Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is an excellent presentation document blotter, presented to the officers of the 2nd Battalion by Captain Julian Campbell Colquhoun upon his retirement in 1907. Colquhoun joined the 2nd Battalion, Leinster Regiment and was promoted to captain in 1898. He served in the Boer War, earning the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps. He retired to the reserve of officers in 1907 but immediately reported for duty in August 1914. He was posted to the new 6th (Service) Battalion under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel John Craske.

The 6th Leinsters landed at Gallipoli on 6 August 1915. In the heavy fighting at Suvla Bay, several junior officers were killed and Craske was severely wounded. Command passed to Major R.G.T. Currey, who soon fell sick and was evacuated back home. Colquhoun assumed command at the end of September. He led the 6th Leinisters on the Salonika front until the return of Craske in July 1916.

On 30 September 1916, Colquhoun was severely wounded in an advance against the Bulgarian lines. Two weeks earlier he had inherited Clathick Estate on the death of his father. He received the Distinguished Service Order but would not rejoin the Leinsters, now in France, until summer 1918. The wound would impact his health until his death twenty years later. This blotter is accompanied by a World War I period studio portrait of Colquhoun in uniform, wearing his DSO, along with some printed research paperwork for both Colquhoun and Conrad Thomas Wilson, purportedly one of the officers who received this blotter.

As it is a blotter, all pages are filled with ink splotches, showing that this blotter saw very heavy use. The cover of the blotter bears the insignia of the 2nd Leinster "Prince of Wales" Regiment, and is engraved:

PRESENTED TO
THE OFFICERS, 2ND LEINSTER REGT.
BY
CAPT. J.C. COLQUHOUN.
ON RETIREMENT.
5TH MARCH 1907.

The blotter cover has faint silver hallmarks in the bottom left corner. The cover itself is reflective, and is made of approximately 21 ounces of Sterling, with a modern scrap value of over $1,200, though a piece like this should never meet that fate. The blotter measures 9 ½ x 12”.

The portrait of Colquhoun is on a studio portrait mount which measures 7⅞ x 11¼”. The portrait will display very nicely with the blotter.

An outstanding piece, ready to display!