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This group was sold by Spink in November 2015 when the second award bar was missing. Original group listed here

The group is now with the London Medal Co.


Picture courtesy of LMC

Their write up says:

The very rare South Africa Boer War Distinguished Conduct Medal and Great War Western Front ‘Posthumous’ Second Award Bar long service group awarded to 2nd Lieutenant late Colour Sergeant J. MacKie, 12th Service Battalion, Liverpool Regiment, late Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and Liverpool Scottish, who served on the Punjab Frontier, in the Cape Colony and the Orange Free State, and then on the Western Front before being killed in action in April 1916.


DCM and bar (1980 CLR: SERJT: J. MACKIE. 4TH ARG: & SUTH: HIGHR.);
IGS 1805 (1) Punjab Frontier 1897-98; (1980 SERGT. *RUMMER J. MACKIE 2D. BN. ARG: & SUTHLD. HIGHRS:);
QSA (3) CC OFS SA01 (**** C.SGT J. MICKIE, ARG: & SUTH: HIGHRS);
Army LS&GC Ed VII (1980 C.SJT: INSTR: MSKTRY: J. MACKIE. A. & S. HIGHRS:);
[1914-15 Trio]

Condition: naming faint in places from contact wear, official correction to last one the second and third letters of surname, overall about Good Very Fine. Note: when this was originally sold in Spink the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was described as being renamed, this is not the case - it only has a small official correction where mentioned.

James MacKie (incorrectly spelt Mickie on third medal) was born in the parish of Aghada, Whitegate, County Cork, Ireland, and attested for long service with the British Army when aged 14 years and 3 months at Pankhurst on 24th November 1885, joining as a Boy (No.1980) the 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, being then appointed to Drummer on 6th November 1886, and granted his 1st Good Conduct Pay on 24th November 1887.
On attaining the age of 18, he reverted to Private and was then appointed to Lance Corporal on 1st February 1890 and promoted to Corporal on 7th April 1891.

MacKie saw service in India from 25th November 1891, and appointed to Lance Sergeant on 15th February 1894, he was then promoted to Sergeant on 23rd October 1894.

Appointed to Sergeant Drummer on 8th March 1897, he then saw service during the operations on the Punjab Frontier which lasted from 10th June 1897 to 6th April 1898, and reverted to Sergeant on 14th March 1898, being then posted home to join the 1st Battalion on 28th April 1898.

MacKie was then appointed a Drum Major and in this position was posted to the Militia Staff of the 4th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders on 1st June 1898, before being promoted to Colour Sergeant on 3rd December 1898.

MacKie then saw service in South Africa during the Boer War with the 4th Battalion from 18th January 1900, being present on operations in the Cape Colony and the Orange Free State, and for his gallantry was Mentioned in Despatches in Earl Robert’s Despatch for 4th September 1901 and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the London Gazette for 27th September 1901.

MacKie was posted home from South Africa on 6th August 1901, and was then promoted to Staff Sergeant Major on 1st April 1902. MacKie was awarded the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 1st October 1904.

Posted to the 8th Volunteer Battalion - Liverpool Scottish, Liverpool Regiment on 7th April 1905, he served as a Colour Sergeant Instructor of Musketry and remained with the unit after the formation of the Territorial Force on 7th April 1908, being eventually discharged after 23 years and 194 days service on 5th June 1909.
With the outbreak of the Great War, MacKie re-engaged for service when aged 43 as a Colour Sergeant (No.12040) with the 12th Service Battalion, Liverpool Regiment on 14th September 1914, and served with this Battalion on the Western Front from July 1915, and is was for his gallantry in action, that he was awarded a rare Second Award Bar to the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the London Gazette for 3rd June 1916, with the citation being published in the London Gazette for 21st June 1916, the citation reading as follows:

‘For conspicuous gallantry during a heavy bombardment by the enemy he moved fearlessly about to places of the greatest danger. He has done fine work on patrol, and on one occasion dispersed with bombs an enemy working party.’ The date of this gazette could indicate and award won during either 1915 or early 1916.
As it would turn out, MacKie’s award would turn out to be posthumous, as he had been granted a temporary commission as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Liverpool Regiment on 30th March 1916, and then appointed to command ‘B’ Company within the 12th Service Battalion on 9th April 1916, being then killed in action the following day, 10th April 1916, when as the regimental diary records: ‘MacKie badly wounded shortly after midnight whilst examining wire in front of trenches. He died whilst being brought in 2nd Lt MacKie was buried at night.’ MacKie was buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium.

LMC (May 2017) £3,950
Spink hammer (November 2015) £3,500

From the Spink Circular, June 1966

DCM Ed VII
QSA (4) CC Joh DH Witt
KSA (2)
LS&GC (Col Sgt I Barton, 2nd Manchester Regiment)

£45.

Not too many detail in those days but fortunate to find some named medals.

This one should be identifiable.

DCM VR
QSA (6) CC OFS Joh DH Belf SA01
LS&GC Ed VII (Sq Sgt, 7th Dragoon Guards)

Spink Circular September 1966 £40

DCM VR
QSA (3) CC Tr Witt
KSA (2) (Col Sgt South Staffordshire Regiment)
BWM
VM (Capt)

Spink Circular October 1966 £40

Spink Circular, March 1971

DCM Ed VII
QSA (3) CC OFS Tr
KSA (2) (Sgt A Wheaton, Suffolk Regt.

F/VF £35

DCM (VR) (Pte J Cummings. 1st Manchester Regiment).

Spink Circular December 1974. £80.