A Jock's highly desirable & regimentally scarce Relief of Chitral & South African War 'Mounted Infantry' Severely-Wounded at 'Reitz, Graspan, Orange Free State, medal pair: Private David Swan 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders & 6th Mounted Infantry

- IGS 1895. 'ROC 1895' (3251 Lce Cpl D. Swan D. Swan 1st Bn. Gord: Highrs.)
- QSA Medal. 'ROK' 'PAA' Joh' 'DH' Witte' & 'SA 1901' (3251 Pte. D. Swan, Gordon Highrs:)

Contact wear to edge on IGS with rank worn, but still legible under a loupe. The QSA re-pinned at claw

Severely Wounded-in-Action: On 6 June 1901 at Graspan (near Reitz), while serving with detachment of 1/Gordon Highlanders Mounted Infantry attached to the 6th Mounted Infantry.  At Retz a farm (near Graspan) the 6th Mounted Infantry under the command of Major Sladen spotted a Boer convoy of some 114 wagons. Sladen led a charge and captured the vehicles plus some 45 prisoners. Feeling vulnerable he sent off half his force to obtain reinforcements but while they were away, the Boers recovered and returned with a force commanded by De Wet and De la Rey intent on recovering both prisoners and wagons. This they did and Sladen’s command was hard pressed to maintain itself. After four hours a British relief force galloped to the rescue and, going on to the offensive again, wagons and prisoners were recovered. In the action the British Force - including South Australin Imperial Bushmen - lost 3 officers and 23 men killed and 24 officers and men wounded. Amongst the latter, was included Private Swan, categorised as ‘Severely Wounded’

Under a column headed 'Severely Wounded' the below following artcile was published in the Aberdeen Press and Journal issue of 19 June 1901;

Quote,

3252 Private David Swan. This is evidently a wrong number, as it refers to a Private Murray. 3251 Private D. Swan belongs to Edinburgh. He enlisted at Glencorse on 4th of September, 1889. His father resides at Cannongate, Edinburgh. He has a brother in the Gordons

Unquote.

Medals & clasps verification: Both medals and all clasps verified as entitled, per below referenced campaign medal rolls of the Gordon Highlanders

- IGS 1895. 'ROC 1895': WO 100/78
- QSA Medal, with 6 x clasps 'ROK' 'PAA' Joh' 'DH' Witte' & 'SA 1901': WO 100/203

The QSA medal roll for the award of the dated clasp compiled & signed at Glasgow, 17 March 1903, with remark opposite recipients entry 'discharged', showing that the recipient left the British Army sometime prior to March 1903 

A regimentally rare campaign medal pair. Only the men of the Gordon Highlanders Mounted Infantry detachment qualified for all these 5 x battle clasps including 'Relief of Kimberley' on the Queens South Africa Medal

David Swan, son of David Swan (a Brewer's Cellarman) and Jane Swan (nee Muir), was a native of the parish of St. Giles, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, where he was born on 28 March 1873. At the time of the compilation of the National Census for Scotland in 1881, the recipient is recorded therein declared as being a scholar, 8 years of age and residing with his parents, younger sibling sister, Mary Swan, together with his maternal grandmother. David enlisted in the British Army in, at which time he joined the Gordon Highlanders, and was sent to the regimentl depot located in Aberdeen to complete his basic training. His terms of service on joing the colours was a short-service engagement, which contracted David to 7 years 'With the Colours' & 5 years on the Army Reserve. David was posted to the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders and subsequently served overseas in Ceylon Colony and British India, in which later place he served in the Relif of Chitral expedition of 1895. Shortly after his service on the North West Frontier of India, he returned to the United Kingdom where he was transferred to the Army Reserve. Recalled to 'The Colours' after the outbreak of the South African War in 1899, he joined his old battalion and regiment, 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders. Du. 

David's older brother, No. 2575 Private Thomas Swan, had also served with the Gordon Highlanders, which regiment he had joined in 1887  (his service papers are extant and accessible at The National Archives)

The medals swing-mounted and as-worn by the veteran recipient. The silk ribands suspended form a contemporary period silver or white metal mounting brooch, that retains it's original long hinged pin and clasp fittings

This highly desirable & regimentally scarce pair is fresh to the market, and has never before been offered for sale

Condition: Polished about VF

Code: 26358