BOER WAR MEDAL 5131 WILLIAM GRAHAM 1ST BATTALION CAMERON HIGHLANDERS PRE WW1

Offered is a Queens South Africa Medal (1899 – 1902), with 5 clasps CAPE COLONY, ORANGE FREE STATE, TRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, impressed named 5131 P^TE  W. GRAHAM. CAM’N HIGHRS: Comes with copy service papers and medal rolls.

Note incorrect initial on medal roll: Pte J Graham 5131. Service papers confirm service number and medal entitlement.

William Mentipley Graham, was born on 14/7/1880, at Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. A ironworker by trade, he enlisted into the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders on 16/1/1900 at Glasgow (service number 5131). He was posted to the 2^nd Battalion on 8/5/1900 who were stationed in Gibraltar at the time. The 2^nd Battalion was supplying drafts to the 1^st Battalion who were serving in South Africa, on 21/11/1901 Graham landed in South Africa and was officially posted to the 1^st Battalion 16/1/02. He served in South Africa 21/11/1901 – 9/10/1902, returning to England with the Battalion and purchased his discharge 16/2/1903 for the sum of 18 pounds. He died on 17/5/1907 at Shettleston, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

On 27 February 1902, Lieutenants Harry Morant and Peter Handcock, formerly of the Bushveldt Carbineers, were executed following one of the first war crimes prosecutions in British military history by a firing squad of soldiers from the Cameron Highlanders inside Pretoria jail.