Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 8 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (784 M. Lally, Cldstm: Gds:) minor marks, otherwise good very fine £500-600

Michael Lally was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1875 and attested for the Coldstream Guards there on 9 February 1897, having previously served in the 4th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. He served with the Guards in South Africa during the Boer War from 21 October 1899 until 23 December 1901, before transferring to the Army Reserve on 4 November 1902. He was discharged on 8 February 1909, after 12 years’ service.

On the outbreak of the Great War Lally re-enlisted into the York and Lancaster Regiment on 5 August 1914, and served with the 3rd Battalion in Gallipoli from 12 October 1915. He was evacuated to Egypt on 20 December 1915, arriving there on 3 February 1916.