Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (5489 Pte. S. McKelvie, Gordon Highrs:) contact marks, nearly very fine £160-£200

Samuel McKelvie was born in Glasgow, circa 1870, and joined the King’s Own Scottish Borderers at Berwick on Tweed on 15 June 1887. He served at Suakin in 1888 and was present at the battle of Gemaizah (Medal with clasp). He transferred to the 1st Gordons in 1895 and was present on the Chitral Relief Expedition of 1895, and in the operations on the North West Frontier, Tirah 1897-98. He was one of 3 privates wounded on piquet duty on 15 November 1897, only 3 weeks after the storming of Dargai. The casualty records state that he was dangerously wounded by a gun shot wound to the left thigh (London Gazette 5 April 1898).

The Regimental History provides the following:

‘On the 13th, Kempster’s Brigade with the addition of the 36th Sikhs, was sent in to the Waran Valley by the Tseri Kandao pass partly to carry out survey operations and partly to punish the Zakka-Khels and destroy the stronghold of the Mullah Sayid Akbar, the principal leader of the revolt. On the 14th Sayid Akbar’s house was blown up. On the 15th the Gordons remained in camp, but a reconnaissance in force was made by other troops who, while retiring, were fired at and followed by the enemy to the outlying piquets. They attacked one of these held by a corporal and eight of the Gordons, obliging them to withdraw, but two companies coming to their aid the post was immediately reoccupied, and B Company remained on the hill. The enemy fired from a distance on the piquet as long as it was light, and after dark fired volleys into the camp. Three men of the Gordons were wounded on piquet duty.’

He served in South Africa from 9 November 1899 until 10 March 1901, and was discharged on 25 March 1901. He was recalled for service in 1914 and served with the Gordons in France from 1 April 1915, and later with the Labour Corps as a Corporal (1914-15 Star trio). Sold with copied discharge papers.