Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902. Silver issue with 4 x clasps 'Cape Colony' 'Paardeberg' 'Driefontein' & 'Johannesburg' (3434 Pte. W. Tomlinson. North Staff Regt.)
Important: The medal and all 4 x clasps verified per the campaign medal roll of 2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment (ref WO 100/199) compiled and signed 'In-The-Field' at Wakkerstroom, Transvaal, South Africa, on 15 July 1901
Note: The recipient prior served in the Sudan during the 'Dongola Expedition' of 1896, with 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, for which earlier services he had been awarded a Sudan Medal & Egyptian 'Khedives Sudan' medal, the latter without clasp (ref WO 100/81). For his services during the Great War he was also awarded the British War & Victory Medals (see respective medal rolls of the Rifle Brigade (Ref WO 329/1725)
William Tomlinson, son of William Tomlinson (an Insurance Inspector) & Mary Tomlinson (nee Larey) was a native of Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, where he was born circa 1872. The 1881 National Census for England & Wales shows that William was one of five children in the Tomlinson family, including three elder sisters, vis; Annie (born circa 1864) , Matilda (born circa 1867) & Annie (born circa 1870) and younger brother John (born circa 1881). In 1871, the family were residing at, 8 Dale Street, Stoke-on-Trent. William enlisted in the British Army at Newcastle, Northumberland, England, on 12 August 1891, at which time he was 19 years and 1 month of age. Prior to joining the British Army, he had been employed as a 'Collier'. William was posted to his local infantry regiment, the North Staffordshire Regiment, and served with the North Staffs throughout his first period of military service, during which he served in the Dongola Expedition (Sudan) and the South African War
On 11 August 1903, William took his discharge from the British Army at Lichfield after completion of his first period of engagement - 12 Years. After his release from the British Army, William located to Hanley, Staffordshire, where he returned to employment work in the Coal Mining industry in which he worked as a 'Coal Miner / Hewer'. By August 1914, he was living at, 33 Austin Street, Hanley, Staffordshire.
Shortly after the outbreak of the Great War, on 23 September 1914, William Tomlinson volunteered his services and re-enlisted at Stoke-n-Trent for the British Army. He remained in the United Kingdom on 'Home Service' through to March 1918, during which time he served variously with 10th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, and later with training battalions of the Durham Light Infantry. William entered theatre of war 'France' on 27 March 1918, when he disembarked at Boulogne. Two days after disembarkation in France, at the Etaples Depot, William was posted to the Rifle Brigade and posted to 1st 5th Battalion London Regiment, at which time he was given the regimental number 45388. William remained in France with the British Expeditionary Force through to and past the Armistice that was signed on 11 November 1918. In total William served 266 days in France and returned to the United Kingdom on 18 December 1918, his papers with remark 'For release for work in Coal Mine'. Posted to the Army Reserve, William took his final discharge from the British Army on 31 March 1920.
William Tomlinson died of Bronchitis & Bronchial Asthma on 15 December 1939. At the time of his death he was residing at 36 Hampton Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England
The service papers of William Tomlinson are extant and accessible at The National Archives
Condition: About EF
