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Queens Mediterranean 3rd Rl West Kents

Queen’s Mediterranean Medal, 2768 Pte T. Lasham, 3rd Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment.

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SKU: J7565 Category:
Origin: United Kingdom
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Queen’s Mediterranean Medal, 2768 Pte T. Lasham, 3rd Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment.

 

Naming officially re-impressed: “2768 Pte. T. Lasham. Rl: W. Kent Regt.”

 

The departure of his unit is mentioned in the Eastern Evening News, 4th Jan 1900:

 

“MILITIA OFF TO MALTA, CAPTAIN KENNEDY GOING

 

The 3rd Militia Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment, 1000 strong, bound for Malta, and the 9th Company R.E., numbering over 200, bound for South Africa, left Chatham this morning.
The former sail from the Royal Albert Docks, and the latter from Southampton.
The 3rd Royal West Kent Regiment will be the 1st Militia Battalion sent abroad since the Crimean War.
The greatest disappointment has been felt by officers and men at the destination being Malta instead of South Africa, as had been hoped, the whole battalion having volunteered for active service.
Captain J H Kennedy, Chief Conservative Agent for the Eastern Counties, goes with the 3rd Royals, of which he is Senior Captain.”

 

The only traced “T. Lasham” who lived in the region of Kent was a Thomas George Lasham, born 1884 in Deptford Kent, who married Florence Bailey in 1906 whilst a “Second Corporal R.E.” at Shorne, St Peter and Paul Kent.

 

He died age 68 on 26th November 1952 having been a Licensed Victualler buried in Rochester, Fort Pitt Military Cemetery Kent.

 

Thomas George Lasham was born in 1884, aged only 13 he was put to work as a Cart lad since October 1897 at the Time Bill Office of the London, Bright and South Coast Railway company.

 

He was a bit young for war service but several of the Militia men who served to earn the Mediterranean medal were underage, as it was understood they would not see combat.

 

Also he is found on the 1891 and 1911 Censuses but cannot be traced on the 1901, suggesting he was in Malta at the time.

 

During WW1, he served as 12387 Company Sergeant Major, later Warrant Officer 2nd Class with the Royal Engineers and entered into Egypt from 30th March 1915.