A scarce Second Afghan War D.C.M. group of three awarded to Lance-Sergeant William McGillivray, 92nd Highlanders, ‘for gallantry and forwardness during the capture of Ayub Khan’s camp’ at the battle of Kandahar, on which occasion he was dangerously wounded

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Corpl. W. McGllevray, 92nd Foot); Afghanistan 1878-80, 3 clasps, Charasia, Kabul, Ahmed Khel (1539 Corpl. W. McGillivray, 92nd Highrs.); Kabul to Kandahar Star 1880 (1539 Corpl. W. McGrillivray 92nd Highlanders) note minor variations in spelling of surname, edge bruises to both medals and to lower point of star, overall contact marks, therefore good fine and better (3) £4000-5000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Alan Wolfe.

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William McGillivray was born in 1849 in the Parish of Petty, Inverness, and enlisted into the 92nd Highlanders at Dublin on 26 March 1867, a ploughman by trade. He went with the regiment to India and served with distinction in Afghanistan. Having fought at the battle of Charasia in October 1879, and in the operations around Kabul in the following December, he accompanied General Roberts on the famous march from Kabul to Kandahar in August 1880. In the battle of Kandahar on 1 September 1880, McGillivray was dangerously wounded by grape shot in the left arm and hand, three bullets causing considerable damage ’equivalent to the loss of a limb’. The circumstances which led to the award of the D.C.M. were described in Lord Roberts’ despatch published in the London Gazette of 3 December 1880, in which McGillivray was one of 10 officers and men of the 92nd Highlanders and 2nd Gurkhas who ‘showed great gallantry and forwardness in the attack on the Afghan entrenchment near the foot of the Baba Wali Pass.’

McGillivray’s wounds led to his eventual discharge from the Army, which took place at Aberdeen on 15 August 1882. He was then aged 33 years 4 months and stated his intended place of residence to be Dulcross Station, by Inverness.