A 'Red Hackle's Delhi Durbar Medalist & Great War 'Killed-in-Action medal group of 4: Private James McRitchie, 1st Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch), late 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)

- 1914 Star. No clasp (1071 Pte J. McRitchie. 2/R.Highrs)
- British War Medal. Silver issue (1071 Pte. J. McRitchie. R. Highrs.)
- Interallied Victory Medal. Naming erased
- Delhi Durbar Medal 1911. Silver issue (1071 Pte J. McRitchie RH)

Portrait Photograph: A splendid captioned 'India' posed portrait photograph of the recipient, wearing full dress 'uniform' in kilt was published in the Dundee Courier issue of , 19 June 1915 (see images attached)

Wounded-in-Action: Private James McRitchie is confirmed having been 'Wounded-in-Action' in France & Flanders, sometime between end of December 1914 and 7 January 1915, while serving with 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch), reference the long list of regimental casualties published in the 'The Courier' issue of 11 January 1915, the list being pre-ambled:

Quote,

BLACK WATCH AND SEAFORTHS HARD HIT

MANY WOUNDED SCOTSMEN IN LATEST CASAULTY LISTS

The following casualties in the Expeditionary Force are reported under from General Headquarters under date 7 January, 1915.....

Unquote.

Evidently Private McRitchie, would have spent some time recovering from his wounds, after which recuperation he was then posted to the 1st Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) - retaining the same regimental number!

Killed-in-Action: Lance-Corporal James McRitchie is then recorded as having been 'Killed-in-Action' in France, on 9 May 1915, during the Battle of 'Aubers Ridge' - he was originally posted as 'Missing', on 9 May 1915 subsequently changed to 'Killed-in-Action' after investigation amongst survivors

The body of Lance-Corporal McRitchie was never recovered from the battlefield, and his life and ultimate supreme sacrifice is now commemorated in perpetuity on a memorial panel at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission 'Le Touret Memorial' located at Pas-de-Calais, France

Prior to his death in action, James had bequeathed his 'Soldiers Effects' and money credits with the British Army, to his parents and siblings

Medal(s) verification: The Delhi Durbar Medal confirmed as entitled, together with the recipients Great War campaign medals, on the respective medal rolls of the Royal Highlanders (Black Watch), cited below:

- Delhi Durbar Medal 1911. Silver issue: Ref WO 100/400
- 1914 Star & dated clasp: Ref WO 329/2460
- British War Medal. Silver issdue: Ref WO 329/1351
- Interallied Victory Medal: Ref WO 329/1351

James McRitchie, the first born son of James McRitchie (a Plasterer) & Catherine McRitchie (nee Flynn), was a native of Dundee, Scotland, where he was born on 2 March 1881. Growing up in Dundee, James was the eldest child of a family that included 5 x other siblings, comprised of 3 x brothers, Peter, Thomas and William, and 2 x sisters, Isabella and Bella. Prior to enlisting in the British Army James McRitchie is recorded in the 1901 National Census for Scotland, employed as a 'Cabman', and residing with his parents and siblings at, 2 Court Street, Dundee (by 1915 the family were then residing at Wolesley Street, Dundee). James is confirmed to have enlisted in the British Army, during the last week of November 1907, and was posted to his ,local home town infantry unit, the Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) Regiment (No 1070 enlisted on 27 November 1907 & No 1078 had enlisted on 30 November 1907). Subsequently posted to 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) he served overseas in British India. During his service in British India, Jameshad the distinction of serving at the great imperial assemblage - the Delhi Durbar - held at Delhi in December 1911, and the only time a ruling British monarch visited British India - and whereat the 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders provided the Guard of Honour at the Durbar ceremonies. The 2nd Royal Highlanders (Black Watch), received new regimental colours from the King Emperor, Geirge V, at Delhi, and silver Durbar medals were issued to 'selected' all-ranks of the regiment, including an award to James McRitchie (the medal roll refers).

In August 1914, James was serving at Bareilly Cantonment, India, where his battalion was a constituent unit of the mixed Bareilly Brigade, Meerut Division of the Army in India. Meerut Division was mobilized for war service and embarked from India for France on 21 September 1914, with the 2nd Royal Highlanders disembarking at Marseilles, France, on 12 October 1914.

James McRitchie served during the Great War with the2/Black Watch in the French theatre of war from 12 October 1914. He was 'Killed-inAction' on, 9 May 1915. On the latter date the Battalion were engaged during the Battle of Aubers Ridge, the Regimental History gives the following:

Condition: GVF

Code: 24090