THE 2ND BATTALION LEINSTER REGIMENT PIPE MAJOR’S SILVER-MOUNTED MACE, ORIGINALLY THE PROPERTY OF PIPE-MAJOR BENJAMIN McGOWAN, THE LAST PIPE-MAJOR OF THE 2ND BATTALION LEINSTER REGIMENT. 29 inch (74cm) approx malacca cane with domed sterling silver handle, plated steel-tipped finial, bound with trellis pattern blancoed pigskin straps with blancoed pigskin twin knots, straps secured to cane by twin silver eyelets, the domed handle engraved with the regimental badge of the 2nd Leinsters, Prince of Wales’s feathers and coronet above crossed maple leaves with regimental number “CIX” and regimental title “Prince of Wales Leinster Regiment” below. London hallmark for 1917-18, a lower case gothic “b” within a shield shaped incuse cartouche, maker’s mark obscured by polishing, 34 inches overall (86.5cm) approx.
Generally good condition, wear commensurate with use; light overall wear to malacca cane, the silver handle with numerous contact marks and polished, but the details of the regimental badge still clear.
The 1917-18 hallmark on the handle of this mace indicates that it is the last Pipe Major’s mace used by the 2nd Leinsters.
Orpen-Palmer, "Irish Airs for the War Pipes" (Dublin, 913), states that the 4th Battalion Leinster Regiment was the first battalion of the Leinster Regiment to acquire a set of war pipes, which were presented to the battalion 1903 by its then commanding officer, Lord Castletown, that the 1st Battalion of the Leinster Regiment formed a war pipe band in 1908 and that by 1913 the 2nd, 3rd and 5th Battalions of the Leinster Regiment had also all formed war pipe bands. Orpen-Palmer also notes that by 1913 the 2nd Battalion also had a “Union” or Uillean pipe band.
Provenance: Bonhams, 5th August 2008, lot 337
Mace accompanied by biographical details for Pipe-Major McGowan, extracts 1891 census (UK), 1901 census (Ireland), 1921 census (UK) and UK 1939 Register, copied WW1 Medal Index card and medal roll extracts, along with 12 pages copied service papers for Pipe-Major McGowan's father, Private Thomas Henry McGowan, Leinster Regiment.
Mace also accompanied by copied photograph from the "Leinster Regimental Annual" of 1921-22, of the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment marching leaving Opine train station, on arrival in Upper Silesia, 5/6/1921, Pipe Major McGowan marching at the head of the battalion with his regimental mace, followed by the regimental pipe band,
Benjamin Valentine McGowan (1889-1957) was born into the Leinster Regiment at Shorncliffe, Kent, on 1/2/1889, the son of Private (later Corporal) Thomas Henry McGowan, who was then serving in Shorncliffe with the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment, having enlisted into the regiment as a 15 year old Boy Soldier in October 1880. Benjamin McGowan is recorded the 1891 census as being resident at the South Camp, Aldershot, Hampshire, living with his 25 year old father, then a Corporal in the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment, and 24 year old mother, Mary McGowan, and in the 1901 Irish census as a 12 year old boy resident in House 28 at the Military Barracks in Birr, King’s County (now County Offaly) with his mother Mary and sisters Isabella and Mary Jane, aged 8 and 10 respectively. Benjamin enlisted into the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment at Birr on 2/4/1904, and was, like his father, a boy soldier recruit, aged 15 years and 3 month. He is recorded in the 1911 census as a 22 year old Private serving with the 2nd Leinsters at Jullundur in the Punjab, India. McGowan’s Medal Index Card records him as having first seen active service during the First World War in France and Flanders, entering that theatre of operations on 12th September 1914 (the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment embarked for France on 8th September 1914 as a unit, landing at St Nazaire on 12th September 1914). McGowan saw service initially as 7331 Leinster Regiment, subsequently as 450902 Labour Corps, and finally as 7331 Leinster Regiment, and was invalided from France in 1917 (for his services during WW1 Pipe Major McGowan was awarded a 1914 Star and bar trio). The 1921 census records McGowan as a Sergeant with the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment serving with the British Forces in Silesia, Germany. Benjamin McGowan was discharged from the 2nd Leinsters following the battalion’s disbandment at Colchester on 21/7/1922 and transferred to the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers (unfortunately, there is no mention of his transfer or services with the Royal Irish Fusiliers in the Royal Irish Fusiliers Regimental Journal, no doubt due to the state of affairs in 1922, with various regiments and / or battalions being disbanded and numerous men being transferred between regiments). McGowan was awarded the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1922. The1939 Register records Benjamin McGowan as the garage and service station manager of the Pondtail Service Station, King’s Road, Fleet, Hampshire, resident at the garage with his wife, Margaret. Pipe Major McGowan died in Fleet, Hampshire, on 13/2/1957. Benjamin McGowan married Margaret O’Connor at Cork on 7/1/1914. His son, Thomas Harry, was born on 23/12/1918 at Southsea.
Benjamin McGowan’s father, Thomas Henry McGowan, was born in the parish of Crinkle, Birr, Co. Offaly. He enlisted into the Leinster Regiment on 13/10/1880. At the time of enlistment he was under age, 15 years and 5 months old, and stated that he had no trade. Thomas initially saw service as a Boy Soldier with the 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment, being promoted Lance Corporal 14/9/1889 and Corporal, 11/2/1891, but reverted to Private at his own request on 22/6/1891. He transferred to the 1st Battalion Leinster Regiment on 5/5/1898, with the rank of Private, and was eventually discharged on 20/9/1905, having claimed his discharge after 3 month notice. Discharge papers confirm that, in addition to service at home, Thomas McGowan also saw service in Malta, Bermuda and Canada (no active service so no campaign medals awarded)
