An 'Ardersier' Highlander's Hard Fighting Senior NCO's multiple Victorian Wars campaign group of 4: Colour Sergeant James Budge, 71st Highland Light Infantry

- Crimea Medal 1854. With clasp 'Sebastopol' (No 2508. Corpl James Budge 71 H.L.I.)
- Indian Mutiny Medal. With clasp 'Central India' (Corpl Jas Budge, 71st Highd. L.I.)
- IGS 1854 Medal. Silver issue with clasp 'Umbeyla' (2508 Cr.Sergt. J, Budge, H.M.'s 71st Regt)
- Turkey: Crimea Service Medal. Sardinia reverse plugged & fitted with British Crimea suspender

Note: The Crimea Medal named in the regimentally distinctive engraved 'Gothic' style including ornate floriate designs before and after the naming, and of the highest quality of craftsmanship

All the medals are fitted with stitched contemporary silk weave ribands, and evidently 'as-worn' by the recipient, The ribands each fitted with silver or white metal buckles (no hallmarks), that for the Turkish Crimea retaining the mounting posts to rear of buckle, the others buckles having lost their mounting posts

Published Memoirs: The recipient is recorded to have published his military service memoirs in the Scottish provincial newspaper 'The Rothesay Express' - the concluding instalment being reported to have been issued in the last week of February 1906

Medals and Clasps Verification: All medals and clasps confirmed as entitled, and as issued per below cited medal rolls

- Crimea Medal 1854. With clasp 'Sebastopol': WO 100/31
- Indian Mutiny Medal. With clasp 'Central India': WO 100/38
- IGS 1854 Medal. Silver issue with clasp 'Umbeyla' WO 100/20
- Turkey: Crimea Service Medal: Medal endorsed in recipients extant service papers (WO 97 file series)

James Budge, a true 'Highlander' was born in the parish of Ardersier, at Campbelltown, Inverness-shire, Scotland, and enlisted in the 71st Highland Light Infantry at Glasgow on, 1st October 1846. At time of his enlistment he was 17 years and 8 months of age, and described himself as having been a 'Tailor'. In his subsequent military career, he racked up 21 years and 29 days with the Colours, of which 16 years and 5 months was spent overseas as under;

- Canada: 6 years
- Crimea: 1 year 6 months
- Malta: 1 year 7 months
- India: 7 years 4 months

The highest rank he attained was 'Colour Sergeant' . He took his discharge at Fermoy, Ireland, on 3 March 1868, at which time he indicated that his intended place of residence on leaving the army was to be Lanark, Scotland. He is confirmed in his papers as having qualified for all of the Crimean and Indian Mutiny medals. He also held 2 x 'Good Conduct Badges', and inspite of his name appearing 5 x times in the 'Regimental Defaulters Book' and once being tried by 'Court Martial' his overall military conduct was described as having been 'Very Good'

The 'Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette' newspaper issue of, 1 June 1907, contained the below following article obituary pertaining to James Budge:

Quote,

DEATH OF A CRIMEAN VETERAN

COLOUR SERGEANT BUDGE

Many in the county and elsewhere will learn with regret the death of Colour-Sergeant James Budge, which took place, at his residence, Hous'toun-square, Johnstone. on Thursday afternoon. whither he had removed after five years residence at Millport. His military life include 6 years 4 months in Canada, 1 year and 6 months in the Crimea, 1 year and 7 months in Malta, and 7 years and 2 months in India. After his 21 years service with the colours', he was 3 years on the staff of the 3rd Scottish Rifles and 7 years on the staff of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, so that his military service extended to 31 years. The soldiers life had neither hardening nor roughening tendencies for him, and at the end of his military career he left the ranks with a soldier's experience and a gentleman's culture. Only recently he wrote his reminiscences for a contemporary, and week after week, his articles were full of interesting information and stirring incidents. For 23 years afterwards, he acted as school attendance officer for the landward parish of Paisley, retiring in 1900. In such a long and varied career Mr. Budge had made many friends, and by all who knew him he was greatly respected. Mr. Budge was in his seventy-eighth year, and leaves a widow, to whom the greatest sympathy is extended

Unquote.

IMPORTANT: A further pair of letters published held in the 'Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette' issue of 24 February 1906, specifically indicate that the contemporary newspaper in which Colour-Sergeant Budge had committed his series of memoirs had been published was 'The Rothesay Express', in which the last instalment had been published in the last week of February 1906......

Medals toned with minor contacts throughout

Condition: Mostly about VF

Code: 24571