Lot 2102

Description

New Zealand Medal 1860-1865 (3280 HY Poke 65th Regt); Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (QVR) (3280 H Poke 65th Foot). Impressed. Surface markings otherwise very fine.

Ex Glendinings (London) 1964, Liverpool Medals (Liverpool) 1986, Glendinings (London) 1988, Liverpool Medals 1996. With a copy of service record. Henry Poke was born in St Michaels, Taunton, Somerset and enlisted in the 65th Foot on 11 April 1854 aged 19. He was posted to New Zealand almost immediately and served there for 10 years, 9 months. Private Poke took part in engagements in the New Plymouth/Taranaki and Waikato regions before returning to the United Kingdom in 1865. Poke served in the East Indies for a further three years however was medically discharged on 8 June 1874 (aged 39) as a result of his being unfit for further service. He had contracted chronic dysentery due to climatic changes whilst serving overseas. He also suffered from smallpox. His service record states that 'he suffers from great irregularity of the bowels and is reduced to a skeleton by continued dysentery.' Private Poke served 19 years and 272 days of which 13 years and 9 months were served overseas. He never obtained a rank higher than private. He was awarded a New Zealand Medal with reverse dates 1860-65, one of 139 to the 65th Regiment. Probably a unique pair.