An extremely rare Rorke's Drift pair to Sergeant Major Henry Gallagher, 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, The South Wales Borderers

SOUTH AFRICA 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1877-8-9 (81 Sergt., 2-24th Foot); INDIA GENERAL SERVICE 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1887-89 (1590, Cr. Sergt., 2d. Bn.S.Wales Bord.), very fine (2)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The AA Upfill-Brown Collection.

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Sergeant Major Henry Gallagher was born in Kilenham, near Thurles, in Tipperary and enlisted in 1874, joining the South Wales Borderers at Brecon aged seventeen. By 1877 he had received the promotion to Sergeant and on 22/23 January 1879 he participated in the legendary Defence of Rorke's Drift, serving in B Company of the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers. His presence is confirmed on all four of the accepted rolls, and he is shown as the next senior Sergeant to Colour-Sergeant Bourne. Gallagher went on to see service in Burma and received promotion to Sergeant Major before retiring in 1897, after twenty-three years with the Colours. He died at Drayton, Hampshire, and was buried at Christchurch, Portsdown Hill.