Orders, Decorations and Medals Including five Special Collections

The Army Long Service Medal awarded to Bombardier Wheeler John Cantwell, who won the D.C.M. at the defence of Rorke’s Drift

Army L.S.G.C., V.R., small letter reverse (23182 Br. Wheeler J. Cantwell, R.A.) edge bruise and light nicks, otherwise good very fine £800-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Gordon Everson.

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John Cantwell was born in the Parish of St James’s, Dublin, and enlisted into the 9th Regiment on 6 November 1868, aged 23 years 6 months. He transferred to the Royal Artillery on 1 April 1872 and joined “N” Battery on 1 July 1877. After service at St Helena, he arrived at the Cape of Good Hope on 9 January 1878, and subsequently took part in the advance into Zululand. He was promoted to Bombardier Wheeler on 29 July 1878, but reverted to Gunner on 21 January 1879, in which rank he was present at the defence of Rorke’s Drift. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his part in the defence of the Hospital, and is noted on the so called ‘Chard’ roll as having been wounded. However, there is no evidence to support this latter statement. Cantwell returned to England on 31 March 1879, and his D.C.M., one of only five awards for Rorke’s Drift, was presented to him by the Queen at Windsor Castle on 8 March 1880. He was discharged at Woolwich on 19 July 1887 as medically unfit for further service and went to live with his wife and daughter at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. There is no record of his D.C.M. and Zulu War medal ever appearing on the market.