QSA And LSGC to SERGEANT GEORGE CASSIDY / ROYAL ENGINEERS

Queen’s South Africa Medal bar Cape Colony. 2nd Type with ‘ghost’ dates. Correctly Impressed 28519. Sapr. G. CASSIDY. R.E.

GV Long Service & Good Conduct Medal. Correctly impressed 28519. SJT. G. CASSIDY. R.E.)

 Swing mounted as worn.

Condition GVF

Sold with the recipients pay and service book, bound in leather. With a family bank books.

George Cassidy completed over 25 years’ service as a shoemaker with the Royal Engineers (R.E.). His overseas service included Hong Kong, Gibraltar, Ceylon and South Africa.

Cassidy was born in Farnborough in 1876, and was a shoemaker and newsagent by trade. On 27 September 1894, he enlisted into the Corps of Royal Engineers as a shoemaker: at the time of his enlistment, his father was dead and he had five siblings.

He completed a shortened, 90-day, recruit course at the School of Military Engineering (S.M.E.) and was posted to Aldershot. He remained in England until 1897, during which time he served with 17 Company R.E., repeatedly qualified as a first-class shot in musketry, completed his third-class education certificate and was awarded 1d per day good-conduct pay (1896).

In 1898, he was posted to Hong Kong, where he remained until early 1899, when he was sent to Gibraltar, disembarking on 9 March. In November 1899, he was sent to Cape Town in South Africa and joined 6 Company (Fortress) R.E.: he returned to England in July 1900. He remained in England for three years, serving primarily with 52 Company R.E. On 27 September 1900, his good conduct pay was raised to 2d per day and on 23 March 1901, he was promoted to lance corporal. In 1902, Cassidy was granted permission to marry (married on 1 July), completed is second-class education certificate and was promoted to corporal on 1 November. He also extended his service, firstly to 12 years with the Colours (21 June 1902) and later to 21 years (4 December 1903).

After a short period with 42 Company R.E. in Portsmouth, he was posted to Ceylon, arriving on 7 December 1903. Cassidy remained in Ceylon until early 1907, and probably served with 1/41 Company R.E.: his good conduct pay was increased to 7d per day as of 1 April 1904. Having joined 9 Company R.E. on his arrival in England on 28 January 1907, he was promoted to corporal on 4 July 1907.

On 1 May 1911 Cassidy was promoted to sergeant and was awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, with gratuity, in 1913. In September 1916, he service was extended, probably due to wartime needs, and he remained in the Army until 1920, having been authorised to draw his pension while serving in January 1918.

Cassidy was discharged from the Army, at Chatham, on 29 February 1920, having completed 25 years and 156 days service. He passed away in Aldershot in 1949, aged 73