A Labourer by occupation, he attested for the Royal Irish Regiment at Kilkenny on 22 August 1888, aged 19 years. With the regiment he served in India, October 1889-March 1895. Having attained the rank of Sergeant in December 1892, he was reduced to Private in September 1894. As such he was transferred to the Army Reserve in March 1895. Maher rejoined the regiment in May 1898. Soon in trouble, he was convicted by court martial in October for ‘conduct to the prejudice’ and sentenced to 84 days imprisonment with hard labour (28 days were remitted). Appointed a Lance-Corporal on 1 December 1899, he was posted to South Africa on the 16th of the month. There, his rank was soon lost, being deprived of his stripe in February 1900. Despite this setback, he served with distinction in South Africa, being awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal with a gratuity of £20 in addition to the Queen’s medal with six clasps.

Maher served as part of the 5th Battalion Mounted Infantry. Its first action was on 11 February 1900 while reinforcing the flank guard of a convoy in difficulties between Ramah and Roodipan. The regimental history records that in this affair Maher greatly distinguished himself by volunteering to carry a written order to a detachment separated from the main body by a broad stretch of ground completely swept by enemy fire. He set an excellent example by walking, not running, across the danger zone, delivered the note and then refusing to remain under cover with the detachment, cooly returned to report that the order had been delivered. In another affray, he and another private held off an enemy attack by steady, well aimed shooting. He was again mentioned in the regimental history for volunteering to cross a drift in order to ascertain if the further bank of the river was occupied by the enemy.

Private Maher returned home in July 1901 and was discharged at the termination of his first period of service. With copied service papers, regimental history extracts and service notes.