Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Colour-Sergeant Tom Hathaway, Somerset Light Infantry

South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (36/1911 Sergt. T. Hathaway, 1/13 Foot); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 2 clasps, The Nile 1884-85, Abu Klea (1911 Sergt. T. Hathaway, 1/Som. L.I.); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (1563 Color Sergt. T. Hathaway, 2d Bn. Som. L.I.); Khedive’s Star 1884-6, one reverse point impressed ‘1563’, minor pitting from star to the last, otherwise good very fine (4) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Egypt and Sudan Medals 1882-1891 from the Collection of Jack Webb.

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2 officers and 26 other ranks of the 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry served in the Mounted Infantry Camel Regiment on the Nile, of whom 2 officers and 19 other ranks fought at Abu Klea.

Tom Hathaway was born at Turkdean, Gloucestershire, and enlisted for the 69th Brigade at Woolwich on 2 June 1874, a saddler by trade, aged 18 years 4 months. He was originally enlisted into the 1/18th Royal Irish Regiment and transferred to the 2/18th in August 1874. As a Sergeant he volunteered and transferred to the 36th Brigade in May 1879 and joined the 1/13th Somerset Light Infantry. Promoted to Colour-Sergeant in April 1883, he was placed under arrest during November and December of that year for ‘having a woman in his quarters’, and although sentenced to be reduced the sentence was remitted and he returned to his unit in his original rank. Reduced to Corporal in January 1888 for ‘absence’ he was finally discharged in that rank on 25 June 1889. Sold with copy discharge papers which confirm all medals and clasps.