LIEUTENANT COLONEL C.J. WILEY, 16TH (LONDON IRISH) BATTALION KINGS ROYAL RIFLE CORPS, ROYAL IRISH RIFLES AND MACHINE GUN CORPS. Five: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Officer's Breast Badge (OBE), civil, London hallmarks for 1919 Distinguished Service Order, George V Queen's South Africa Medal, type 3 (wreath points to F in Africa), 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, officially engraved (Lieutenant, Royal Irish Rifles) British War and Victory Medals, Mentioned in Dispatches oak leaf on Victory Medal (Lieutenant Colonel). Generally Almost Extremely Fine, the enamel on the DSO fresh and with only a couple of very minor chips to the green laurel wreath enamel on reverse.
Group accompanied by photocopied extract from Who Was Who, Medal Index Card and London Gazette extracts.
Charles Joseph Wiley was first commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, 16th (London Irish) Battalion Rifle Brigade, 18/7/1900, and was promoted Lieutenant, 30/3/1901. Wiley transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles in 1901, and was promoted Captain, 1/9/1914. Wiley transferred to the Machine Gun Corps,14/12/1915, and was promoted Major, 24/4/1916, and Lieutenant Colonel, 28/10/1916.
Wiley first saw active service during the Boer War, the Regimental History of the Royal Irish Rifles recording that Wiley and twenty men from the London Irish Rifles joined the regiment in South Africa in April 1901. Wiley first saw service during WW1 in France, entering that theatre of operations on 9/2/1916.
Wileys D.S.O. was announced in the London Gazette of 1/1/1917 "Captain (Temporary Lieutenant Colonel) Charles Joseph Wiley, Royal Irish Rifles".
Lieutenant Colonel Wiley's OBE was announced in the London Gazette of 3/6/1925, page 3776 "Lieutenant Colonel Charles Joseph Wiley, Chief Insurance Officer, Ministry of Labour."
Lieutenant Colonel Wiley died on 28/11/1939. At the time of his death he was living at "Ashley", Rattan Road, Willingdon, Eastbourne, Sussex (group accompanied by London Gazette entry re the administration and distribution of his estate). Note, Who Was Who gives different address at time of death: Manor Way, Rattan Park, Eastbourne, Sussex.
