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A recent acquisition attributed to the Gordon Highlanders.
Although this medal set is not linked to my casualty collection, I do have a fondness for this regiment, as my uncle Colin served with the Gordon's in WW1.

Although the Gordon Highlanders had existed as the 92nd Regiment of Foot since 1794, the actual Gordon Highlanders Regiment was formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 75th Stirlingshire Regiment of Foot and the 92nd. Also, this regiment included other Scottish controlled units of Milita and Volunteers.

5432, Private,William Anderson, 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders.

William was only 4 years of age when this fine regiment was formed in 1881 as per the Childers Reform. Private Anderson was born in 1877 at Barony, Glasgow , Lanarkshire. His father Malcolm and mother Elizabeth were both employed in the shoe manufacturing industry. Williams Great Grandfather Andrew was also a shoe maker, so it was inevitable that William would carry on the tradition and follow his family into the shoe making trade. When William attested in 1895 at Glasgow he was employed as a top cutter which was attributed to shoe making.
His first 2 years with the regiment was spent on home turf before he left for India in October 1897. William patrolled the Punjab Frontier with the 1st Battalion and spent nearly 2 years in theatre.

Gordon Highlanders leaving for South Africa

Before Private Anderson left for Natal in September 1899 with the 2nd Battalion. He had a slight problem with an unscheduled visit to the Suddar Bazaar. Having been in the field and patrolling for many months, he probably decided to pay the Bazaar a visit. This was of course contrary to Battalion orders. Unfortunately, he was charged and spent 28 days in the military prison. He was released in February 1899. By September he was on the move and heading for South Africa, and onto Ladysmith.

Officers letter reference journey.




Wagon Hill, 6th Jan 1900
The 2nd Gordons were one of the infantry battalions confined in Ladysmith for the duration of the siege from 2nd Nov 1899 to 28th Feb 1900. The town, in Natal, was situated in a loop of the Klip river and the British occupied defensive positions around it. South of the town was C Sector based on two hills called Caesar's Camp and Wagon Hill, also called Platrand Ridge by the Boers. On the night of 5th/6th Jan 1900, a party of naval gunners and sappers with an escort of Gordons were lowering a gun platform into the emplacement on Wagon Hill. The gun itself was still at the bottom of the hill. At 2.40am the Boers attacked both hills and the small party of Gordons along with some men of the KRRC were engaged in a desperate defense of Wagon Hill.

The garrison was alerted to the trouble and one and a half companies of Gordons were sent to reinforce the party on Wagon Hill. Another company, commanded by Captain the Hon. R T Carnegie, were sent to support those fighting at Caesar's Camp. A fierce fight took place on this hill, during which Capt Carnegie and Lieut W Macgregor were badly wounded, and as dawn broke a heavy storm soaked the combatants with rain and hail. This terrible battle lasted until 5pm, but with the help of 52nd and 53rd Field Batteries RA, the Manchesters and the Rifle brigade, the enemy were eventually forced to retreat.

The one and a half companies of the Gordons on Wagon Hill saw the loss of their commanding officer early on. Lieut-Col William Dick-Cunyingham VC was shot and died of his wounds the next day. Major Scott took over command and they managed to hold their ground against a determined attack. But when they were beginning to falter and withdraw, Major Miller-Walnutt rallied the men and they temporarily pushed the Boers back, but a counter-attack led by de Villiers reversed the situation and Miller-Wallnut was killed. An Engineers officer, Lt Digby-Jones then came to the fore and led them in a successful advance. The final victory came after a famous charge by the Devons. This was one of the hardest battles of the war that resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. The Gordons lost 2 officers and 17 men killed and 2 officers and 30 men wounded.

RooiKopjes, 24th July 1900
Ladysmith was relieved at the end of February and the 2nd Battalion took part in Buller's march to the north. There was an action at Rooikopjes near Amersfoort on 24th July in which the Gordons proved themselves again but lost 3 men killed and 12 wounded. The London Scottish Volunteer Company were prominent and their Captain Rodger was wounded and mentioned by Buller in his despatch.


Van Wyk's Vlei, 21st Aug 1900
The 2nd Battalion was in action more seriously at Van Wyk's Vlie in the Northern Cape on 21st Aug. The Gordons lost 9 killed and 9 wounded on this occasion, and two VCs were won by men of the King's Liverpool regiment.

Spitz Kop, 8th Sep 1900
At Spitzkop in late August the 2nd were marching to Lydenburg when they were shelled by a Boer 6 inch gun from a distance of 7 miles. The Volunteer Company suffered badly with 3 killed and 16 wounded. On reaching the Lydenburg district they were sent into battle near Spitz Kop and were heavily engaged, ending up with 21 casualties. General Buller's despatch mentioned 6 officers, 2 NCOs and one private.



Gordon Highlanders Spitzkop


Koomati Poort, 30th Sep 1900
The two battalions met at Lydenburg in September. The last time they met was in India in 1898 when the 1st was relieved by the 2nd. On the 30th the 2nd were with Lieut-General Ian Hamilton's march to Koomati Poort when some Boer ammunition exploded and killed one man and injured 20. A few days later on 2nd Nov they were near Belfast fighting a rear-guard action and lost one killed, with one officer and 7 wounded.

Belfast, 7th-8th Jan 1901
The 1st Battalion were garrisoned in Belfast in Jan 1901 when it was attacked on the 7th and 8th. The battalion fought alongside the Royal Irish Regiment and they managed to repulse the Boers led by Vilijoen. The Gordons' casualties were 3 killed and 14 wounded.


Naboomspuit, 4th July 1901
In March 1901 the 2nd Battalion went to Pietersburg with General Plumer where they operated in the surrounding district until the end of the war. On 4th July a party consisting of one officer, Lt Dunlop Best, and 22 men escorted a train that was attacked and derailed by de Villiers and 150 Boers. Dunlop Best and 9 others were killed, the rest wounded.

Above information Courtesy of C Griffin
British Empire web site.


In August that year De Villiers surrendered at Pretoria and spoke of the bravery of these Gordon Highlanders. Lord Kitchener sent a telegram to King Edward VII on the 10th Aug 1901:

'As Colonel-in-Chief  of the Gordon Highlanders your Majesty might be pleased to know that Commandant de Villiers, who was present and has just surrendered, informed me that at the attack on the train on 4th July at Naboomspruit the guard of Gordon Highlanders under Lieutenant Best, who was killed, behaved with utmost gallantry. After the train had been captured by 150 Boers, the last 4 men, though completely surrounded, and with no cover, continued to fire until 3 were killed and the fourth wounded. On the Boers asking the survivor the reason why they had not surrendered, he replied, "Why, man, we are the Gordon Highlanders." '


The King replied on 12th Aug:
'Very pleased to hear of the bravery of the Gordon Highlanders. Proud to be their Colonel-in-Chief.'



Pte Anderson served for over 830 days in South Africa with the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders and was most certainly in one or more of the actions mentioned above. No more altercations were recorded on his papers, no wounds sustained in South Africa. He was transferred back to India during 1902 and then onto the army reserves until 1907. He returned to his family home at Mcfarlane street Glasgow and resumed his job in the shoe making industry.

A nice trio of medals Dave. Thanks for posting.
Cheers Steve