Auction Catalogue

17 September 2004

Starting at 11:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 722

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17 September 2004

Hammer Price:
£480

Canada General Service 1866-70, 1 clasp, Fenian Raid 1866 (Bglr. J. Kelly, 15th Regt.) edge bruise, nearly extremely fine £160-200

Company Sergeant-Major was born in Fermoy, County Cork and enlisted into the 15th Regiment at Dublin in 1856., aged 14 years. He subsequently served in North America, Bermuda, the coast of West Africa and in the West Indies, attaining the rank of C.S.M. in 1876. Kelly was discharged in May 1879. His closing medical report states that ‘at times he was the only European N.C.O. [present] and had to work when sick’. The M.O. rightly concludes that ‘he would not be able to do much for the support of his wife and three children’ who were also ‘damaged by the climate’. In June 1879 he was admitted to a Chelsea Pension. Sold with copied discharge papers and other research.