A rare to regiment North West Frontier of India, South African War and Great War 'Casualty' campaign medal group of 3: Sergeant Price, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles (C.E.F.) late 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment

- IGS 1895. Clasps 'Punjab Frontier 97-98' & Tirah 97-98 (3513 Pte A. G. F. Price. 2d. Bn. Essex Regt.)
- QSA 1899-02. 'Orange Free State', 'Transvaal', 'SA 1901' & 'SA 1902' (3513 Pte. A. Price. Essex Regt)
- British War Medal . Silver issue (116785 A.Sjt. A.G.F. Price. 2-C.M.R.)

Rare to Regiment India General Service Medal 1895: No battalion of the Essex Regiment deployed as a unit on the North West Frontier of India 1895-1902. Only an estimated 33 x India General Service 1895 Medals with various clasps are known to have been awarded to 'All-Ranks' of the Essex Regiment, who were all serving away from the regiment on secondment / attachment

Portrait Photograph: A splendid portrait photograph of the recipient wearing Canadian 'Cowboy' costume with a jaunty Stetson, bandana and braces can be seen at the Imperial War Museum website in the resource called 'Lives of the First World War'

Medals & Clasps Verification: All 3 x medals & all 6 x clasps confirmed as entitled, the recipient being further entitled to a 1914-15 Star and Interallied Victory Medal, per the below following referenced sources:

- IGS Medal 1895-1902 & 2 clasps: WO 100/84 shown under alias 3513 A  Brady
- QSA Medal 1899-1902. Silver with 4 x clasps 'OFS', 'TR', 'SA 1901' & 'SA 1902': WO 100/191
- British War Medal . Silver issue : Recipients extant CEF service records confirm Great War service

IGS 1895 Roll: The recipient is shown under his enlisted alias No 3513 Pte A. Brady 2/Essex Regiment, and during his qualifying service for the medal and two clasps - a regimental rarity -was   attached to No. 11 British Field Hospital. The medal issued is however correctly name, vis  3513 Pte A.G.F. Price. 2d. Bn. Essex Regiment

Alfred George Frederick Price, eldest son of Albert Price (1850-1878) and Esther 'Louisa' Price was born in Stratford, West Ham, London, England on, 6 February 1874. By trade a 'Brushmaker' he was 18 years of age, when using the name 'Alfred Brady' (Brady was the surname of his half-brother) he 'fraudulently' enlisted in the British Army, at, Warley, Yorkshire, England, on 14 June 1892, on which date he was posted to the Essex Regiment and given the regimental number '3513'. His fraudulent enlistment (using a false name) was subsequently recorded in his service papers, which are also noted to show his correct name of 'Alfred George Frederick Price'. By the time Alfred took his final discharge from the British Army on 25 April 1906, he had accumulated just over 13 years service 'With the Colours' towards pension. Alfred's papers show that he had obtained a 'Nursing Certificate' at Lucknow, India, on. 24 June 1896 - which would have been a qualifier for his subsequent attachment as a trained 'Medic' with the 11th British Field Hospital during the North West Frontier campaigns of 1897-98. Alfred's record of British service is summarised below:

- Home: 14/06/1892 - 02/09/1894 (2 Years 81 Days)
- India: 03/09/1894 - 06/12/1901 (7 Years 95 Days)
- South Africa: 07/12/1901 - 14/08/1902 (251 Days)
- India: 15/08/1902 - 23/04/1906 (3 Years 252 Days)
- Home: 24/04/1906 - 25/04/1906 (2 Days)

The recipients British Army service papers - an excellent set - are extant and accessible at The National Archives

Some years prior to the Great War, Alfred had migrated to Canada, where in 1916 he was resident in Victoria, British Columbia, where he was employed as a 'Free Miner'. He subsequently enlisted for the Canadian Expeditionary Force and from 1916, served overseas in England, and later France, holding the rank of Acting-Sergeant with the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles (qualifying for a British War Medal and Interallied Victory Medal).  In France, his service papers record that he was 'Wounded' by 'Shell Contusion'

Service papers for Alfred's service with the Canadian Expeditionary Force - another excellent set - are held and accessible at the Canadian National Archives
 
Sometime after the Great War, Alfred returned to his native England, and is recorded to have died on, 7 April 1941, at 51 William Street, Herne Bay, Kent, England

The medals mounted from frayed & stitched silk ribands, on a wire rod hanger, and as-worn by the recipient

First time this rare to regiment combination of medals has been on the market and most likely a unique combination to a soldier of the Essex Regiment who later served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force

Condition: Medals dark toned about VF

Code: 25494