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Auction: 25002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 175

The outstanding and regimentally unique Tirah operations D.C.M. group of four awarded to Company Sergeant-Major S. Donald, Royal Scots Fusiliers

Having honed his skills as a good shot in the Mounted Infantry Camel Regiment at Abu Klea in January 1885 - and as a member of the Regiment's Rifle Club - Donald lent valuable service as a Sergeant in 3rd Brigade's rear-guard actions in the Bari Valley in December 1897

There the story might have ended, for he was honourably discharged on his return home; with the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he quickly rejoined the Regiment as a Company Sergeant-Major, and was killed in action at the Battle of Loos in September 1915, at the grand age of fifty

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Sgt. Stewart Donald. R. Sco: F...); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 2 clasps, The Nile 1884-85, Abu Klea (...0 Pte. S. Donald. 1/R..c: Fus:); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (.... S. Donald 1st Bn. Ryl Sco Fus.); Khedive's Star 1884-6, with additional hook suspension to reverse, and later ring suspension, mounted as worn, heavy contact marks and bruising, thus good fine (4)

D.C.M. Recommendation submitted to the Queen 9 July 1898 (Army Order 135 of 1898, refers).

Stewart Gardiner Donald was born in Perth, Scotland and attested for the Royal Scots Fusiliers at Ayr in June 1883.

Camel Regiment - Abu Klea

Embarked for the Sudan in the following year, he was one of 28 men from his regiment to be enrolled in the Mounted Infantry Camel Regiment, the whole under the immediate command of Lieutenant H. M. Stanuell. One of their number, M. J. Duggan, later published an article describing their experiences in the Journal of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, an article entitled 'The Desert Column'.

Just over 20 of these men - Donald among them - were subsequently present in the action at Abu Klea in January 1885, where the Mounted Infantry occupied a hill on the left flank of our defensive zeriba. The enemy having kept up a continuous fire throughout the night of the 16th, a square was formed to advance on the wells at Abu Klea in the morning, an advance in which the small detachment of Royal Scots Fusiliers suffered its first casualties. And it was upon them that the main Dervish charge at the left corner of the square fell, their advance only being halted by the disciplined fire of the ranks of the Mounted Infantry.

The wells having been secured, Major-General Sir Herbert Stewart pressed on with his force on the18th, intending to reach the Nile. But that intention was frustrated by misleading information from his guides and, as heavy Dervish sniping developed from the cover from the scrub, another defensive zeriba had to be constructed. A section from the Royal Scots Fusiliers was sent forward to construct and man a defensive breastwork further out. Meanwhile, our casualties mounted, including Sir Herbert Stewart, who was mortally wounded.

Sir Charles Wilson now took command and formed a square of 700 men for the final push to the Nile, the Royal Scots Fusiliers M.I. detachment being positioned in the right front and right face corner. As the square moved off, one of Donald's comrades was shot in the leg, but he managed to crawl to safety. And, at length, after several halts and facing off a major Dervish attack near Abu Kru, the Nile was reached.

Tirah - D.C.M.

Donald subsequently served with the regiment in India from September 1896 to March 1904, in which period he was awarded his D.C.M. for his distinguished conduct as a Sergeant in the Tirah Campaign of 1897-98. Of those operations in August-November 1897, The History of The Royal Scots Fusiliers (1678-1918), by J. Buchan, refers to small - but spirited - actions being fought by the regiment in the Ublan Pass in late August and again as part of the Kurram column in November.

It seems more likely, however, that Donald was awarded his D.C.M. for gallant deeds in several engagements which occurred in December 1897. That, at least, is the conclusion drawn by Tony Conroy in his definitive article 'A Royal Scots Fusilier: Stewart Gardiner Donald, D.C.M.', which was published in the O.M.R.S. Journal in March 2020 (Vol. 59, No. 1). Hence actions at the crossing of the Bara River on the 7th-8th December, when the regiment's picquets came under repeated attack, and likewise as part of 3rd Brigade's rear guard on the 10th and 11th. Heavy losses were incurred on the latter date, including four soldiers in Donald's company, two of whom were killed.

In fact, the Royal Scots Fusiliers continued to see action in 3rd Brigade's contested passage to Peshawar, fierce engagements on the 13th-14th resulting in regimental losses of four killed and three wounded. A lucky survivor was a soldier who lost his way in the darkness: he was found stripped naked with eight deep sword cuts to his body but later recovered in hospital. And the gallant ranks of the rear guard fought one further major action before making contact with the advancing troops of the Peshawar column.

Donald - who was awarded the regiment's only D.C.M. for the campaign - took up the appointment of Colour-Sergeant Instructor of Musketry, Permanent Staff, 3rd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, on his return home. And he was discharged in January 1907, having served 23 years with the Colours.

Journey's end

There the story might have ended, but for the outbreak of war in August 1914 when Donald, aged 50, re-enlisted in the 7th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers and was appointed Company Sergeant-Major. The Battalion was embarked for Boulogne in July and quickly saw action in the battle of Loos, in which Donald was killed in action on 26 September 1915. He left a widow and child and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial; sold with a substantial quantity of copied research and a copy of the above cited O.M.R.S. Journal.

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Sold for
£4,500

Starting price
£4000