Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private T. Jones, Shropshire Light Infantry

Hong Kong Plague, 1894, silver issue, with a privately made clasp engraved ‘China’ (Private T. Jones, S.L.I.); Queen’s South Africa, 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Transvaal (4072 Pte. T. Jones. Shrops: L.I.), good very fine (2) £2,400-£2,800

Thomas Jones was born in Knighton, Radnorshire, in February 1873 and attested for the Shropshire Light Infantry at Manchester on 14 March 1893. He served with them while stationed in Hong Kong during the Plague of 1894 (bubonic plague), where the Shropshire Light Infantry became known as the ‘Whitewash Brigade’ for their efforts in controlling the outbreak. He also served in South Africa, and was later transferred to the Army Reserve at the termination of his period of service at Shrewsbury, on 7 September 1902, aged 29 years. He was discharged from the Army Reserve on 13 August 1909.

Jones re-enlisted into the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry on 30 September 1914, and served with the British Expeditionary Force in France. Taking part in hard fighting, he was eventually discharged on 8 June 1916 as ‘no longer physically fit for war service’, owing to the effects of neurasthenia (‘shell shock’).

Sold with the recipient’s Parchment Certificate of Character 1902; Parchment Reserve Certificate 1903; Parchment Certificate of Discharge 1905; Parchment Certificate of Discharge from the Reserve 1909; Character Certificate 1916; Certificate of Discharge 1916; and Ministry of Pensions papers.