Offered is a Queens Sudan Medal (1896 – 98), period engraved 2858. PTE. T. PERRIS. 2/R. BDE.; queens South Africa Medal (1899 – 1902), with three clasps, DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH, LAINGS NEK, BELFAST, impressed named 2858 PTE T. PERRIS. RIFLE BRIGADE.; Kings South Africa Medal (1902), with two clasps, SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, impressed named 2858 PTE T. PERRIS. RIFLE BRIGADE.; Khedive's Sudan medal (1896 – 1908), with one clasp KHARTOUM, unnamed as issued. Court mounted for display with copies of service record, medal rolls, court martial book and 1911 census.

Tom Perris was born in 1872 in Leigh, Sherborne. A labourer by trade he had previously served in the Somerset Militia but purchased his discharge. He enlisted into the Rifle Brigade 26/6/1893, and after initial training at the depot was posted to the 2nd Battalion on 20/10/1893.

He served ‘Home’ 22/6/1893 – 23/9/1897, during which he was awarded good conduct pay 22/6/1895 but forfeited it 24/7/1897.

Posted to Malta 24/9/1897 – 11/7/1898 with his good conduct pay being restored on 24/1/1898.

The 2nd Battalion was deployed to Egypt 12/7/1898 – 20/9/1898, to take part in the Nile Expedition/Sudan Campaign and were present at the battle of Omdurman. From there they were redeployed to Crete 21/9/1898 – 1/10/1899, as part of the International Squadron which occupied the Island.

When the Boer War broke out, the battalion was rushed to South Africa serving there 2/10/1899 – 6/9/1902. They departed Crete on the Jelunga on 2nd October arriving in Durban on the 26th  and were rushed to Ladysmith on the 30th in time to be besieged.

The record of the 2nd Battalion during the siege is an admirable one and makes for exiting reading, sniping, digging and fortifying positions, being under Boer artillery fire, raiding Boer positions and bayonet charges.

He was granted his 2nd good conduct pay on 24/1/1900, but was tried by a Field General Court Martial in Middleburg Transvaal on 13/11/1901 “when on active service, drunkenness’ receiving 14 days imprison and forfeited G.C. pay.

As his term of enlistment was approaching its conclusion, he was posted to the Depot in England 7/9/1902, his good conduct pay being restored on 29/11/1902. He transferred to Army Reserve on 23/12/1902 until he discharged ‘time expired’ 21/6/1905. He certainly saw the world during his service being discharged with a ‘good character’ report.

The 1911 census records him as a stud groom in Bartletts, Holyport, Bray, Maidenhead, Berkshire. He died on 15/3/1955 in Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.