and i in no way shape or form have anything to do with it, but i have just seen this medal for sale on a well known web auction site and thought as it has so much info attached and someone on here was researching this person............. 
Its reserve of £350 has been met but two days still to go !!! South African Scottish SOMME KIA casualty medals & QSA
Fincastles Horse, Imperial Yeomanry, Police, MEDAL
A Boer War and Great War casualty group to a Scotsman from Peterhead who was killed in action while serving with the 'South African Scottish'.
A casualty of the battle of the SOMME
Sergeant William Gordon, 4th South African Infantry (SA Scottish)
- QSA Medal. 'Cape Colony' & 'SA 1902' (41638 Serjt W. Gordon, 142nd Coy. Imp.Yeo)
- British War Medal (Sjt., W. Gordon 4th S.A.I.)
- Allied Victory Medal. Bilingual South African issue (Sjt., W. Gordon 4th S.A.I.)
- Memorial Plaque named to William Gordon.
Condition : EF
William Gordon the son of Alexander Gordon of 79 Kings Street Peterhead, was born circa 1878 at Old Deer near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His strapping height of more than 6 foot probably helped him in his chosen career as a Policeman. While a Constable with the City of Edinburgh Police Force he attested for service in the South African War the Imperial Yeomanry, serving there with 'Fincastle's Horse'. He took his discharge in South Africa, where he resumed his career as a Policeman with the Transvaal Town Police, Transvaal Police and the South African Police in which force he was a Detective in the Criminal Investigation Department.
In August 1915, he answered the call to arms of his adopted country, when he enlisted at Potchefstroom for the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force and service with 'A' Company of the 4th South African Infantry (The South African Scottish) .
Sergeant Gordon arrived in France, via Egypt, in April 1916. On 12 April 1916 he was 'Severely reprimanded for being drunk whilst on duty as Coy Orderly Sergeant'. Nothwithstanding his earlier censure, on 17 June 1916 he was granted 1st Class Proficiency Pay. In the event he only enjoyed the benefits of his marginally increased wages for a few weeks.
Sergeant Gordon was 'killed in action' on 5 July 1916, during the early days of the Battle of the Somme. At the time of his death the South African Scottish as part of the 3rd South African Brigade were being deployed to hold the line around Bernafay Wood. It is most likely that he was a casualty of enemy artillery fire. He was was interred in the Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt, France.
William Gordon's next of kin were his wife Mrs Helen. A. Gordon residing at 32 Bruntsfield Avenue, Edinburgh, Scotland where she lived with their two children.
Provenance : Ex DNW Lot 224 2/4/2004. Hammer price £ 460
Research and Ephemera Accompanying the Medals: The lot is also accompanied by a large file of copied research papers including;
- MIC
- Boer War Attestation Papers
- South African Service Papers
- Memorial Scroll
- Numerous Photographs of the recipients burial place and CWGC Cemetery showing headstone of Sergeant William Gordon,whose burial place is located at the CWGC Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt, France. Sergeant William Gordon was killed in action on 5 July 1916.
Guarantee : This item is fully guaranteed - with item cost price refunded in the event that a professional survey shows the items to be of a period, material, naming, and or provenance other than what has here been described.
