Description
Queen’s South Africa, 4 bars, Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast, 4220 Private David Needham, 1st Bn Leicester Regiment, local man born in Leicester.
Officially impressed: “4220 Pte D. Needham, 1: Leic: Regt”
Good early issue of the medal in the large style impressed naming and visible ghost dates.
Confirmed on the medal roll, also earned a matching KSA Medal with both clasps, later rejoining the Leicester Regt in his 40s during WW1 to earn the 1915 Trio.
With copy service papers.
David Needham was born in Leicester, Leicestershire during 1873.
He first attested for service aged 21 during 1894 for the Leicestershire Regiment.
He saw the following service:
Home, 11th October 1894 – 15th May 1896
South Africa, 16th May 1896 – 7th October 1902
Home, 8th October 1902 – 10th October 1906.
Following his discharge he moved to Hunslett, Leeds, and even though he was now 44 years old, he signed back on with his unit, the Leicester Regiment during World War 1 on 3rd March 1915.
Within a month, he was on a ship destined for war, embarking on 1st APril 1915 at Southampton arriving to serve with the Expeditionary Force in France from 1st April 1915 at Calais all the way until 27th September 1918. After a short break at home from 28th Sept 1918 to 11th Octr 1918, he finished out his service with the BEF France from 12th Oct 1918 to 20th Jan 1919.
Initially seeing some unusual service on arrival, when he was at first attached to the 1st City of Aberdeen R.E. at Calais from 5th May 1915 until 9th October 1915, when he joined the Depot to then join 2nd Bn Leic Regt in the Field from 12th October 1915, he was taken over by 1 Bn on 2 Bn leaving France from 13th Nov 1915.
For his WW1 service in France, he would add the 1914-15 Star Trio.
