Exceptional family group. Father and 3 sons including AGS Nandi and 1914 trio & Memorial plaque (Lt. Colonel R.A.M.C.) brothers 1914/15 trio, L.S.G.C. and Memorial Plaque, C.S.M. Border Regiment, brother Q.S.A. and father Indian Mutiny pair

Indian Mutiny clasp Central India (Corpl. 83rd. Regt.) L.S.G.C. (VR) (Ordy. Room Clerk, 83rd Regt.)

Joseph Connell

Son

Q.S.A. 5 clasps, Tugela Heights’, ‘Orange Free State’, ‘Relief of Ladysmith’, ‘Transvaal’ and ‘Laing’s Nek)

Drummer J. Connell, Lancs. Fus.

Son

Lieutenant Colonel harry Bertram Connell

Died of wounds near Hebuterne on 13th November 1916 during the Battle of the Ancre (the final phase of the Battle of Somme) whilst visiting the Advanced Dressing Station.

Africa General Service Medal (EVIIR), clasp Nandi 1905-06’ (Lieut.  R.A.M.C.); 1914 Star, (Capt.. R.A.M.C.); British War Medal and Victory Medal (Lt. Col),  Memorial Plaque (Harry Bertram Connell).

Africa General Service Medal original ribbon and pin as worn by the recipient, WW1 medals in named boxes of issue (3); Memorial Plaque in card case of issue with forwarding slip; together with Memorial Scroll (Lt. Col. Harry Bertram Connell, Royal Army Medical Corps, 93 Field Amb.), and comes with a massive amount of research, including the full 93rd Field Ambulance War Diary (written by Connell up to the time of his death)

Son

John Connell, Border Regt.

Company Sergeant Major, was killed in action near Loos-en-Gohelle, France, on 19th November 1917

1914/15  Star (C.Q.M. Sjt.), B.W.M., Victory, (W.O.Cl.2), L.S.G.C. (GV – Colr. Sgt.), Memorial Plaque, (John Connell)

WW1 medals in named boxes of issue (2) together with named forwarding slips; Memorial Plaque in card case of issue with forwarding slip; together with Memorial Scroll (Coy. Serjt. Maj. John Connell, Border Regt.) in card tube of issue addressed to his mother; Identity Discs.

Father, John Connell, Both medals on original ribbons, together with copy of his service papers
Joseph Connell was born at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on 14th April 1837. The 83rd Regiment served here 1834-1839, so it must be assumed his father was also in the Regiment. On 29th June 1852 he enlisted at Dublin, Ireland, in the 83rd Regiment of Foot, aged 15 years, 10 months. He served overseas in India 1852– 1862 and 1870-1876, and Gibraltar 1867-1870. His ranks and appointments were as follows: 29th June 1852 – Private (under age); 29th April 1855 – Private (on attaining age 18); 25th October 1857 – Promoted Corporal; 13th February 1860 – Promoted Sergeant; 29th August 1865 – Re-engaged at Sheffield for second period of limited engagement; 1st April 1867 – Promoted Colour Sergeant; 9th November 1868 – Appointed Paymaster Sergeant; 1st May 1872 – Reverted Sergeant; 7th October 1873 – Appointed Orderly Room Clerk; 27th January 1875 – Awarded Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; 1st October 1875 – Reverted Sergeant; 19th November 1875 – Proceedings on discharge (Camp Deesa, India); 9th May 1876 – Discharged. Total reckonable service 21 years 11 days. He gave his intended place of residence as Walworth Road, London S.W.

Joseph Connell married Ellen Chandler at Cirencester in 1865 and their marriage bore four children; three sons and one daughter: Joseph (born at Poona, India, on 30th October 1873), Harry Bertram (born at Swindon, England, on 4th June 1876), Jessie (born about 1877) and John (born at Suez, Egypt, in about 1881). Following his discharge from the Army in April 1876, Joseph Connell applied for employment with the Prison Service on 23rd February 1877.

Son Joseph Connell

Medal on original ribbon, together with copy of his service papers.

Joseph Connell was born at Poona, Bombay, India, on 30th October 1873. On 21st November 1887, aged only 14, he enlisted at London as a Boy Drummer in the Lancashire Fusiliers. He joined at Manchester two days later on 23rd November. He was described as 4 feet 7 1⁄2 inches in height, 74 lbs in weight (less than 5 1⁄2 stones), 27 inches chest measurement. 21st November 1887 – Drummer (under age); 21st November 1889 – Continued Drummer; 6th October 1890 – Appointed Lance Corporal; 10th July 1893 – Reverted Private; 1st November 1893 – Appointed Drummer; 26th September 1894 – Appointed Lance Corporal; 4th November 1894 – Promoted Corporal; 21st March 1898 – Reverted to Private at his own request; 1st April 1899 – Appointed Drummer; 17th August 1899 – Posted to the 2nd Bn. And reverted to Private; 20th November 1899 – Appointed Drummer.

Joseph Connell left South Africa on 11th September 1900 and returned to England where he was discharged at Chatham on 20th November 1900 on the termination of his period of engagement. He had 13 years reckonable service and gave his intended place of residence as 7 South Grove, Erdington, Birmingham. Died at Hornchurch, Essex, on 20th April 1937.

Son. Lieutenant Colonel Harry Bertram Connell

Harry Bertram Connell was born at Swindon, Wiltshire, on 4th June 1876. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps on 30th January 1904 and served in East Africa, seconded under the Foreign Office, 1904-07 (awarded the Africa General Service Medal and clasp; his name appears on the medal roll of the 1st King’s African Rifles). He was promoted to Captain on 30th July 1907 and served in West Africa 1910-11 and 1912-13. Following the outbreak of the Great War he served in France with the B.E.F. from 20th August 1914 and was promoted to Major on 1st July 1915 and to Lieutenant Colonel on 7th November 1915. He proceeded to Egypt in late 1915 and assumed command of 93rd Field Ambulance, attached to the 92nd (Hull) Brigade in the 31st (Northern) Division in December 1915. He accompanied the 31st Division to France in March 1916 and was wounded in action near Hebuterne on 13th November 1916 during the Battle of the Ancre (the final phase of the Battle of Somme) whilst visiting the Advanced Dressing Station. Two battalions of the 92nd Brigade, the 12th and 13th Bns, East Yorkshire Regiment, had gone ‘over the top’ in the initial advance and attack on the heavily defended village of Serre. Harry Bertram Connell died of his wounds at No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station, Puchevillers, three days later on 16th November 1916. He was aged 40 at the time of his death and was buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery.

Son. John Connell

John Connell was born at Suez, Egypt, in about 1881 and ‘Soldier Died in the Great War’ records that he enlisted at Quetta in India.  He  entered his first theatre of war, Gallipoli, on 26th November 1915, in the rank of Colour Sergeant as a reinforcement for the 1st Battalion who had landed at Cape Helles on the first day of the landings, 25th April 1915. The 1st Battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli to Egypt in January 1916 and proceeded to France in March 1916. The 6th Battalion had also served in Gallipoli from 20th July 1915 and were evacuated and moved to France at the same time as the 1st Battalion. John Connell was at some point transferred from the 1st Battalion to the 6th Battalion and was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with gratuity in Army Order 125 dated 1st April 1917. John Connell, now a Company Sergeant Major, was killed in action near Loos-en-Gohelle, France, on 19th November 1917. He was aged about 36 at the time of his death and was initially buried in Corkscrew Cemetery, Loos, but following the war his grave was concentrated into Loos British Cemetery.

Lovely family grouping