Full medal write up
SOUTH AFRICA 1877-9, CLASP, 1877-8 ‘CAPT: H. J. BRADY. ALBERT VOLS.’
His claims to pension at Cheslea states:
Captain Henry Joseph Brady, and ex 45th Foot Sergeant, commanded the Albert Volunteers, a small Cape unit that served during the 9th Frontier War. Captain Brady is mentioned in command of the Albert Volunteers during an expedition against the Gaika Chief Gongebele in early 1878. The medal roll notes that the Albert Volunteers had three men killed at Jumdwala, a sizable number for a unit of approximately 42 all ranks and more would have been wounded.
Approximately 42 Medals issued to the Albert Volunteers, all but one with the clasp 1877-8, of which 23 were returned to the Royal Mint.
The medal roll notes that Brady was also entitled to the South Africa 1834-53 medal and a search of the medal roll had established just one possible soldier:
1485 Sergeant Henry Brady, aged 20, from Saint ***, Dublin, joined the 45th Foot in 1838 and went on to serve with the 45th for 21 years, including almost 13 years in the Cape. His service papers note that he received the South Africa medal for the campaigns of 1846-7 and 1853 and that he was discharged in Cape Town in March 1859.
Service papers give his name as Henry Brady, ie no middle name, however by luck, a post online by a relative of Sergeant Brady, confirms his full name was Henry Joseph Brady, which matches the name of Captain Brady exactly. This undoubtably confirming they are one and the same man. What Brady was doing between being discharged from the 45th Foot and Commanding a Volunteer Unit 20 years later is as yet unknown but should be an interesting research project.
Details of the (at least) three wars he served in in South Africa can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xhosa_Wars
Condition VF. Sold with copy service papers, medal roll etc (digital). A rare medal to a man who saw service in both the Imperial and Colonial forces during the seventh, eighth and ninth Cape Frontier Wars, 1845-78. Plenty of research potential.