British Army Boer War medal pair to Gunner T. Patterson, Royal Artillery.Queen's South Africa Medal, 1899-1902, with pronounced ghost dates & 3 clasps, CAPE COLONY, ORANGE FREE STATE & TRANSVAAL, impressed named 80856 GNR: T.PATTERSON. R.F.A. & King's South Africa Medal, 1901-02, 2 clasps, SOUTH AFRICA 1901 & SOUTH AFRICA 1902, impressed named 80856 GNR: T.PATTERSON. R.F.A. Comes with copies medal rolls, service records.
Thomas Patterson was born Colverstown, Kildare, Ireland in 1871. Enlisted Royal Artillery 4/10/1890 in Liverpool, occupation stated as a labourer. Posted 1/8/1891 10th Mountain Battery & 7th Mountain Battery 29/9/1891. Served: Home 4/10/1890 – 28/9/91, India 29/9/1891 – 30/10/98, awaiting trial 6/6/1898. (19 Days), tried and imprisoned 25/6/1898 (84 days). Home 31/10/98 to 13/11/99, South Africa: Recalled to service 7/10/1899 posted 73rd Battery 4/8/00. Posted 39th Battery 1/1/02. Depot 7/8/02 & Home 30/8/02, being discharged 3/10/1902.Gunner Patterson is further entitled to the India General Service Medal 1895, with clasp PUNJAB FRONTIER 1897-98. It is probable that he is also entitled to the India General Service Medal (1854-1895) with clasp CHIN HILLS 1892-93, as this is recorded on his service papers. In 1889 that mountain artillery was established as a separate branch of the Royal Artillery with ten permanently established batteries. Of the original ten mountain batteries, all but two were garrisoned in India from the time of their formation and saw much action on the North West Frontier. These were the “screw guns” of Kipling’s poem.
