1st DAY SOMME WOUNDED IN ACTION SUDAN, BOER WAR & WW1 MEDALS 2507 ROBERT MCEWAN
$1,375.00
SOLD
Offered is an outstanding medal group to Corporal Robert Mcewan, who served during the Sudan campaign, Boer War and was wounded in action on the 1st day of the famed Battle of the Somme, when serving with the 2nd Gordon Highlanders, he was wounded in the left arm, being made a casualty amongst the 50% of the rest of the battalion, who were either wounded of killed on that fateful day in July 1916
Queens Sudan Medal 1899, period engraved 2507, PTE. MC EWAN/ 1/CAM: HRS; Queens South Africa Medal 1899 -1902 with 4 clasps CAPE COLONY, ORANGE FREE STATE, JOHANNESBURG, DIAMOND HILL, impressed named 2507 PTE R. MCEWAN. 1ST CAM’N HIGHRS.; Kings South Africa Medal 1902 with 2 clasps SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, impressed named 2507 PTE R. MCEWAN CAMERON HIGHRS.; British War and Victory Medals 1914 -18, impressed named S-11914 A.CPL. R. MC EWAN. GORDONS.; Khedive's Sudan Medal 1897 with 2 clasps THE ATBARA, KHARTOUM, period engraved 2507 PTE MCEWAN 1 CAM. HIGHRS. Court mounted for wear by Spink of London, medals have been silver and gold plated. Comes with copies of service papers Boer War and WW1, M.I.C., medal rolls and War Diary extracts 1/7/1916.
Robert McEwan was born in Shotts, Lanark in 1874, a miner by trade he enlisted in Edinburgh on 1/6/1891 to the 1st Battalion Cameron Highlanders service number 2507. Promoted to Lance Corporal 5/12/1891 but reverted 22/3/1892. Imprisoned 14 days 2/1/1896. 9 days in hospital at Gibraltar with a head wound due to accident 3/5/1897. Transferred to Army Reserve 6/4/99. Recalled 26/12/99 for the Boer War, transferred to Army Reserve 3/2/03, discharged 21/8/1907.
During this period of service, he served at Malta 20/2/92 – 18/2/95, Gibraltar 19/2/95 – 3/10/97, Egypt 4/10/97 – 4/4/99, South Africa 15/2/1900 – 12/7/1902. At the beginning of the First World War, Mcewan, now aged 40 years old and working as a miner, re-enlisted 24/8/1914 at Stirling initially with the 4th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, service number S/11914. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Gordon Highlanders 16/4/16. Landed France 25/4/1916 to the 2nd Battalion 19/5/1916.
1st day of the Somme 1/7/1916: Wounded in action gunshot wound left forearm. The 2nd Battalion (7th Division) went into action opposite Mametz. They went through the German trenches but were held up in a sunken road by devastating machine-gun fire. Eventually, they were reinforced and managed to take the village, the Battalion went into action with 24 officers and 783 men. It lost 7 officers killed and 9 wounded. 119 men killed 287 wounded and 39 missing. Total numbers 126 killed, 296 wounded 39 missing (killed) = 461 out of 807.
He was evacuated home 6/7/1916 and posted Depot Gordon Highlanders. To the 3rd Battalion 24/10/1916, 1st Batt 16/1/17 and France 16/1/17 – 3/5/1917. Returned to the Depot 4/5/1917. Class W reserve 5/5/1917. Re-joined 17/12/1918 to reserve 6/2/1919.
