TOPIC:

THE QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL AWARDED TO PRIVATE J. BYRNE, 2ND BATTALION ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS, WHO WAS TAKEN PRISONER OF WAR AT COLENSO ON 15/12/1899.

QSA & 6 clasps: Cape Colony, Talana, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal officially impressed: 4505 PTE. J. BYRNE, RL. DUBLIN FUS:

QSA and KSA Medal rolls, confirm six clasp QSA and that Byrne was also entitled to the King's South Africa Medal. If anyone knows of the location of Byrne's KSA, please contact me as I would like very much to reunite them.

James Byrne was born in the parish of St Nicholas, Dublin, Ireland, and educated at the Royal Military Asylum and the Royal Hibernian Military School. He attested for the Royal Dublin Fusiliers at Dublin on 4 August 1892. At the time of enlistment, he was 18 years and 2 months of age and gave his trade as that of builder’s laborer. Attestation papers note previous service with the 4th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers from October 1891, and that he previously volunteered for service, but had been rejected because he was under age and under the required chest measurement (at the time of enlistment Byrne's height was given as 5 feet 5.5 inches, and his weight as a mere 8 stone 4 pounds or 116 Lbs). Byrne was posted for service as a private with the 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers on 16 October 1892. Within 2 years he had gone absent without leave, 15 September 1894, but returned to duty on 22 September of the same year, when he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion on 26 September 1894. Following his service during the Boer War, Byrne was posted back to the 1st Battalion, transferred to the Army Reserve on 14th March 1903, and discharged "time expired" on 3rd August 1904. In addition to service in South Africa for 5 years and 48 days, from 18th May 1897 to 12th October 1902, Byrne also saw service in India from September 1894 to May 1897. At the time of discharge, he gave his next of kin as his father, of 18 Bride St, Dublin.

Private Byrne was at Talana and was posted missing in action at the fiasco at Colenso on 15 December 1899. He was a prisoner of war and was later released. Medal and clasps confirmed on roll.

Byrne J 4505 Private 2nd Btn. Missing - released at Colenso on 15 Dec 1899. Source: Natal Field Force Casualty Roll, page 188-line 43 Royal Dublin Fusiliers

Byrne J 4505 Private QSA (6) QSA known to exist Source: List of QSAs with the clasp Talana from the Talana book