A Boer War Orange Free State and Transvaal and Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal pair awarded to Corporal later Serjeant O. Edwards, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment who saw service during the Boer War on operations in Orange Free State and Transvaal and would be awarded his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in Army Order 286 of 1912.
Pair: Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 4 Clasps: Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; (4094 CORPL. O. EDWARDS. ESSEX REGT.) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVR, (4094 SJT. O. EDWARDS. ESSEX REGT.)
Condition: light contact wear, Good Very Fine
Owen Edwards was born at Buckhurst Hill and enlisted in the Essex Regiment on 24th January 1894, he would transfer to the 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment on 11th April 1894. Appointed Lance-Corporal on 7th January 1896, he reverted to Private on the 14th March 1896 when he transferred to the 2nd Battalion.
Leaving for India on 14th March 1896, he would be re-appointed Lance Corporal on 16th March 1897 and brought onto the paid establishment on 17th January 1898. He was promoted temporary Corporal on 12th November 1900 and confirmed in the rank on 12th June 1901.
He would embark for South Africa with the 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment in December 1901 and would see service during the Boer War in operations in Orange Free State and Transvaal, until he later transferred to the 1st Battalion on 14th August 1902.
Edwards would then return to India where he would be appointed a Lance Sergeant on 19th September 1904 and Sergeant on 1st November 1905. Edwards was posted to the 3rd Battalion on 7th January 1911. He would then be appointed paid recruiting Sergeant at Saffron Walden on 4th July 1911, he would be awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in Army Order 286 of 1912 and then appointed Garrison Provost Sergeant on 13th March 1913. He married Martha White at Forest Gate in 1912.
On 24th August 1914, he was promoted Colour Sergeant and appointed CSM on 7th September 1914. He served continuously with the 3rd Battalion at home until final discharge on 24th January 1916. His papers explicitly note that he did not serve overseas.
Company Sergeant Major Edwards died in 1950 after a long illness.
