A Black Watch 'Piper' who 'Lost his pipes & a Leg' when severely wounded, France, 25 January 1915, medal group of 3: Piper John Lees, 1st Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)

- 1914-15 Star (3-3401 Pte. J. Lees. R. Highrs.)
- British War Medal. Silver issue (3-3401 Pte. J. Lees. R. Highrs.)
- Interallied Victory Medal (3-3401 Pte. J. Lees. R. Highrs.)

Severely Wounded-in-Action: Piper John Lees, 1st Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) is confirmed having been severely 'Wounded-in-Action' in France on 25 January 1915 ('Pipes of War', refers). The 1/BW Battalion War Diary, shows that the battalion took part in a frontal attack in the action at Cuinchy, France, on 25/01/1915. The War Diary shows casualties incurred by 1/BW in the attack carried out at Cuinchy, as under:

- Killed: Officers x 2 / Other Ranks x 48
- Wounded: Officers x 4 (including one that was additionally posted as missing / Other Ranks x 150
- Missing: Other Ranks x 7

Reference 'The Pipes of War' (Seton & Grant, 1920) the authors under the chapter dealing with the respective regimental records, in their composite 'Battalion Roll of Pipers' shows 38 x names of pipers for 1st Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) that are known to served with the battalion during the Great War. Of those; 2 x were killed-in-action; 12 x wounded-in-action (including Piper Lees) of which three of the wounded were subsequently invalided; and 2 x invalided. Amongst the known pipers of the 1st Black Watch, the casualty rate was almost 45%

Medals Verification: All of the three x Great War Medals awarded to Piper John Lees, 1st Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) are confirmed as entitled. He was additionally awarded a Silver War Badge (No. ) in respect of his debilitating wounds, per the below following referenced sources:

- 1914-15 Star: WO 329/2741, shows disembarkation date (France) on, 24/11/1914
- British War Medal. Silver issue: WO 329/1351, shows serving 1/Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 329/1351, shows serving 1/Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
- Silver War Badge (No. 67518): WO 329/3061 shows discharged 22/04/1915 'Wounds'

John Lees, was a native of Kingscavil, Linlithgowshire, Scotland. He was mobilized for War Service as a 'Reservist' (the prefix numeral 3, denotes Black Watch reservists of the Great War era). John ws in a draft of Royal Highlanders that disembarked in France on 24 November 1914, for service with the 1st Battalion Royal Highlanders that was already serving in France with the British Expeditionary Force. After suffering his apaling battlefield wounds - his left leg was amputated - and being repatriated to England for medical treatment, the gallant 'Piper' wrote a detailed letter to a friend in his hometown of Kingscavil, the letter subsequently being published in the local newspaper the 'West Lothian Courier' issue of 5 March 1915, which we are hereunder quoting in its entirety:

Quote,

KINGSCAVIL PIPER WOUNDED

Piper J. Lees, 1st Black Watch, who belongs to Kingscavil, Linlithgow, has lost his left leg as a result of wounds received at the front about the end of January. Piper Lees was a member of Linlithgow Pipe Band. In reply to friend who had written enquiring about him Piper Lees has sent a letter from Fort Pitt Hospital Chatham, to the following effect: -

Dear old pal - Just a few lines to let you know that I received your letter in Boulogne, but not being sure when I would be shifted, I waited a bit. I am home in England about a week now, and I think about another week will see me back in Scotland. I am in the best of health here, but surrounded by Sassenachs, and don't know what the half of them say. Now about a curio from the front. I am very sorry, Jim, that I left everything on the field when I was hit. I flung off every strap and pipes, too, and glad to get out of it. I had to crawl about a quarter of a mile across a field, and the old leg hanging by little more then the skin. I put in some agony. It was in the forenoon I got hit, and it was dark before I got the length of the first dressing station, and from there I went by motor ambulance to the rear. It was next morning before I landed at Boulogne, and as soon as the doctor saw me he told me the leg would have to come off. I told him to whip it off, and take me out of agony. I was pretty far through. One of the nurses told me the next day they never expected to see me come back from the operating theatre. I was lucky I didn't lose the right leg too. It was pretty bad. The doctor told me I will get an artificial leg for very little; the public pays so much and I pay the rest. I think I have given you all the news this time, hoping to find you in te best of health. - Your old pal J. Lees.

Before the war broke out Piper Lees had completed his time as a reservist, but on the outbreak of war he re-enlisted. He is a miner, and was employed in the mines at Philpstoun, when hostilities began.

Unquote.

Basis the above letter, it appears that the 'Piper' was playing, or at the very least carrying his 'Pipes' when he was hit by GSW

Hindsight notwithstanding, the explanation tendered by the medical doctor that the one legged piper would have to contribute towards the cost of his artificial leg, beggars belief!

A highly desirable Great War medal group to a Scottish 'Piper' who was severely wounded, survived the amputation of a leg and lived to recount in his own words his ordeal in the 'killing fields', of France

Condition: About GVF

Code: 24791