Description
China Medal 1900, bar Relief of Pekin, 4476 Private James Edwards, 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the only British Infantry Regiment to earn the battle honour for Peking.
Officially impressed: “4476 Pte J. Edwards. 2nd Rl: Welsh Fus:” Very little wear to medal, with old sewn on piece of ribbon (original?).
At least 30 years old by the time of the campaign so probably coming to the end of his terms of service.
James Edwards was born circa 1867-70.
He had served in the 3rd China War of 1900 known as the Boxer Rebellion and the original medal roll confirms he was in receipt of the Silver Medal with the clasp Relief of Pekin for services between June 10th and August 14th 1900.
Obviously you can’t keep an old soldier at home during time of war, when World War 1 later broke out in late 1914, James was living at 5 Carmen Street in Ashton Old Road, Ardwick, just east of what is now Manchester City Centre.
Now being well into his 40s, he still made no delay in enlisting with his local regiment, the Manchester Regiment, as number 3447 Private.
Posted over to France arriving in 9th May 1915. He saw service with both the 1st and 2nd Battalion of the Manchesters.
He saw over a year of service before he was invalided out of the army on 3rd August 1916.
He could not proudly return home to Manchester having done his bit and was awarded the Silver War Badge 330263 on 16th February 1918.
An unusual thing about the 3rd China War, was that so many countries fought together for once.
The Force that invaded China in 1900 was named the Eight Nation Alliance. It comprised of Germany, Japan, Russia, Britain, France, the Unites States, Italy and Austria-Hungary.
They were all fighting in solidarity to free their trapped comrades who were under siege in the Beijing Legations Quarter, known as the Siege of the International Legations, surrounded by the "Boxers" of the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists.
The Royal Welch Fusiliers are unique in the British Army, being the only Infantry Regiment to claim the Battle Honour of Pekin, for the successful Relief of the Legations at Peking.
The R.W.F. were deployed with the British Brigade with included Indian Army Infantry and Cavalry, the Naval Brigade, alongside the Royal Artillery.
The campaign would also begin a long standing association with the United States Marine Corps, who they fought side by side with at the Battle of Tientsin.
Years later in 1958, General Sir Hugh Stockwell, Colonel of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, presented to his counterpart from the USMC, a treasured Chinese Cannon that had been captured by the 2nd RWF in Peking during 1900.
