Delhi Durbar 1911, silver (5662. Sergt. Piper. K. Mc.Leod, 2nd. Gordon Highlanders.) contact marks, nearly very fine £140-180

Kenneth McLeod was born in Stornaway on the Isle of Lewis in 1868, and attested for the Seaforth Highlanders at Stornaway on 5 January 1888. When his first period of limited service was over, he transferred to the Army Reserve at Tipperary on 4 January 1895, and intended to join the Glasgow Police, but instead re-joined the Colours with the Gordon Highlanders at Maryhill on 4 May 1896. He served as a Corporal Piper with the 2nd Battalion during the South African War from 24 September 1899 until 1 January 1902, and was wounded and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his gallantry at Elandslaagte, 21 October 1899 (London Gazette 20 July 1900). The Natal Advertiser gave the following account of the action, ‘This gallant Scot was twice struck, once in the arm and once in the side he however, continued to pipe and advance with the Gordons to their final rush. Presently came more bullets, smashing his drones, chanter, and windbag, whereupon the splendid fellow had to give in.’ Captain Streatfield, the Adjutant of the Regiment, gave the following praise, ‘Corporal McLeod, shot through the arm, stood up in the hottest of fire and blew like mad and the men advanced.’ As a testament to his gallantry and standing within the Regiment his instrument was repaired with silver mounted pipes from his Colonel. He continued to serve and was present at Ladysmith and the action at Belfast, and was appointed Pipe-Major of the Battalion in 1901 (entitled to Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps for Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, and Belfast, and the King’s South Africa Medal with 2 clasps). Serving in India from 2 January 1902, he was awarded the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, together with a gratuity of £5, on 1 January 1908, and later that year, during the disturbances, he served on the North West Frontier of India (entitled to India General Service Medal with clasp North West Frontier 1908). He took part in the Delhi Durbar of 1911 and the associated celebrations, and at the Allahabad Exhibition of 1911 the Crown Prince of Germany was so impressed with his playing that he presented him with the Order of the Red Eagle (McLeod ‘gravely removed this Prussian Order from his breast o’medals’ in August 1914). He retired on 6 March 1913, after 25 years and 61 days’ service, but on the outbreak of the Great War he rejoined his old unit at Aldershot on 5 November 1914 and served as Pipe-Major of the 9th (Service) Battalion, until his discharge on 26 February 1915, and was later posted to recruiting duties at Stornoway. For his service during the Great War he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. He died at Stornoway on Christmas Eve, 1935.

Sold with a photographic image of the recipient, and of the Pipe Majors of the 5 Scottish Regiments present in India at Agra, 1912

Withdrawn