Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (TR-1-16033 Sjt. - A.Q.M. Sjt. J. Bannerman, 53/(Y./S.) Bn. Gord. Highrs.) number and unit officially corrected, good very fine £60-80

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to The Gordon Highlanders and Associated Units from the Collection of A.J. Henderson.

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James Bannerman, a native of Ardersier, Inverness, was born in about 1880, and by profession a Clerk. Originally enlisting in the Seaforth Highlanders, he was quickly discharged as being under age, but in September 1898 he had more success when he applied to the Gordon Highlanders and was posted to the 2nd Battalion in South Africa in April 1900. Advanced to Corporal in May 1901, to Provost Corporal in September 1901 and to Provost Sergeant in June 1902, he also earned the Queen’s Medal with clasp for ‘Laing’s Nek’.

Reverting for unknown reasons to the rank of Private in the 1st Battalion in October 1902, Bannerman managed to regain his Corporal’s stripes before being placed on the Army Reserve in September 1905. Rejoining the Regiment on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was posted as a Sergeant to the 11th Battalion that December, gained appointment as an Orderly Room Sergeant in October 1915 and was advanced to Quarter-Master Sergeant in January 1916.

Although the date of his subsequent transferral to the 53rd (Young Soldiers) Battalion of the Gordons remains unkown, his M.S.M. is verified in The London Gazette of 22 February 1919. P.R.O. records, moreover, confirm it as an award for services at home, so it is most unlikely that Bannerman received any other medals for the Great War.