Auction: 23112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 432
A hard-fought 'Old Contemptible's' casualty pair awarded to Private A. McLaren, 1st Battalion, Royal Highlanders (Black Watch), a veteran of the Battle of Mons who survived the savage fighting of 1914 only to be seriously wounded and discharged after the Battle of Aubers Ridge
1914 Star (2547 Pte A. McLaren. R. Highrs), entitled to rosette and clasp; Victory Medal 1914-1919 (2547 Pte. A. Mc Laren. R. Highrs), polished, very fine (2)
Alexander McLaren was serving as a member of the Special Reserve on the outbreak of the Great War. Returning to the colours McLaren joined the 1st Battalion, Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) and entered the war with the rest of the British Expeditionary Force as part of the 1st Division on 13 August 1914.
Taking up positions on around the town of Mons the British faced a heavy attack from the German 1st Army under General Von Kluck. Here- for the first time- they faced the full military power of a German Field Army, despite checking their advance and causing heavy losses the army was forced to withdraw.
Present on the Retreat from Mons the Battalion was part of General Haig's Corps and so avoided the heavy fighting at Le Cateau. They were however still present for the miraculous Allied victory on the Marne where they formed the easternmost part of the British line, co-operating with French cavalry to Petit Morin River- eventually capturing Sablonnières.
At the bloody repulse on the Aisne the Black Watch formed part of the right-hand part of the line and suffered heavy losses along with the rest of the Army. As the Race to the Sea began, they advanced towards the climactic action at Ypres, here 1st Battalion was to see action in the savage action at Gheluvelt. Here they lost five officers and 250 men, their line pierced in several places the Battalion fought heroically, hand-to-hand against an overwhelming number of opponents.
With the British just holding on at Gheluvelt things on the Western Front calmed somewhat, with neither side making any major attacks until mid-1915. Here a British force was pulled together to attack the Aubers Ridge in support of a French attack further south, a force which included 1st Battalion, Black Watch.
They formed part of the second wave during the assault, managing to reach and clear the forward German trenches, their offensive stalled under heavy fire. At this stage they received a counter attack and those who had made it to the enemy trenches were cut off and killed or captured. It was around this time that McLaren himself was wounded in action.
After treatment it became clear that he was not going to recover fully and he was discharged on 20 August 1915. Despite this McLaren had survived through the Battalion's first year in the field and was in many respects lucky to have done so.; sold together with Medal Roll, M.I.C. and Silver War Badge Roll.
Further entitled to the British War Medal 1914-20.
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Sold for
£75
Starting price
£40
