Medals from the collection of the late Mike Leahy

An Easter Rising C.B.E. group of three awarded to Colonel R. L. Owens, Royal Irish Regiment

The Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) 1st type neck badge, inscribed on the reverse ‘Col. R. L. Owens, Royal Irish Regiment, June 1919’; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, S.A. 1901, S.A. 1902 (Capt., Imp. Yeo.); British War Medal (Bt. Col.) together with companion set of miniatures, these mounted as worn, enamel chipped on all arms of the C.B.E. and suspension repaired, otherwise good very fine (6) £300-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the collection of the late Mike Leahy.

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Colonel Robert Leonce Owens was born in 1860 and served for 6 years 72 days in the ranks before being commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Bedfordshire Regiment, May 1887; Lieutenant, December 1888; Adjutant, Indian Volunteers 1890-95; Captain, Royal Irish regiment, January 1895; Adjutant, Militia 1898-1901; Adjutant, Imperial Yeomanry March 1901 to June 1902; Major, Royal Irish Regiment, August 1904; Retired March 1908; Lieutenant-Colonel, 3rd Bn. Royal Irish Regiment, April 1913.

Colonel Owens was Colonel of the 18th Royal Irish Regiment, 3rd Bn., which took such a prominent part in the disturbances in Ireland in 1916. Owens commanded the battalion at the top of Sackville Street during the Easter Rising in Dublin, and subsequently sat as a Member of the General Court Martial of John (Eoin) MacNeill and others in May 1916. From March 1918 to October 1919, he commanded the troops in the following disturbed areas: Co. Clare, West Cork, North Tipperary, Westport, Co. Mayo, and Co. Tipperary. In recognition of his services in Ireland, Colonel Owens was awarded the C.B.E. in June 1919. In March 1920 he was appointed a Resident Magistrate for County Cork, stationed at Kanturk. He died at Norwich on 16 February 1937. Sold with an original newspaper obituary and copy M.I.C. which confirms award of War Medal only.