Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lieutenant J. B. MacBrayne, 17th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, who was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916, on which date the Battalion suffered over 450 casualties

1914-15 Star (Lieut. J. B. MacBrayne High: L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut J. B. MacBrayne.); Memorial Plaque (John Burns MacBrayne), with Buckingham Palace enclosure, all mounted in a glazed display frame, verdigris to Star, otherwise extremely fine (4) £600-£800

John Burns MacBrayne was born in Glasgow on 13 December 1896, the son of Lieutenant-Commander Laurence MacBrayne, R.N.V.R., and was educated at Aldenham School. Volunteering for service following the outbreak of the Great War he was commissioned Lieutenant in the 17th (Chamber of Commerce) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry on 10 September 1914, and served with “A” Company during the Great War on the Western Front from 22 November 1915. Appointed Reserve Machine Gun Officer, the Battalion War Diary records that he was slightly wounded on the head by shrapnel on 11 February 1916, when the Battalion was relieving the 11th Borders Regiment in the trenches.

MacBrayne was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916, on which date the Battalion, as part of 97th Brigade, 32nd Division, was involved in an attack on the Leipzig Salient. Leading the assault with the 16th Battalion H.L.I., the leading companies moved out from the front line at 7:23 a.m., creeping forward to within 30 or 40 yards of the German front line. At 7:30 a.m. they rushed forward, overran the German front line, and obtained possession of the Leipzig Redoubt. They quickly moved on towards the Hindenburg Trench but heavy fire from the Wonder Work brought the assault to a standstill, and they were forced to retired to Crucifix Corner. Total casualties suffered by the Battalion that day were 469.

His Colonel subsequently wrote: ‘He died in the most gallant manner, encouraging his men to hold on to a position we had just captured….. I must tell you how well he did his duty.’

He is buried at Serre Road Cemetery No. 2., France.

Sold together with a large pencil and crayon portrait of the recipient, mounted in a glazed display frame.

For the O.B.E. attributed to the recipient’s father, see Lot 55.