Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Boer War D.C.M. group of four awarded to Corporal Edward Lovely, Royal Irish Regiment, attached 5th Battalion Mounted Infantry, for gallantry at Tabaksberg in January 1901

Distinguished Conduct Medal, E.VII.R. (3501 Corpl: E. Lovely. R. Irish Regt.); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897 (3501 Corpl E. Lovely 2d Bn. Rl. Ir: Regt.); Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen (3501 Pte. E. Lovely1st Rl: Irish Regt.); King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (3501 Corpl: E. Lovely. R. Irish Regt.) mounted as worn, good very fine (4) £2000-2600

D.C.M. London Gazette 31 October 1902. Army Order 10/03; for gallantry at Tabaksberg, 29 January 1901. The recommendation states: ‘An intelligent & most useful N.C.O. Showed great gallantry in rushing a Kopje at the fight at Tabaksberg in 1901.’

‘Towards the end of January, 1901, it was discovered that De Wet was secretly concentrating his burghers for another attempt to raid into Cape Colony. Many columns, including that in which the 5th M.I. were serving, were directed against him and caught up his rear-guard at the Tabaksberg, where on the 29th of January the Boers fought a delaying action, in the course of which a handful of the Royal Irish earned praise for their dash in “rushing” a kopje, and then for holding it against very heavy odds.’

Edward Lovely was born in the Parish of Blanchardstown, near Dublin, in the summer of 1870. He worked as a labourer in the Ordnance Survey before enlisting into the Royal Irish Regiment at Clonmel on 24 January 1890, for a term of 12 years. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion in October 1890 for service in India, where he took part in the campaigns on the North West Frontier in 1897-98. He served in South Africa with the 1st Battalion from 6 January 1900, and was one of the regiment’s Mounted Infantry in the 5th Battalion. He was discharged on 5 January 1903, on termination of his limited period of engagement and received a gratuity of £20. Sold with copied discharge papers which confirm all medals and clasps and copied D.C.M. recommendation.