Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Acting Corporal W. Breakspear, 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, late Royal Berkshire Regiment

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (3063 Pte. W. Breakspear. Rl: Berks: Regt.); 1914-15 Star (1919 Pte. W. Breakspeare [sic], R. Ir. Regt.); British War and Victory Medals (1919 A. Cpl. W. Breakspeare [sic]. R. Ir. Regt.) slight edge nicks to QSA, otherwise good very fine or better (4) £140-£180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

View
Collection

William Breakspear was born in 1872 at East Hanney, Berkshire, the son of William and Martha Breakspear. He attested for the Royal Berkshire Regiment on 22 November 1890 at Reading and served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment during the Boer War from 30 April 1902 (entitled to QSA with clasps for Cape Colony and South Africa 1902). Having returned to England on 19 July 1902, he was discharged on 21 November 1902 on the termination of his first period of engagement.

Following the outbreak of the Great War, Breakspear enlisted for war-time service with the Royal Irish Regiment and served with the 6th (Service) Battalion on the Western Front from 17 December 1915, subsequently transferring to the Labour Corps and advancing to Corporal. He was discharged to the Class Z Reserve on 27 March 1919.