Interallied Victory Medal (10470 Sjt. A. Cameron. Sco. Rif.)

The recipient was Sergeant-Piper Alexander Cameron, who had held the appointment popularly known as 'Pipe-Major' while serving with 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles (Cameronians)

Killed-in-Action: At Lavantie during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, France, 10 February 1915

The 'Highland News' newspaper issue of 27 February 1915, contained the below following obituary:

Quote.

BEAULY AND DISTRICT NEWS

KILTARLITY: THE LATE PIPE-MAJOR CAMERON.- Mr. Duncan Cameron, Erchless, has received word that his son, Pipe-Major Alexander Cameron, Scottish Rifles, has been killed in France, while acting as Platoon-Sergeant in the 2nd Battalion. Pipe-Major Cameron, who was of a handsome soldierly carriage, enlisted in the Cameron Highlanders about 14 years ago. For the first four years he was in the Pipe-Band of the 1st Battalion afterwards doing duty as Corporal in G Company, when he was transferred to the 2nd Scottish Rifles on promotion as Pipe-Major. For the past two years he was with his new regiment in Malta, and with it went to France towards the close of last year. While in the Cameron Highlanders Pipe-Major Cameron was a good duty N.C.O. and his experiences as such would be of great service to him returning to duty in the Scottish Rifles as Platoon Sergeant. His old comrades in the Camerons will be very sad to hear of his death

Unquote.

The life and supreme self sacrifice of Alexander Cameron (son of Duncan Cameron, Erchless Cottage, Beauly, Inverness-shire, Scotland) is commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at the Aubers Ridge British Cemetery located at Aubers, France, where his bodily remains lie buried under a headstone engraved with his regimental badge and service details, and the inscribed epitaph:

Quote,

NONE KNEW THE DEPTH OF OUR REGRET WE REMEMBER WHEN OTHERS FORGET

Unquote.

Sadly, Alexander's youngest brother No. S/3849 Corporal Roderick Cameron,  8th (Service) Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) was also 'Killed-in-Action' during the Great War. Roderick Cameron was killed on the first day of the Battle of Loos, 25 September 1915. Both brothers have their names and service details engraved on their local Kiltarlity War Memoral (unveiled by Lord Lovat KT KCMG DSO, 7 October 1922), with Alexander's rank engraved thereon as P/Mjr ,for Pipe-Major

Both brothers are further commemorated on the Beauly-Kilmorack War Memorial

Medal(s) Verification: In addition to the Interallied Victory Medal Pipe-Major Cameron was also entitled to the other companion Great War medals referenced below:

- 1914 Star. No clasp.: WO 329/2449. Shows disembarked France 5 November 1914
- British War Medal. Silver issue: WO 329/1120
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 329/1120

For additional biographical details on Alexander Cameron, see the reference book 'Floo'ers o' the Forest: Fallen Pipers of the Great War' (Richard H. Crawford, Duntroon Publishing 2014) which is essentially a memorial roll with individual biographies of the Pipers of the Scottish & Irish Regiments of the British Army that are known to have been killed or died during the Great War.

The medal fitted with its original silk moire stitched riband

A highly desirable medal to a Piper who served as Sergeant-Piper (Pipe-Major) with the Scottish Rifles and before that had been a Piper with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. 

This medal has never before been offered for sale

Condition: About VF

Code: 25451