RIFLE BRIGADE *DESERTER* PRE WW1 BRITISH 1878-1880 AFGHANISTAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL

Offered is an original 1878-1880 Afghanistan Campaign medal awarded to Private Joseph Pratt, who served with the 4th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade in Afghanistan in November 1878.

36mm wide circular silver medal with claw and ribbon bar suspension, with campaign bar 'ALI MUSJID' the face with the veiled crowned head and shoulders of Queen Victoria facing left, circumscribed ‘VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX (Victoria Queen and Empress); the reverse with a column on the march in a mountainous landscape, an elephant bearing a cannon to the fore, circumscribed above ‘AFGHANISTAN’ and dated ‘1878-79-80’ below. Correct chisel engraved named in running script to 1235 PTE J. PRATT. 4TH. BN RIFLE BDE; on original ribbon. The medal was instituted on 19 March 1881 to be awarded to participants in the Second Afghan War of 1878 to 1880.

Joseph Pratt was born in Loughborough in 1841, enlisting for service with the Leicestershire Militia in June 1859, transferring for regular service with the Rifle Brigade on the 22nd June 1860. Up until 1868 he was of 'good character' as a soldier, from this point onwards, he is shown to have been absent, confined to Barracks or in the 'Cells by order of the C.O.', culminating in his desertion in July 1870, to which he was tried and imprisoned. Frequent absences throughout the rest of the 1870's, with service in Gibraltar 1863-65, Canada in 1865-67 and India/Afghanistan 1873 to 1881. Discharged on the 10th January 1882, having served 21 years and 56 days. Private Pratt would not have been entitled to his Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, for obvious reasons....