Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War casualty group of three awarded to Captain G. C. S. MacLeod, 2nd Battalion, Royal Highlanders, formerly King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, who was awarded the D.C.M. for gallantry at Spion Kop in 1900, and died of wounds 13 May 1915

1914 Star (Capt: G. C. S. MacLeod. R. Highrs); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. G. C. S. MacLeod.) nearly extremely fine (3) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 42nd Highlanders and 73rd Foot (Black Watch).

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George Charles Sholto MacLeod was born at Sylhet, Assam, India on 28 June 1877. At the age of nineteen he joined the ranks of the army, in which he served for over three and a half years. He served during the South African War from 1899-1900 with the Royal Lancaster Regiment, with whom he gained the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal (London Gazette 19 April 1901) ‘... for gallantry at Spion Kop, in the absence of stretcher bearers did good work in carrying wounded out of action under hot fire.’

Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers in May 1900, he was promoted Lieutenant in April 1901, before transferring to the Hampshire Regiment, with the rank of Captain, in April 1905. He served with the Egyptian Army from 1906 to 1908, before transferring to the Black Watch in June 1908.

Captain MacLeod served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Highlanders, during the Great War on the Western Front from 12 October 1914, and was wounded in France in November 1914. Wounded a second time, by shrapnel wounds received in the action at Richebourg on 9 May 1915, he was taken to the hospital at Bethune, where he died of his wounds on 13 May 1915. He is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery, France.

In addition to his Distinguished Conduct Medal and Queen’s South Africa Medal for the Boer War, MacLeod was also awarded the 1911 Coronation Medal.