Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Second Lieutenant A. M. Gardiner, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, who was wounded on 6 May 1916 by explosion of an aerial dart at ‘Russian Sap’, Loos, and died of wounds on 24 May 1916

1914-15 Star (2.Lieut. A. M. Gardiner. A. & S. Highrs); British War and Victory Medals (2.Lieut. A. M. Gardiner.) good very fine (3) £140-180

Archibald Macalister Gardiner was born in Coconada, Madras, India, in 1893 and was educated at Campbeltown Grammar School, Argyllshire, and Fettes College, Edinburgh. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps at Fettes and left the school in 1911 to join the Commercial Bank of Scotland in Campbeltown. Aged 18, he attested for the 8th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in February 1912 (Private, Regt. No. 1327), was embodied in 1914 and commissioned, after training, in February 1915. He served during the Great War on the Western Front with the 11th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (15th Scottish Division) from 13 December 1915. On 6 May 1916, his battalion was occupying a front-line trench near Loos, where he was wounded by an aerial dart that exploded on the parapet of ‘Russian Sap’, Loos. He was evacuated to No. 33 Casualty Clearing Station with a serious scalp wound and died of wounds on 24 May 1916, aged 21. He is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery, France, and is also commemorated on the Fettes College War Memorial.

Sold together with copied research, including a photographic image of the recipient.