QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL
(South Africa 1901.Transvaal, Orange Free State, Cape Colony)
To:
3498. Cpl J. FARR 12th Coy, 3rd IMP YEO (South Notts Yeomanry)
"Medal presented by Edward VII on Horseguards Parade"
1914-15 Trio.
1/1st Notts Yeomanry (South Notts Hussars) "Camel Corps"
To
Captain J. Farr. S. NOTTS HRS.
A UNIQUE & HISTORICALLY INTERESTING GROUP.
JOHN FARR WAS "THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM" 1922-1923.
John Farr was born on 28th Feb 1882. He joined the Army aged 17 and served in South Africa during the Boer War with Lord Methuen's Western Column, seeing service at Kimberley , Mafeking, Rustenberg, Pretoria and Delagoa Bay.
On returning to England he started an electrical engineering business. Always keen on rifle shooting and being a very good shot he was a member of The King's Hundred and fired in competition at Bisley. When the Great War came he obtained a commission in the South Notts Hussars and sailed from Avonmouth to Alexandria, Egypt on 9th April 1915. From there his unit sailed to GALLIPOLI where he landed on 18th August 1915 and took part in the famous action at SULVA BAY being Wounded in Action by the Turks during the landings.
Then, the unit being evacuated back to Egypt he assumed command of 1st Camel Corps under General Whittingham. While in Egypt he contracted Typhoid Fever and was invalided home where he spent over a year in hospital and underwent two operations. Always interested in politics and local government John Farr became THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM 1922-23 and LORD MAYOR OF NOTTINGHAM 1933-34 and HIGH SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM 1943-44.
He was also a Magistrate and JP and had a life long interest in shooting, racing and golf.
Included with the group is John Farr's WW1 (SWISS) "officers" silver wrist watch on its original contemporary leather strap. The watch is in very nice condition and keeps time to within approx 4 minutes per day. (value c,£250)
Also included are his dress miniatures and several sheets of photocopied research, his MIC and copy of an entry from the 1948 edition of "Who's Who"
In 1940 during The Battle of Britain he dontated £5000 (now £200,000) to buy a Spitfire fighter for the Royal Air Force.
( **we would be keen to have a picture of that aircraft or even a serial number if anyone knows what it is )
A VERY IMPORTANT GROUP TO A HIGH RANKING MEMBER OF NOTTINGHAM SOCIETY.
SOLD