Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Private W. McLean, Seaforth Highlanders

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal (6204 Pte., 2 Sea. Highrs.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (6204 Pte., Seaforth Highrs.); 1914 Star, with clasp (6204 Pte., 1/Sea. Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals (6204 Pte., Sea. Highrs.), mounted as worn, the first with slack suspension claw and the Boer War awards with contact marks and somewhat polished, thus nearly very fine, the remainder rather better (5) £340-380

Worthy McLean was discharged in August 1915 and awarded the Silver War Badge.

The 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders arrived in France direct from India in early October 1914, and suffered heavy casualties over the coming weeks, often as a result of accurate sniper fire in positions around Neuve Chapelle and Festubert - by the end of the year over 50 men had been killed and another 200 wounded.