The Collection of Medals to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord

Six: Lieutenant E. H. Farmer, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, late Montgomeryshire Yeomanry: family sources state that he was wounded on three occasions, a supposition partly supported by an illustration of his bullet-holed tin helmet in the Historical Records of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. E. H. Farmer); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (Lieut. E. H. Farmer, Montgom. Yeo.); Coronation 1911, privately engraved, ‘294 R.Q.M.S. E. H. Farmer, Montgomery Yeo.’; Imperial Yeomanry L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (294 R.Q.M. Sjt. E. H. Farmer, Montgrmy. I.Y.); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (294 Q.M. Sjt. E. H. Farmer, Montgom. Yeo.), the fifth with edge bruising and polished, good fine, the last with officially corrected number, otherwise generally very fine and rare (6) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord.

View
Collection

Ernest Horatio Farmer was born in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire in August 1870, the son of William James Farmer, a grocer. Educated at the local grammar school, young Ernest found employment with the Imperial Livestock Insurance Company, in addition to joining the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry about 1890. Quickly gaining N.C.O. status, he was awarded the Imperial Yeomanry L.S. & G.C. in February 1905 and was a member of the Colour Party sent to Windsor to receive new colours from the King in June 1909. In the following year, also as R.Q.M.S., he represented his regiment at the Coronation.

As stated in the Historical Records of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry, Farmer was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in 3/1 Montgomeryshire Yeomanry in October 1915 and then attached to the Army Service Corps: ‘Lieutenant Farmer had completed 25 years of unbroken service in the Regiment and felt bitterly the idea of parting. However, it was not for long, as he remained to assist the 1st Line in preparing for embarkation and very soon obtained his transfer and re-joined in Egypt.’

Farmer served in Ireland at the time of the ‘Easter Rising’ in 1916, whilst on the strength of the 3/1 Montgomeryshire Yeomanry. On the that day the uprising commenced, he took a party of the regiment to defend Viceregal Lodge, but otherwise remained under regular sniper fire at Arbour Hill Barracks. Following the ceasefire on 29 April, he was put in charge of house searching, which proved to be ‘very disagreeable work’.

Thence embarked for Egypt, his regiment was amalgamated with the 1/1/ Welsh Horse to form the 25th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He was advanced to Lieutenant in July 1917 and, having witnessed active service in the Palestine campaign, is believed to have been embarked with the Battalion for France in May 1918.

In Historical Records of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry there is an illustration of Farmer’s tin helmet, complete with bullet hole, although in which theatre of war he experienced this near squeak does not appear to be cited. Moreover, accompanying family notes state that he was wounded on three occasions. Apparently, whenever he attended ongoing war wound tribunals, the presiding officer invariably asked him the identity of his medal with the yellow riband.

Farmer, who transferred to the 7th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Defence Force) in November 1920, was placed on the Retired List in January 1924. He returned to his former employment in insurance - now with Commercial Union - and died at Welshpool in 1936, aged 66 years; sold with copied research.