The South Africa Boer War and Great War November 1914 First Battle of Ypres Prisoner of War and Post Office worker’s Imperial Service Medal group awarded to Corporal P.J. Packer, 1st Battalion, formerly 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, formerly 2nd Volunteer Battalion - Tower Hamlets Rifles. Packer from Stepney, London, was a member of the Volunteer Force prior to his joining for regular service in July 1899. He saw service with the 2nd Battalion out in South Africa during the Boer War when present on operations in the Cape Colony, the Transvaal, and the Orange Free State between June 1900 and September 1901. Having become a Postman with the Post Office in London, he was recalled on the outbreak of the Great War, and was then present with the 1st Battalion out on the Western Front from mid September 1914, and was taken prisoner of war on 13th November 1914 whilst engaged in the First Battle of Ypres. He spent the war interned in Holland. Packer was ultimately awarded the Imperial Service Medal in June 1939.
Group of 5: Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 4 Clasps: Cape Colony, Transvaal, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901; (6180 PTE. P. PACKER. RL: SCOTS FUS:); 1914 Star with original sew-on Clasp; (6180 PTE. P. PACKER 1/R. SC: FUS.); British War Medal and Victory Medal; (6180 CPL. P. PACKER. R.S.FUS.); Imperial Service Medal, GVI 1st type bust; (PHILIP JAMES PACKER.)
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Philip James Packer was born in Stepney, London, and having worked as a porter and then seen service in the Volunteer Force as a Rifleman with the 2nd Volunteer Battalion - Tower Hamlets Rifles, then joined the regular forces, having attested at London on 4th July 1899 and joining as a Private (No.6180) the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, he joined it at Chatham on 6th July 1899 and owing to the ongoing Boer War, was posted out to South Africa from 21st June 1900, being then present on operations in the Cape Colony, the Transvaal, and the Orange Free State until posted home on 27th September 1901.
Appointed to Lance Corporal on 20th October 1901, he was promoted to Corporal on 16th April 1903, he was then posted out to India from 1st March 1904, having transferred to the 1st Battalion. Having reverted to Private on 19th November 1904, he was eventually posted home on 1st March 1907 when he rejoined the 1st Battalion. Packer was then transferred to the Army Reserve on 3rd July 1907. He re-engaged with the Reserve on 3rd February 1911, and then transferred to the Section ‘D’ Reserve on 4th July 1911.
Packer had by now joined the Post Office in the position of porter or postman in the London area he having passed without competition on 21st June 1911.
With the outbreak of the Great War he was recalled to military service and mobilised as a Private with the 3rd Reserve Battalion on 24th August 1914, and was appointed to Lance Corporal on 4th September 1914, being then present out on the Western Front from 15th September 1914 for service with the 1st Battalion. Packer was promoted to Corporal on 1st November, and was serving with ‘D’ Company when he was then taken prisoner of war on 13th November 1914 whilst engaged in the First Battle of Ypres.
Packer was interned for the duration of the war in Holland, and with the end of hostilities, he was posted home to the Depot on 18th November 1918 and then posted back to the 3rd Reserve Battalion on 27th January 1919, before being transferred back to the Army Reserve on 12th March 1919.
Having returned to his job with the Post Office, he was still working as a Postman in the London Postal Region when around the time of his retirement, he was awarded the Imperial Service Medal in the London Gazette for 2nd June 1939.