Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Battle of Loos 1915’ D.C.M. group of eight awarded to Sergeant (later Major) Neil Morrison, 5th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, late R.S.M. West India Regiment, one of eight brothers to have been on active service

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (7058 Sjt: N. Morrison.. 5/Cam: Hdrs.); 1914-15 Star (7058 Sjt. N. Morrison, Cam’n Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals (7058 W.O. Cl. 2. N. Morrison. Cam’n Highrs.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45 (Major N. Morrison. D.C.M. Cameron Highlanders.) these two privately engraved; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (7428 W.O. Cl. 1. N. Morrison. D.C.M. W.I.R.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 3rd issue (2921067 W.O. Cl. 1 N. Morrison. D.C.M. W.I.R.) regimental number officially corrected on this, mounted as worn, together with corresponding court-mounted group of eight miniature dress medals, the Great War medals polished, therefore good fine, otherwise very fine or better (9) £1,400-£1,800

D.C.M. London Gazette 14 January 1916; citation published 11 March 1916:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and good work in the performance of the duties of signalling officer for several months. He displayed exceptional bravery in laying wires between the trenches, under very heavy fire, and eventually was wounded.’

M.S.M. awarded under the terms of Army Order 98 of 1953 without annuity, one of 16 such awards to the West India Regiment in the period 1852-1953. At the time of the award he was Major (retired), Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.

Neil Morrison was born in Inverness in 1887 and enlisted into the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders in 1904. He served in India, South Africa, Hong Kong, and North China. He proceeded to France with the 5th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders on 10 May 1915, and won the D.C.M. at the battle of Loos later in that year. He was wounded and invalided home in 1916, and was afterwards R.S.M. in the West India Regiment, 1921-27. He was appointed Lieutenant Territorial Army Reserve of Officers in August 1939 and served in the Home Guard, becoming a Major. After the war he worked for the British Legion and lived in Park Road, Inverness. He died on 8 April 1955, aged 68.

The following announcement was published in the Inverness Courier on 18 January 1916:
‘Sergt. Neil Morrison, 5th Cameron Highlanders, who has been awarded the D.C.M., was a Cameron reservist, and was employed as a postman at Watten, Caithness, when called up for duty on the declaration of war. He was attached to the 5th Battalion to train recruits, and he went to the front with that battalion under Lochiel. He is one of eight brothers who have been on active service. The others are - James, who is in the 2nd Camerons; Hugh, 1st Cameron Highlanders (missing since the Battle of the Aisne) [killed]; William, Glasgow Highlanders; Donald, captain in the Legion of Frontiersmen, India; Alister, dispatch rider with Indian troops in Egypt; John, in Australian Navy; and Thomas, in the Red Cross Corps in Egypt. They are sons of the late Mr Morrison, tailor, Inverness.’

Sold with copied extracts from the Highland Times for January and May 1916 with details and portraits of Neil Morrison and his brothers, together with copied gazette notices, D.C.M. and Medal Index Cards.