Description
Queen’s South Africa, 3 bars, Defence of Kimberley, K.S.A., 2 bars, 5065 Private William Geary, 1st Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Scarce to a British Regiment besieged in Kimberley.
QSA officially impressed, early issue in large style with ghost dates: “5065 Pte W. Geary. 1: L. N. Lanc: Regt”
KSA officially impressed: “5065 Pte J. Geary. L. N. Lanc Regt” note difference in initial, correct on roll.
Both medals as issued, entitlement to medals and clasps confirmed on the medal rolls.
One of 436 men present in the Siege from his regiment, out of about 5,458, the only British Regiment present, excluding a small number of Royal Artillery, Engineers, Army Service Corps and odd men etc.
Provenance: Ex Gibbons Sept 1990, Spink Nov 2005, Dixon April 2006.
With full file of printed research, including service papers (both Militia and Regular Army), medal rolls, census entries, birth death etc.
Wellington Geary was a local man from Blackburn in Lancashire, born there on 16th July 1876.
The son of Richard and Phoebe (nee Howarth).
He first attested for service with the Loyal North Lancs Regt on 11th February 1895 aged 18.
Originally this was with the 3rd Militia Battalion under number 3249, a year later he chose to join the full time Regiment with his number 5065 starting from 11th February 1896.
He saw the following service with the regiment:
Home, 11th February 1896 – 21st October 1896
Ceylon, 22nd October 1896 – 10th February 1899
South Africa, 11th February 1899 – 17th September 1902
Home, 18th September 1902 – 12th February 1903
Home, 26nd Feb 1903 – 10th Feb 1912.
With his time in the Army Reserves he moved back home to Blackburn and had a wife and children.
