Orders, Decorations and Medals Including five Special Collections

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1877-8-9 (1497 Pte. J. Wall, 2/24th Foot) edge bruises to obverse rim, otherwise nearly extremely fine £6000-8000

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

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John Wall was present as a Private in “B” Company at the defence of Rorke’s Drift, 22nd/23rd January 1879.

John Wall was born in the Parish of St James’s, Deptford, Kent, and enlisted for the 25th Brigade at Chatham, Kent, on 1 December 1877. He had previously served as a Private in the West Kent Light Infantry Militia and was now posted to the 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot. He served in the Kaffir War of 1878 and the Zulu War of 1879, being present in the defence of Rorke’s Drift. In August 1880 he embarked for India, arriving there on 2 September, and proceeded to Secunderabad, where he arrived on 17 September. He was in hospital at Secunderabad from early May through to the middle of August 1881, where he was originally treated for dyspepsia but the diagnosis was changed shortly afterwards to one of Mania. He embarked at Bombay for England in H.M. troopship Malabar on 28 October 1881, and was admitted to Netley Hospital on 25 November, again being treated for Mania attributed to intemperance. After one month his condition had not improved and he was declared unfit for further service and discharged from Netley on 27 December 1881. An Injury Assessment Board held at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, on the same date, confirmed that he was suffering from Mania caused by intemperance. Being unable to contribute to his own support and under constant supervision and sedation he was consequently committed to the Lunatic Assylum at Barming Heath, Maidstone, Kent, on 27 December 1881.