Description
Queen’s South Africa, 2 bars, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, 3013 Corporal William John Coffey, East Lancs Regt. Born in St Thomas, Dublin, Ireland.
Officially impressed: “3013 Corpl: W.J. Coffey. E. Lanc: Regt”
Contact marking from wear.
Confirmed on the medal roll being also entitled to the “Johannesburg” clasp, being lucky to have the medal named with the rank of Corporal being newly promoted and then demoted thanks to his misadventure with a case of stolen liquor.
Also earning the KSA for additional service in 1901 and 1902.
Born in “St Thomas”, Dublin, Ireland, during 1868.
Attested with the East Lancs on 25th September 1890. He was working as a Shop’s Assistant in Burnley at the time.
His mother Margaret Coffey still lived in Dublin and his step brother Henry Coffey was a soldier in the 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers.
He would go on to serve a full 18 years, until his discharge with a view to pension aged 41 on 17th July 1909.
He was said to overall be a good soldier, with a few blemishes here and there.
One time on 15th April 1901, he was arrested and Tried by Field General Court Martial, being sentenced to 6 Months of Imprisonment and Hard Labour for “Having in his possession one case of Curacoa supposed to have been stolen.”
He was convicted and spent at least 122 days in prison, before the remainder was remitted.
He was serving actively in the Boer War at the time and probably deserved the liquor had he paid for it.
Saw the following service:
Home, 22nd September 1890 – 27th January 1893
Gibraltar, 28th Jan 1893 – 14th March 1894
India, 15th March 1894 – 3rd March 1896
Home, 4th March 1896 – 12th January 1900
South Africa, 13th January 1900 – 24th November 1902
Home, 25th Nov 1902 – 17th July 1909.
With his discharged, he returned home to Dublin.
In the 1911 Irish Census, he was back at home with his Step Mother Margaret, now 73 years old and a Widow, W.J. Coffey was 45 years old and had still not married.
