A Collection of Medals for The Battle of Elandslaagte, 21 October 1899

Five: 2nd Lieutenant J. L. Power, Royal Artillery

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (5514 Cpl., 21st Bty. R.F.A.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5514 Sjt., R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (5514 S. Mjr., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.), the last renamed, occasional edge bruising and somewhat polished, nearly very fine or better (5) £350-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals for The Battle of Elandslaagte, 21 October 1899.

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Joseph Lionel Power was born in July 1879 and enlisted in the Royal Artillery in July 1894. Posted to 21st Battery, R.F.A. out in India later that year, he was embarked for South Africa in October 1899, where he served at Elandslaagte and at the defence of Ladysmith, and won entitlement to the above described Medals and clasps. The 21st Battery first went into action at Lompard’s Kop on 30 October 1899, and was several times engaged at Ladysmith, including the actions of 3 November and 6 January 1900. Having then returned to the U.K., Power removed to 47th Battery, R.F.A. in 1910, and to the 1st East Anglian F.A. Brigade (Territorials) in August 1913, and remained employed in the U.K. until September 1915.

In that month, he entered the French theatre of war as a Sergeant-Major in D/5 Battery, 5th Brigade, R.F.A., Lahore Divisional Artillery, while in December of the same year he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. Still with the Lahore Divisional Artillery, he was wounded in the left shoulder and head on the Somme on 9 September 1916, and was evacuated from Calais to Southampton a few days later. He did not return to duty until March 1917, when he was attached to the Anti-Aircraft Depot at Woolwich, following which, in July of the same year, he joined 25th Anti-Aircraft Company as a Lieutenant. He was placed on half-pay in May 1919; sold with a quantity of research, including Medal & clasp roll verification.