Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private J. Simpson, Highland Light Infantry, killed in action during the attack on High Wood during the Battle of the Somme, 15 July 1916

1914-15 Star (4074 Pte. J. Simpson. High: L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (4074 Pte. J. Simpson. High. L.I.) all in named card boxes of issue, virtually Mint state (3) £100-140

John Simpson was born in Glasgow and attested there for the Highland Light Infantry. He served with the 9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, as part of the 33rd Division, and was killed in action during the Battalion’s attack on High Wood on 15 July 1916, in their first attack of the Battle of the Somme- having assembled between High Wood and Bazentin-le-Grand, three Platoons of the Battalion went into the western side of the Wood to engage the enemy, whilst the rest of the Battalion attacked Switch Line, but they all were driven back by heavy machine-gun fire to their original positions having suffered 421 casualties. Simpson has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

Sold together with the Record Office enclosure for each of the three medals, all named to ‘Mrs. M. Simpson, Scotstoun, Glasgow’.