Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Pipe Major William McClean, 92nd Gordon Highlanders

Afghanistan 1878-80, 3 clasps, Charasia, Kabul, Kandahar (1957 Pipe Maj: W. McLean, 92nd Highrs.); Kabul to Kandahar Star 1880, naming erased; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 4 clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb_Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85 (1957. Sgt. Piper W. McLean, 1/Gord: Highrs.); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (1957 Sgt. Piper W. McLean. Gord: Highrs.); Khedive’s Star, dated 1882, unnamed, mounted on old bar as worn, pitting and contact marks, generall good fine or better (5) £1,000-£1,400

William McLean was born near Beauly, Inverness, on 27 November 1852. He enlisted into the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) at Inverness, ‘by Special Authority, dated Horse Guards, 21st March, 1868’ at the age of 14 and only 4 ft. 1in. tall, a baker’s boy by trade He embarked for foreign service in December 1869, arriving in India on 3 February 1870. Stations included Jullundur, Mooltan and Burnass.
Appointed Piper, 5 April 1872; Lance-Corporal, 20 December 1875; and Corporal, 21 June 1877. He re-engaged at Benares on 21 January 1878, to complete 21 years with the Colours.
He was appointed Pipe-Major on 6 August 1879, and promoted Sergeant on 10 June 1880, while Sergeant Alexander Rhind assumed the appointment of Pipe-Major on the 1 August following. Took part in the Afghan Campaign of 1878-80, including the engagement at Charasia, the 310 mile march from Kabul to Kandahar and the action that followed on 1 September 1880. He returned to India in October.
He embarked for Cape Colony and Natal, South Africa the following January, and ontinued in rank of Sergeant with the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders following the amalgamation with the 75th (Stirlingshire), 1 July 1881, until transferred to the 1st Battalion at Malta. Appointed Sergeant-Piper of the 1st Battalion, 27 April 1882, he took part in the campaign in Egypt and the Soudan, including the battle of Tel-el-Kebir in September 1882 and the actions at El-Teb and Tamaai, and operations on the Upper Nile in 1884-85. He returned to Malta in September 1885 and embarked for Ceylon in November 1888 on board H.M.S. Himalaya. He was awarded the medal for Long Service and Good Conduct in 1886. He was discharged on 24 February 1890, at his own request after 21 years service, including 20 years and 2 months abroad. Intended residence in Ceylon.

Sold with copied discharge papers and other research.