Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Private (Piper) A. Calder, Seaforth Highlanders

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (5125, Pte. A. Calder. 1/Sea...s.) suspension claw loose; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Transvaal, Wittebergen (51... Pte. A. Calder, 2: Sea: Highrs:) rivet missing on left hand side between 2nd and 3rd clasps; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (5125 Pte. A. Calder. Seaforth Highrs.); 1914-15 Star (S-7838 Pte A. Calder. Sea: Highrs); British War and Victory Medals (S-7838 Pte. A. Calder. Seaforth...) suspension claw loose on BWM; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 2 clasps, The Atbara, Khartoum (...Piper A. Calder 1st Sea Highrs) clasps secured by retaining rod on last, area of erasure on last prior to rank, and ‘Piper’ additionally engraved, generally worn, fair (7) £180-220

Alexander Calder was born in Stromness, Orkney, in 1875. He attested for the Seaforth Highlanders at Fort George, in December 1894. Known as ‘Sharkie’ in the Regiment, he came from a family with a strong Piper tradition - his uncle being the most prominent as a Pipe-Major with the 72nd. Alexander Calder served as a Piper with the 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, in the Sudan, before transferring for service with the 2nd Battalion in South Africa. He was discharged 5th December 1906, after 12 years service with the Colours.

Calder re-engaged for service with the Regiment during the Great War, in March 1915. He served as a Piper with the 2nd Battalion in the French theatre of war, from 13 May 1915. He was hospitalised with trench fever in April 1918, and invalided home the following month. Demobilised in February 1919, Calder found employment as a Commissionaire. He died at Elgin Place, Edinburgh, in April 1947.