orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink

47
Pair: Corporal T. MacDonald, Highland Light
Infantry
India General Service 1895-1902, V.R., one clasp,
Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (No. 4055. Pte. T.
Mc.Donald. 2. High: L.I.); Queen’s South Africa
1899-1902, two clasps, Modder River, Wittebergen
(4055 Corl. T. Mc.Donald, 1: High: Lt. Inft.), good
very fine (2)
£240-280
4055 Corporal T. McDonald, enlisted in the 1st Battalion,
Highland Light Infantry, 1892; served with the 2nd
Battalion in India from November 1894; served with the 1st
Battalion in South Africa from 1899; wounded at
Magersfontein, 11.12.1899, when the Battalion’s losses
throughout the day were 2 Officers and 12 men killed and 7
Officers, including the Commanding Officer, and 73 men
wounded- Corporal John Shaul, in charge of the Battalion’s
stretcher-bearers, was awarded the Victoria Cross at
Magersfontein for most conspicuous gallantry during the day
in dressing men’s wounds out in the open under continuous
heavy fire, in one instance ‘as calmly as if there had been no
enemy near’.
Killed in action at Retief’s Nek, 23.7.1900: ‘That day the
Highland Light Infantry did much useful work, gaining a
footing on the lower spurs and kloofs of the rocky height to
our left of the nek. During the night a portion of the H.L.I.,
guided by several men of Lovat’s Scouts, succeeded in
gaining possession of the highest peak of the hill on the east
of the pass, a point of vantage whence a successful occupation
of the whole height was made next day’ (British Regiments in
South Africa 1899-1902 refers).
orders, deCoratioNs, CampaigN medaLs aNd miLitaria
48
WWW.spiNK.Com
48
The Regimentally Unique Group of Four to Major
C.E. Andrews, Highland Light Infantry, Who
Served on Secondment With the West Africa
Frontier Force in Northern Nigeria, And Was
Killed in Action on the Western Front,
25.10.1916
East and West Africa 1887-1900, one clasp, 1898
(Capt: C.E. Andrews. High’d. L.I.); Queen’s South
Africa 1899-1902, two clasps, Modder River, Orange
Free State (Capt. C.E. Andrews, Highd. L.I.); British
War Medal (Major C.E. Andrews); Delhi Durbar
1911, unnamed as issued, very fine or better, with
various photographic images of the recipient (4)
£700-900
Major Charles Edward Andrews, born August 1871, the
only son of Captain Henry Andrews, 74th Highlanders;
educated at Oundle School and R.M.A. Sandhurst;
Commissioned Second Lieutenant, 1st Battalion, Highland
Light Infantry, May 1891; promoted Lieutenant, May 1893;
seconded for service under the West Africa Frontier Force,
March 1898, and served in the expeditions in Northern
Nigeria; re-joined his Regiment and promoted Captain,
February 1900; served in South Africa with the 1st Battalion,
and took part in the advance on Kimberley, including the
actions at Modder River and Magersfontein; the operations
in the Orange Free State, February to May 1900; and in the
Orange River Colony, May to November 1900. At
Magersfontein Andrews had a lucky escape: ‘Of course there
were many strange escapes, none more so than that of
Andrews. A Mauser bullet passed through his right hand
pouch (he was wearing a private soldier’s accoutrements, as
were we all) and, striking the metal plate fastening the belt,
exactly over the middle of the stomach, glanced harmlessly
away instead of going right through him’ (South Africa 1899-
1900 by Lieutenant-Colonel H.R. Kelham refers).
Appointed as Adjutant to the Lanark Volunteer Rifles, May
1905, he was promoted Major in August 1908 and re-joined
his original Battalion in India in November of that year, and
was present at the Delhi Durbar in 1911, where he was one
of four Officers from the Regiment (all subsequently Killed in