Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private J. McCracken, 58th Foot

South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (524. Pte. J. Mc.Cracken. 58th. Foot.) officially engraved ‘upside down’; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (524. Pte. J. Mc.Cracken, 58th. Foot) good very fine (2) £500-£700

J. McCracken was awarded his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 1 October 1877. As his South Africa medal was issued without a date clasp it is evident that he did not see active service in Zululand during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. As no new medals or clasps were authorised for later actions during the First Boer War it possible that McCracken was also involved in the heavy fighting at the Battles of Laing’s Nek and Majuba Hill, where the Regiment suffered casualties of 120 killed and 150 wounded.

Sold with copied medal roll extracts.