County: Banffshire
Issued on: Return
Dates of presentations: 18/06/1901, 1902
Number issued: c. 13
Gold medals, suitably inscribed, to:
18/06/1901 presentation
2nd Volunteer Active Service Company, 2nd Bn. Gordon Highlanders ["B" Company, 6th V.B.G.H.] –
8147 [147] Corporal Harry CUMMING
8150 Lance-Corporal John F. McRAE (absent - still serving in S. Africa, having joined 2nd Railway Pioneer Regiment)
8160 Private William BROWN (absent - still serving in S. Africa, having joined Scottish Horse)
8158 [158] Private Robert GRANT
8149 [149] Private Alexander MacDONALD
8152 [152] Private G. McKAY (absent - invalided and subsequently returned to S. Africa with the 3rd V.A.S.C.; see below)
8162 [162] Private R. NEISH (absent - still serving in S. Africa, having joined 2nd Railway Pioneer Regiment)
8148 [148] Private Patrick URQUHART
Presentation made by Provost Jupp, in the Fleming Hall, Aberlour.
1902 presentation (?)
POSSIBLE RECIPIENTS
3rd Volunteer Active Service Company, 2nd Bn. Gordon Highlanders ["B" Company, 6th V.B.G.H.] –
8326 Lance-Corporal J. GRANT
8368 Private A. CAMERON
8374 Private G. McKAY (previously served with 2nd V.A.S.C. - see above)
8373 Private James Robertson MILNE (subseqently joined the Johannesburg Police)
8367 Private Robert Alexander SHERRET
8328 Private E.J. TRAFFORD
As of June 2024, no record of this 1902 presentation has been found.
As Private William Brown of the 2nd V.A.S.C. is known to have received his medal in 1902, it seems highly likely that the six Aberlour members of the 3rd Company were similarly honoured that year.
The one caveat here is that reports suggest that four of the volunteers remained in South Africa. If these men did not return to Aberlour, then Privates Cameron and McKay may have been the only two of the final six to receive medals.
Type 2 (1902)
Obverse with the badge of the Gordon Highlanders, and: "B. Co / 6TH V.B. / GORDON / HIGHLANDERS".
Reverse: "SOUTH AFRICAN WAR 1902 / PTE W. BROWN".
KNOWN EXAMPLE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN
Private Brown example sold through Noonan's, 19/06/2024, for £1,000 (with ABW, WWI & WWII group of nine; later suspension loop, poorly attached).
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Elgin Courant, 21st June 1901
PRESENTATION TO ABERLOUR VOLUNTEERS.
On Tuesday evening Corporal CUMMING, Privates R. GRANT, A. MACDONALD, and P. URQUHART, the four members of the Aberlour Volunteers who recently returned from South Africa, were entertained to a public banquet and presented with gold medals in the Fleming Hall. .........
........ The Chairman then called upon Provost Jupp to give the toast of the evening – Our Guests. Provost Jupp said Mr Macpherson had taken him completely by surprise when he called upon him to give the toast of the evening. He thought that his duty that evening was simply to hand over the medals to their guests. He was sure they were all at one with him when he wished their guests all happiness and long life. They were all pleased to see them here that evening, and glad to welcome them back at Aberlour in safety, when so many, including three Orphanage boys, had found their graves in South Africa. Addressing the Volunteers, the Provost said that in his official capacity as Provost of the burgh he had been asked – and he thought it a great honour to have been asked – by the Volunteers to present the medals to the heroes of Aberlour – (cheers). The medals were extremely pretty and nicely got up. They were not, however, presented for their value, but as evidence of the goodwill of their comrades. As such the Volunteers themselves would value them, so would their families and all connected with them. They had no doubt noticed that an Aberlour “loon” had during this war won that most-coveted medal the Victoria Cross – (loud cheers). He had very much pleasure, on behalf of the community of Aberlour, in presenting them each with a gold medal – (cheers). The Provost then pinned the medals on to the khaki-clad heroes’ tunics and accorded to each a hearty welcome.
Northern Scot, 22nd June 1901
The four returned volunteers from South Africa were entertained by their own company here to a banquet in the Fleming Hall on Tuesday night. The gathering was a large one, and was under the patronage of the Town Council. Each of the brave young lads were presented with massive gold medals, suitably inscribed, from funds collected in the district. Provost Jupp, in a laudatory speech, made the presentation. An adjournment was afterwards made to the Drill Hall, where a few hours’ dancing was engaged in. At this assembly ex-Corporal J. Nicholson received his long service medal. Lieut. Macpherson made the presentation.
We understand that Private J.R. MILNE, who left with the 3rd Volunteer Service Company from our parish, has joined the Johannesburg and Pretoria Police Force. Private MILNE before leaving for the front was employed in the post-office here as one of the telegraphists and sorting clerks.
Aberdeen People's Journal, 14th June 1902
ABERLOUR.
Six volunteers from Aberlour went with the Third Service Company to South Africa. Only two have returned, namely – Privates A. CAMERON and G. MACKAY. The other four have secured employment in the colony, and have remained.
Northern Scot, 14th June 1902
There were six volunteers who left this parish with the 3rd Volunteer Service Company for South Africa, but only two have returned, viz., Privates G. MACKAY and A. CAMERON. The other four have remained in the colony, and some of them have been very fortunate in getting good lucrative Government appointments.
Dufftown News, 28th September 1901 (list of Banffshire Volunteers who had recently received QSAs)
Aberdeen People's Journal, 7th February 1901 (roll of men who left with the 3rd V.A.S.C.)
Group photograph, which includes Corporal Cumming, Lance-Corporal McRae, and Privates Brown, Grant, McDonald, McKay, Neish & Urquhart.
