Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Piper G. Mitchell, Gordon Highlanders

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 2 clasps, El-Teb-Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85 (268 Piper, 1/Gord. Highrs.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Belfast (268 Pte., Gordon Highrs.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (268 Pte., Gordon Highrs.); Khedive’s Star 1884, reverse stamped, ‘268 GH’; together with Pretoria Coronation Celebration Prize Medal (2), by Elkington, 32mm., gold, 24.66g., edge stamped, ‘9ct.’, reverse inscribed, ‘First Prize won by G. Mitchell, Sword Dance’; another, 38mm., silver, reverse inscribed, ‘Second Prize won by G. Mitchell, Highland Fling’, edge bruising, pitting, good fine and better (6) £600-800

Reference: Pipers of the Highland Regiments 1854-1902, by R. H. Crawford:

‘MITCHELL, George 268. Born in 1862, a cabinet maker by trade, residing at Kinnaird Place, Brechin, Angus, when he enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders in 1881. Served as a Piper with the 1st Battalion during the Soudan campaign of 1884-85. Took part in the actions at El-Teb and Tamaai in February and March, 1884 and operations around the Upper Nile in 1884 and 85. Promoted Lance-Corporal, 22nd October 1885, and later Corporal, the first Piper-Corporal in the Battalion since the 1881 amalgamation. Also served with the Battalion during the South African War of 1899-1902, including the battle of Paardeberg in February and the action at Johannesburg and Belfast in May and August, 1900. Discharged at Glasgow, 9th November, 1902 on termination of his second period of limited engagement. Intended place of residence was 15 Montrose Street, Brechin, Angus. His conduct was noted as "latterly good." A member of the Glasgow Branch of the Gordon Highlanders Association, "he was considered both a good piper and dancer and in his day gained many prizes." Died 10th October, 1936. He had bequeathed a set of pipes, said to be 150 years old, to the Brechin Museum.’ With copied notes.