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Buchanan's medals are to a scarce rank - that of Band Sergeant - I couldn't resist the temptation to acquire them. Here is his story:

James McGregor Buchanan

Band Sergeant, Duke of Edinburgh’s Volunteer Rifles.
Band Corporal, Prince Alfred’s Volunteer Guard – Anglo Boer War
Band Sergeant, Prince Alfred’s Volunteer Guard.

- Queens South Africa Medal with Cape Colony clasp to 162 Bd.Cpl. J.M.G. Buchanan
- Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal to Band Sergt. P.A.V. Guard

James Buchanan appears to have been born in the Cape Colony in 1853 and was of Scottish descent.

In October 1882 at the age of 19 he enlisted with the Regimental Band of the Duke of Edinburgh Volunteer Rifles and quickly rose to the rank of Band Sergeant. This was a period of relative inactivity for the Dukes who are a famous Cape Town-based regiment with a long history. By 1886 he seems to have terminated his relationship with them and moved eastwards to Port Elizabeth which, at that stage, was the centre of economic activity for the eastern Frontier of the Cape Colony which was emerging from years of conflict with the marauding black tribes coming from the Pondoland area.



On the financial front things had taken a turn for the worse for Buchanan; on 25 February 1886 he was declared insolvent by the Cape High Court when it was found that he was unable to pay his creditors who then sued for the amounts owing to them. A public sale of all his goods and chattels was conducted in Port Elizabeth on 30 September of that year and various items of furniture and other odds and ends were sold realising an amount of £12.12.6, certainly not enough to keep his detractors at bay.

Court papers indicated that he was a Clerk by occupation.

Things seem to have improved for Buchanan as the 19th Century drew to a close. He reacquainted himself with military life enlisting with the Prince Alfred Volunteer Guard on 21 June 1895 being described as “an old volunteer”. Starting out again he was immediately placed with the Band and commenced as Bandsman no. 162. Unlike many of his compatriots he wasn’t to see any service in the Bechuanland campaign of 1897 but stood ready to serve with the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War in October 1899.

Having been promoted Corporal in 1897 he entered the Boer War in that rank and commenced operations in the Cape Colony. Regimental records place him with the O.C. of the P.A.V.G., Lt. Col. Court at Rosmead in early 1900. Rosmead was the junction where almost all roads met with important settlements such as Naauwpoort, Hanover, Colesburg, Richmond and Stormberg nearby.

By 1901 this area was a hot bed of activity with Boer Commandoes infiltrating south from the Orange Free State in search of food, horses and any pro-Boer sympathisers among the Cape Dutch farmers they could find. It was an active role in resisting these incursions that the P.A.V.G. played and Buchanan would have played his part as well.

After the conclusion of the war in May 1902 Buchanan returned to civil duties and was promoted to Sergeant in 1903. Applying for his discharge on 1 July of that year the Colonial Military Secretary disallowed it for reasons unknown and he continued on with the P.A.V.G. in a peace time capacity.

Buchanan finally took his discharge on 1 February 1907. He had served a total of 18 years and was awarded the prestigious Colonial Auxiliary Forces Medal to go with the Queens Medal he had earned in the Boer War.

At some juncture he had married a widow, Mrs Bevan, who gave him three children, Cyril Kenneth Buchanan who was born on 10 December 1889, Harry Buchanan and May Buchanan. In about 1910 he conducted the junior and senior choirs at the North End Wesleyan Church in Port Elizabeth.

James McGregor Buchanan passed away in Port Elizabeth on 22 December 1916 at the age of 66 from a Cerebral Hemorrhage. At the time of his death he was resident in Heugh Road, Walmer[/size]

If it's any consolation whatsoever, I very much doubt, if, I myself, could have resisted this pair either, in particular the Colonial Long Service, very pleasing indeed.

Watch this space Frank - if all goes well I'll be adding another combination like this one to the "accumulation" - calling what I have a "collection" would be hyperbole.

Regards

Rory