Description

Offered is a nice original set of medals and parchment service documents to Private Michael Walalce, who served in both the Boer War and First World War with the Royal Irish Regiment.

Queens South Africa 1899 – 1902, 3 clasps CAPE COLONY, TRANSVAAL, WITTEBERGEN, impressed named 5712 P^TE M. WALLACE. 1^ST RL. IRISH REG^T.; Kings South Africa Medal, with 2 clasps SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, impressed named 5712 P^TE M WALLACE. RL. IRISH REG^T.; British War and Victory medals 1914 – 18, impressed named 6765 PTE. M. WALLACE. R. IR. Regt. The medals with the original ribbons have been stapled to plastic card for display, with the KSA showing much fraying/fragility to centre. Comes with 3 original service discharge documents and copies Service Records (on CD) medal rolls, M.I.C., pension cards & 1911 census.

Michael Wallace was born in 1877 in Tipperary, he enlisted 30/12/1895 into the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment with the service number 5712. He served in the Boer War with them and discharged in Cork 29/12/1907. He enlisted into Sec D of the Army Reserve with the Royal Munster Fusiliers 13/1/1908 discharging at the completion of 4 years in Cork 12/1/1912. He served South Africa for 3 years & 338 days as of 7/1/1900.

In 1911 he was living in Swansea and employed by the local council as a labourer. On the outbreak of the Great War, he re-enlisted with the Royal Irish Regiment 31/8/1914 (with the new service number 6765). He was posted to the 3^rd Battalion 26/9/1914, (a training unit) and was sent to Richmond Barracks in Dublin. 4//4/1916 -27/7/1916 worked at Dunston Zinc Coy, (Dunston on Tyne) to assist with the making of munitions. Posted to the 2^nd Battalion R.I.R 28/6/1917. Landed in France 14/5/1918, however his age was against him and he was posted to the Labour Corps 6/7/1918 (137^TH Labour Company) with whom he served until demobilized 7/1/1919 (with a new service number of 573250). He died 25/10/1928 in Swansea.