Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Company Quartermaster Serjeant J. Baird, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese

India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1937-39 (2974655 Pte., A. & S.H.; 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, these unnamed, mounted for display, nearly extremely fine (4) £160-200

James Baird was born on 13 August 1905. Prior to the war he served as a Private in the 2nd Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders on the N.W. Frontier. During the war as a Company Quartermaster Serjeant in the same battalion he was captured by the Japanese. He is mentioned in Appendix V of History of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders 2nd Battalion - Malayan Campaign, by Brig. I. MacA. Stewart. Q.M.S. G. Aitken recalls that at the end of November 1942 he was sent to No. 2 P.O.W. Camp in Thailand where he joined with Major Hyslop’s company with Colour Serjeant Baird as C.S.M. With Baird’s help Aitken was able to maintain records of the battalion whilst in captivity, at no little risk to themselves. With copied extracts from the above book and Baird’s copied P.O.W. card.