Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

1914-15 Star (16103 Pte. S. Campbell. High: L.I.) very fine £80-120

Stuart Campbell was born in Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, and attested for the Highland Light Infantry at Glasgow. He served with the 17th (3rd Glasgow) Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on the first Day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

The 17th (3rd Glasgow) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, formed part of 97th Brigade, 32nd Division. On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916, they were involved in an attack on the Leipzig Salient. The Battalion led the assault together with the 16th Battalion, H.L.I. The Official History of the Great War records ‘the leading companies moved out from the front line at 7:23 a.m. Creeping forward to within thirty to forty yards of the German front line, they rushed forward at 7:30 a.m. and quickly overran the German front line, obtaining possession of the Leipzig Redoubt. They quickly moved on towards their secondary objective, the Hindenburg Trench, but heavy fire from the Wonder Works brought the assault to a standstill.’ The Battalion withdrew that evening to Crucifix corner, having suffered total casualties that day of 469 all ranks.