A 'Carnbee, Pittenweem' Jock's South African War campaign medal pair: Private Charles Balsillie, 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders late 1st and 2nd Battalions Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)

- QSA Medal: 'Cape Colony' 'Orange Free State' 'Belfast (3093 Pte. C. Balsillie, Gordon Highrs:)
- King's South Africa: 'South Africa 01' 'South Africa 02' (3093 Pte. C. Balsallie, Gordon Highrs:)

A captioned / identified photograph of the soldier, wearing kilted uniform of the Gordon Highlanders is accessible at the Ancestry Website see their resource 'Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, War Albums, 1899 - 1916 database on-line 'War Album Containing Portraits of Over Two Hundred Fife Men Serving in South Africa and Groups and Views Connected with the War'.

Medals and clasps verification: Both medals and all 5 x clasps verified per the respective medal rolls of the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, as under;

- QSA Medal & 5 x clasps (ref WO 100/203) compiled and signed in-the-field at, Pretoria South Africa, on, 23 August 1901
- KSA Medal & 3 x clasps (ref WO 100/343)

Charles Balsillie, second son of John Balsillie (a 'Farm Servant') and Margaret Balsillie (nee Smith) was a native of, Carnbee, Pittenweem, Fife, Scotland, where he was born on, 30 April 1866. Prior to Joining the British Army, Charles was employed as a 'Ploughman'. He enlisted in the British Army at, Cupar, Fife, Scotland, on, 10 April 1885, and on the same day was posted to his local infantry regiment, the Roya Highlanders (Black Watch). Prior to joining the regular army Charles had been serving as a volunteer with 4th Brigade Scottish Division Royal Artillery (Fife Militia). After completion of his basic training at the Royal Highlanders (Balck Watch) Regimental Depot located at Perth, Scotland, he was posted to 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders on, 5 July 1885, and then to 1st Battalion Royal Highlanders, from, 17 December 1886. He was then transferred to the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, on, 16 December 1888. Charles Balsillie married Mary Ann Millar, at, Kinghorn, Fife, on, 7 December 1894. He is recorded to have died at, Strathmiglo, Fife, Scotland, sometime in 1951

The recipient's record of service was:

- Home: 10/04/1885 - 16/12/1886
- Malta: 17/12/1886 - 15/12/1888
- Ceylon Colony: 16/12/1888 - 03/01/1892
- British India: 04/01/1892 - 15/01/1893
- Home: 16/01/1893 - 06/06/1900
- South Africa: 07/06/1900 - 09/04/1902
- Home: 10/04/1902 - 11/04/1902

The recipients service papers are extant and accessible at The National Archives

Gordon Highlanders 1899-1902: The Gordon Highlanders had the distinction of being the most decorated infantry regiment of the British Army for their service during the South African War, where both regular battalions (and several Volunteer Service Companies) earned the below following battle honours, as well as 6 x Victoria Crosses

- Defence of Ladysmith (2/Gordons)
- Paardeberg (1/Gordons)
- South Africa 1899-1902

- Captain Matthew Fontaine Maury Meiklejohn (2/Gordons, for Elandslaagte, 1899)
- Sergeant-Major William Robertson ( 2/Gordons, for Elandslaagte, 1899)
- Captain Ernest Beachcroft Beckwith Towse (1/Gordons, for Magersfontein, 1899)
- Lance-Corporal John Frederick Mackay (1/Gordons, for Crows Nest Hill, nr Johannesburg, 1900)
- Captain William Eagleson Gordon (1/Gordons, for action nr Krugersdorp, 1900)
- Captain David Reginald Younger (1/Gordons, for action nr Krugersdorp, 1900 - a posthumous award)

Sold together with photocopied hard copy pages from the respective medal rolls and photocopied named / identified photograph of the recipient in his Gordon Highlanders uniform

The medals retaining their original silk, now stitched, medal ribands, & almost certainly as-worn by the recipient

Condition: GVF

Code: 23509