Description

Offered is a Queens South Africa Medal (1899 – 1902), with 4 clasps, BELMONT, MODDER RIVER, ORANGE FREE STATE, TRANSVAAL.: Kings South Africa Medal (1902), with 2 clasps, SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, both impressed named 4753 PTE J. CONKEY, 1ST L.N.LANC: REGT. Court mounted for display and comes with copies of service papers, medal rolls and census extracts.

Note: The medal roll and medal naming is ‘J’ Conkey. His service papers show William Conkey.

William Conkey was born in Dec 1874/Jan 1875 in Preston, Lancashire. A spinner by trade (his father was a cotton weaver), he enlisted into the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment at Preston on 16/1/1895.  He was initially posted to the 2nd Battalion 18/4/1895 but transferred to the 1st Battalion 22/10/1896. The Battalion was posted to Ceylon 22/10/1896 – 10/2/1899.

Boer War: The Battalion was stationed in South Africa prior to the outbreak of the war 11/2/1899 – 3/10/1902, which would mean that Conkey served in the war from start to finish. He served with the half of the 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment which fought with Lord Methuen’s column rather than being trapped in Kimberley. They were not heavily engaged at Belmont, but faced severe fighting at Enslin where they were positioned in the centre of the British position, between the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Naval Brigade. At Modder River they were formed up on the extreme left flank of the army, opposite the buildings of ‘Rosmead’ over the river itself. It was here that the battle was won for the British as the Rosmead Dam provided a ford which could be exploited. During the guerrilla phase of the war the Regiment shared in the action at Haartebeestfontein and Ventersdorp. They also suffered in the defeat at Tweebosch but got away with light causalities of six dead and 10 wounded. The medal roll notes that Conkey was transferred to the Army Reserve after the war.