TOPIC:

MC GV;
QSA (3) Cape Colony, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, the two date clasps both tailor’s copies (Capt. F. G. P. Philips. Leins: Rgt:);
1914-15 Star (Major F. G. P. Philips. Shrops. L.I.);
British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major F. G. P. Philips.)

MC London Gazette 23 June 1915.

Francis George Prescot Philips was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 4th (Militia) Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry on 23 February 1898. He served in South Africa during the Boer War as a Staff Officer to the District Commandant, attached to the Leinster Regiment (entitled to the Queen’s South Africa with Cape Colony clasp only), before reverting to the Militia, and transferred to the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry on 31 May 1908. He served during the Great War attached to the Manchester Regiment on the Western Front from 2 January 1915, and for his services during the Great War was promoted Major, Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 22 June 1915), and was awarded the Military Cross.

In civilian life he served as a Sheriff of Radnorshire.

Picture courtesy of Woolley & Wallis

DSO GV;
King's Police Medal, GV 1st type (LT - COL. WILLIAM H.W. MURPHY, D.S.O., COMMDT. ZANZIBAR POLICE.), engraved in serif capitals;
QSA (6) Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek (Lieut. W.H. MURPHY. Leins. Rgt.), engraved;
KSA (2) (LIEUT: W.H. MURPHY. LEINSTER REGT), impressed in plain capitals;
1914-15 Star (unnamed);
British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal with MID (LT. COL. W. H. MURPHY.);
Territorial Decoration, GV

DSO LG 18/02/1918 & 18/07/1918

KPM LG 31/12/1927

Lt. Col. Murphy was first commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Leinster Regiment on the 19th May 1900, having previously served as a Lance Sergeant in Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry. He was promoted Lieutenant 22nd March 1902, and by 1909 was in the Reserve of Officers and employed in the Bechuanaland Protectorate Police. He served in the Great War with the 18th Battalion the London Regiment, earning the DSO as a Major, and ending the war as a Lieutenant Colonel. His Territorial Decoration was gazetted on the 27th May 1919. He returned to colonial service after the war - his Medal Index Card giving his address as C/O Tanganyika Administration Darussalam. He was awarded the King's Police Medal in 1927.The deeds for which Murphy was awarded the D.S.O. took place in the Bourlon Salient in November and December 1917, during the Battle of Cambrai; at which time he was in command of his regiment, having taken over in April when Lt. Col D.B. Parry D.S.O. was admitted to hospital sick:"..he reconnoitered the the whole of the position and was continually in the front line...on the occasion of an attack he successfully led his battalion at very short notice and in darkness. Later, he directed the withdrawal with remarkable skill, and on another occasion, when the outpost line held by his battalion was was attacked in large force.....he re-established the line of posts....maintaining them until relieved. He displayed magnificent courage, leadership and ability..."The recommendation for his King's Police Medal states that he "Successfully reorganised the force and made it efficient [and] was instrumental in breaking up dacoity gangs which had persisted for many years"

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

[ KP ]
CMG b/b s/g;
Egypt (1) Tel-El-Kebir (Lieut: Hon: B. E. B. Fitz Patrick. Rl. E. Kent. Yy. Cav:);
QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (Lt. Col. F. E. B. Lord Castletown. Lnstr. Rgt.);
Khedive’s Star, dated 1882

KP Nominated in 1907 and invested on 29 February 1908.

CMG London Gazette 26 June 1902.

Bernard Edward Barnaby Fitzpatrick, 2nd Baron Castletown, was born in July 1848 and was educated at Eton and Brasenose College, Oxford. Having then made a grand tour of the continent, he served as an observer and ambulance worker in the Franco-Prussian War: ‘During the time I was in France I saw a good deal of the actual fighting, including the termination of the battle of Gravelotte and the deep road where the Germans made their great sacrifice of life, and I also watched the retreat of the French at Sedan ... The poor dead, half-burnt by the conflagration, were lying in all directions, and the wretched French prisoners were being collected by the Bavarians ... I was sent to work at a typhus and typhoid hospital for some time - a very unpleasant experience’ (Ego refers).

Commissioned in the 1st Life Guards on his return from France, Fitzpatrick resigned his commission on getting married in April 1874, but maintained his military links with an appointment as a Captain in the City of Cork Artillery Militia from 1875-77 and in the Royal East Kent Yeomanry, in which latter capacity he gained attachment to his old regiment, the 1st Life Guards, during the Egypt operations of 1882, including the battles of Kassassin and Tel-el-Kebir (Medal & clasp; Khedive’s Star): and surely a uniquely named award to the Royal East Kent Yeomanry.

Of Tel-el-Kebir, Fitzpatrick later wrote:

‘A little before dawn one gun was fired from the works, and then the whole sky was lit up as gun after gun was fired from both sides, and the rattle of rifle fire was overwhelming. It seemed to last only a short time; then dawn came, and one of the first things I could distinguish was the head of a soldier lying on the ground at my horse’s feet; how it came there I have no idea, but there it was. We advanced at a trot, shells whistling about us, but I do not think we had any casualties. As the dawn grew stronger, I saw Indian lancers galloping all over the place, and spitting unfortunate Egyptians with their lances. At last the firing ceased, and we worked up to the entrenchments and dismounted. I walked into the redoubt nearest to us and realised what a strong place it was. There has been severe fighting; some of the Soudanese had fought to the end, and men were lying wounded and dead in all directions ... We had our lunch by the canal, and I wandered into the low bush which fringed it. Bang! went a rifle and I heard a bullet whistle past my head; I fired at the spot from whence the shot had come, and dropped to the ground to await events. As nothing further happened, I cautiously worked my way through the bush, and found I had shot an Egyptian soldier. He was badly wounded, poor chap, and I did what I could for him and got him water; he was a brave fellow as he never whimpered or groaned. As I sat by him he motioned with his hand to his breast pocket, which he could not reach. I felt in the pocket and pulled out a small paper Koran, and handed it to him. He read it carefully, and after a few minutes turned on his side and died’ (Ego refers).

Fitzpatrick was M.P. for Portarlington Borough 1880-83 and succeeded his father in 1883 as 2nd Baron Castletown. In the Boer War, and having been appointed a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 4th Battalion, Leinster Regiment, he served as Assistant Adjutant-General on Lord Roberts’ staff, and was awarded the C.M.G. Never one to be found behind a desk for too long, Fitzpatrick made it his business to go out on intelligence gathering patrols, and to share in the dangers of other offensive operations.

From 1906-10 he was chancellor of the Old Royal University of Ireland, of which he was an honorary LLD. In 1907 he was appointed a Knight of Saint Patrick, and in 1908 was sworn of the Irish Privy Council. In the Great War he did admirable recruiting work and his coolness, courage and devotion were remarkable in the troubles that followed.

He married in 1874, the Hon. Ursula Clare Emily St Leger, daughter of 4th Viscount Doneraile. Lord Castletown died without issue on 29 May 1937.



The 'Times' Obituary 1 June 1937

Lord Castletown of Upper Ossory : Sportsman and Irish Landlord.

Lord Castletown of Upper Ossory KP, whose death at his seat Granston Manor, Queen's Co., on Saturday at the age of 87, was briefly announced in our later editions yesterday, was a soldier and an Irish landlord, but was perhaps chiefly notable as a sportsman of rare quality. Although only the second baron the late peer could trace his lineage back into the early centuries. His father, the Right Hon John Wilson Fitzpatrick was created 1869 Lord Castletown of Upper Ossory in the peerage of the United Kingdom after succeeding to the estates of the late Earl of Upper Ossory. Bernard Edward Barnaby Fizpatrick the only son, was born on July 29, 1849, and was educated at Eton where he was in the Rev h F Birch's house, and at Brasenose College Oxford where he took a second class in the old school of Law and Modern History. He made the grand tour of the Continent and then in vogue with the eldest son, took part as an observer in the Franco¬German Campaign and after a period of service in the Life Guards settled down to the duties, often difficult and sometimes dangerous of a resident Irish landlord.

In 1880 FitzPatrick was elected Conservative MP for Portarlington polling 116 votes to 18 cast for the Liberal candidate, a curious contrast to the huge polls of the present day. In 1883 he succeeded his father in the peerage. Having been able to warn the Irish Secretary as to various conspiracies afoot, he came under the close attention of the Land League. ~or some time his life was daily menaced and he attributed his safety largely to the fact that everyone knew him to be a safe and quick shot and to his having said openly that if he saw anyone crouching behind a hedge he would fire first and apologise afterwards.

After a Royal Commission had reported in 1896 that Ireland was over taxed by about £3M a year. Lord Castletown delivered in advance a Nationalistic speech in 'Rebel Cork'. But ultimately he contented himself with the Reform Association, founded by Lord Dunraven in 1905 with the object of giving Ireland control of purely Irish affairs. He also helped Sir Horace Plunkett in his work improving the economic conditions in Ireland.

Lord Castletown agreeably varied sport in Ireland, which was dear to his soul, with extensive and enterprising travel and the pursuit of really big and fierce game. No 'roughing it' came amiss to him, fear and fatigue were alike strangers to him, his adventures were many, and the risks he took were considerable. His skill with gun and rifle were far famed, and was of a piece with his modesty when describing his experiences in a book of which the title was the only fragment of egotism 'Ego' published in 1923, was full of racy anecdote and of that bubbling Irish wit which never seems to seek to wound.

Although Lord Castletown left the Army when he married in 1874, his love of soldiering induced his to offer his sword as a volunteer both in the Egypt Expedition of 1882, when he was present at Tel el Kebir and in the South African War when he served as AAG and gained four clasps to the Queen's Medal. He was late Lieutenant Colonel and Honorary Colonel of the 4th Battalion the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) In 1902 he was created CMG. from 1906-1910 he was chancellor of the Old Royal University of Ireland of which he was an honorary LL D. In 1907 he was appointed a Knight of St Patrick and in 1908 was sworn of the Irish Privy Council. In the late War he did admirable recruiting work and his coolness, courage and devotion were remarable in the troubles that followed. As a landlord, he owned about 20,000 acres he was active and beneficent, of a type now unfortunately becoming rare.

David
Another fascinatingly detailed account and with early service in Egypt and everyday incidents almost bringing his experiences alive. With his lineage traceable back centuries it is a great shame that he did not have children to continue his families good work
Thanks
Clive

The medals to Lord Castletown sold for a hammer price of £2,200. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £2,834. R55,900. Au$4,750. Can$4,200. US$3,270.

From the next Baldwin's auction.

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen, South Africa 1902 (5601 Pte. M. Carter, Leins: Regt.)
[ 1914 Star trio ]

Martin Carter was born in c.1878 and enlisted for the Leinster Regiment aged 20 years on the 11th of August 1898 at Kilmalogue, Southern Ireland after Militia Service. Her served for a total of 17 Years 31 days with the Colours from 1895 to 1915 serving overseas in Canada, South Africa and with the British Expeditionary Force in France & Flanders in 1914 and 1915,

His papers show him as Court Martialled twice and, on the Defaulters Book at least 5 times, mostly for Drunkenness, the most interesting entry in the Defaulters Book whilst in South Africa when he was sentenced to 8 days “For Being Drunk while in charge of a Government Horse”. He served in France from the 8th of September 1914 and was finally discharged from the Army at Cork on the 10th of September 1915 “Having Completed his Period of Engagement”.