Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Boer War D.C.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant Martin Rooney, Hampshire Regiment, later Military Provost Staff Corps

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (4349 Serjt: M. Rooney. Hampshire Regt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Johannesburg, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (4349 Sejt. M. Rooney, 2: Hampshire Regt.) should not have last two clasps; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (4349 Serjt: M. Rooney. Hampshire Regt.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (1395 S. Sjt: M. Rooney. M.P.S.C.) light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (4) £1800-2200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Hampshire Regiment.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 27 September 1901. Only 10 D.C.Ms. to the Hampshire Regiment for the Boer War 1899-1902.

M.I.D. London Gazette 10 September 1902.

Martin Rooney was born in the Parish of Cloastoke, Loughsea, County Galway, and enlisted there into the Connaught Rangers on 18 October 1887, aged 18 years. He served at Home for nearly two years before proceeding to Malta, from where he purchased his discharge on 8 July 1891, on payment of £18. On 18 November 1893 he re-enlisted into the Hampshire Regiment at Portsmouth. He served as a Sergeant in South Africa with the 2nd Battalion from 4 January 1900 to 25 June 1902. He returned to Malta again in September 1903, and in January 1905 transferred to the Military Provost Staff Corps, serving at H.M. Military Prison, Malta, until October 1908, and again, after a period at Home, from September 1910. He returned Home in September 1912 and was discharged from the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, on 4 December 1912. His L.S. & G.C. medal and gratuity was granted at the same time, per Army Order 104 of 1912. Having served for more than seven years in Malta, and there married a local girl with whom he had two children, he naturally elected to return there to live out his retirement.