A Jock's Northern Ireland 'Casualty' - Knifed by the IRA - and Cold War veteran's medal group of 8: Corporal James Bogan, 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, late 1st Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
- General Service Medal 1962. 'Northern Ireland' (24117116 L/Cpl J Bogan Gordons R)
- United Nations: Service medal UNFICYP (United Nations Force in Cyprus). 1971 deployment
- Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Regimental Medal (24117116 Rfn. James Muir Bogan)
- Active Service Medal. 'Northern Ireland' (24117116 L/Cpl J. M. Bogan. Gordon Highlanders)
- Cold War Commemorative, Gordon Highlanders, Libya & Germany (24117116 L/Cpl J. M. Bogan Gordons)
- British Forces Campaign Service Medal 'Germany' & 'Cyprus' (24117116 L/Cpl J. M. Bogan Gordons)
- The Veterans Star (24117116 L/Cpl J. M. Bogan Gordons)
- Queens Sapphire Jubilee 1952-2017 (24117116 L/Cpl J. M. Bogan Gordons)
Naming: The letter 'R' on rim of the GSM 1962 indicates that the medal is an officially impressed & marked replacement medal, as struck at the Royal Mint and as issued to the veteran by the Ministry of Defence
The first 2 x medals mounted as-worn by the recipient in the swing-style. The ribands suspended from a white metal mounting bar, this latter complete with long hinged pin & clasp fittings. The veteran commemorative medals - all named - each with individual mounting bars, complete with hinged pin & clasp fittings
The recipient is recorded as having enlisted in the British Army in 1966, and after completion of his basic training was posted to the 1st Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), with which regiment he served through to its disbandment in 1968, in which year he transferred to the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, with which regiment he served through to January 1979, in which year he took his final discharge from the British Army. During his service with the Gordon's the recipient served on regimental deployments to Northern Ireland during 'Operation Banner'. James Bogan died at Elgin, Scotland, during 2022
A lengthy article, too long to quote here, titled 'The solid metal Gordon Highlander' appertaining to James Bogan was published with a photograph of the recipient in retirement in 'The Bugle' issue of Spring 2021 (The Bugle is the journal of the journal of the charity 'Sight Scotland Veterans', and can be accessed in full by cutting & pasting below link into google search:
- https://sightscotland.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-05/The%20Bugle%20Spring%202021.pdf
The above article refers to John being wounded by knife in an ambush by the IRA, and 'death defying' training exercise with the SAS (Special Air Service Regiment), and from which source we are quoting with thanks the relevant extracts below:
Quote,
"The Elgin resident served in the Cameronians rifle regiment and the Gordon Highlanders regiment in the late 1960s and the 1970s. He served in Libya, Cyprus and Germany, and did four tours of Northern Ireland.
During one tour of Northern Ireland, Jim was ambushed by the IRA. His assailants tore open his flak jacket and knifed him in the stomach. But Jim wasn’t done. Thanks to his fellow soldiers, the Gordon Highlander survived. He spent three months in hospital, and lived to march another day."
Unquote.
Quote.
Mr Bogan gained the nickname “Toboggan Bogan” while on an SAS training exercise in the west coast. “While out on a training manoeuvre with the SAS, Jim slipped down a 3,000 ft tall mountain in his sleeping bag,”....
“One chilly night, Jim had snuggled into his sleeping bag on a grassy hill near the top. Suddenly, he found himself slipping and sliding down the mountain, as gravity overcame the minimal friction between the bag and the grass. “Gorse and bracken eventually brought Jim’s slide down the mountain to a stop. The officers thought they would find his dead body at the bottom, but Jim survived it.
“He just had no sleeping bag, or backside, and very raw feet.”.....
Unquote.
Condition: EF
Code: 23503