Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Ashanti Star 1896, reverse inscribed in the usual Regimental style ‘2809 Pte. J. Watts 2. W. Yorks. R.’, nearly extremely fine £340-380

Provenance: J. B. Hayward, December 1975; Lee Bishop Collection, Spink, July 2009.

Joseph Watts was born in Hunslet, Leeds, Yorkshire in 1872, and attested for the Prince of Wales’ Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) at Pontefract, Yorkshire, on 7 November 1890, whilst currently serving in the 4th (Militia) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment. He joined the Regiment at York on 11 November 1890, and after a brief spell at the Depot was posted to the 1st Battalion on 19 February 1891, before transferring to the 2nd Battalion on 6 December 1892. He served with the 2nd Battalion in India from 7 December 1892 until 23 November 1895, and then in West Africa, as part of the expeditionary force under Major-General Sir Francis Scott which had been formed against the Ashantis. He returned home with the Battalion on 24 February 1896, before transferring to the Army Reserve on 16 August 1897. He was discharged as being medically unfit on mobilization for the Boer War on 8 March 1900.

Sold with copied discharge papers, medal roll extract, and other research.