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A recent acquisition from the CC auction - I went into this one with my eyes wide open knowing that the medal naming had been partially defaced by possibly the recipient?

Day Luce has an interesting story attached to him which I didn't know at the time as there are no papers available. Still, thanks in large measure to the internet, I was able to track down family in Canada who were able to join some of the dots for me.

Henry James Day – Luce

Private, 20th Hussars – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 3645 "Pte" H. Dayluce, 20th Hussars

Henry Day – Luce or Dayluce as he appears in many records, was a hard man to research primarily because of the hyphenation of his surname. In some places he also appears as “H.D. Luce” further complicating the process. Nevertheless perseverance is its own reward and the following account has been gleaned from what I have been able to find out about him.

Born in St. Helier on the Channel Island of Jersey in 1874 and baptised on 8 July 1874 the son of John Day Luce, a Solicitor and Elizabeth Emma Josephine Dayluce, born Parker, Henry found himself in comfortable surroundings. The real danger if there was such a thing was that Day was the seventh of 16 children all of whom had the “Day” as their middle name as it was John Day Luce’s mother’s maiden name (Sophia Day)

The family, with his 37 year old mother at the helm, were, according to the 1881 Channel Island census, living in the Parish of St. Martin, Vingtaine de Faldouet. Aside from a 7 year old Henry were siblings William (15), Lilian (11), Ethel (9), Elsie (8), John (6), Rosetta (3) and baby Beatrice (5 months).

On or about 9 December 1892, when aged 18, Henry joined the ranks of the 20th Hussars with the rank of Private and no. 3645. The 20th remained in England until 1896, being garrisoned successively at Woolwich, Norwich, Aldershot and Colchester, before they returned to India where they served uneventfully for the next six years, being stationed throughout this time at Mhow, until they sailed from Bombay, and arrived at Durban in December 1901 to participate in the Boer War. Along with the 3rd Hussars they were brigaded under Colonel Nixon, and took part in the work in the extreme northeast of the Orange River Colony during the final drives.

Both regiments of Colonel Nixon's brigade were frequently engaged with the enemy and they were at Heilbron in the Orange Free State when peace was declared in May 1902. Owing to their late arrival in the theatre of operations, there casualties were light in the extreme; just eight other ranks lost. For his efforts Day Luce was awarded the Queens Medal with clasps Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and 1902 which was awarded off the roll at Bloemfontein on 15 November 1902.

Once returned home he cut ties with the military and, according to the 1911 Channel Island Census, was a Servant/Attendant at a Private Asylum headed by a Mr Taylor. In very near proximity to him were his parents living at Homehurst, Museum Street, St. Helier. His 72 year old father was still practising as a Solicitor.

Not surprisingly a 37 year old Henry didn’t find working at the Asylum to his liking and, the very next year, he moved to Canada arriving in Quebec from Liverpool on 21 July 1912. He appears to have found employment as a Civil Servant for it is this capacity that we find him on 18 December 1922 when he tied the knot with Mary McCaffery, a 39 year old Catholic spinster who was, likewise, a Civil Servant, living at 22 Gloucester Street, Ottowa – coincidentally the same address as that provided by a now 48 year old Henry.

In 1934, having undertaken a voyage “home” to see relatives (no doubt) Day Luce was a passenger aboard the “Duchess of Bedford” embarking at Greenock and disembarking at Montreal on 25 August 1934. He was described as a 54 year old Manager on the ships manifest and had provided his address whilst in the United Kingdom as “4 St. Marks Road, Windsor, St. Helier, Jersey”

Thereafter Day Luce seems to have led a pretty uneventful life. He passed away on 26 December 1950 at the age of 76 years 6 months from Heart Failure and is buried in the Beechwood Cemetery.

Henry’s medal has been defaced where the rank should appear. One can’t help wondering whether or not the son of a Solicitor perhaps felt that never having risen above the rank of Private was beneath him. We will never know.

Hello Rory,
Now what made you place a bid on that I wonder, was it the recipient or perhaps the regiment?
Congratulations on your successful bid.
Regards Frank

It was the research challenge Frank

With a surname like that there couldn't have been many recipients and, as it turned out, there weren't what with the permutations of the surname thrown into the mix.

Regards

Rory