TOPIC:

My great grandfather Moncrieff Harris Galloway was born in Dublin 27 FEB 1870. His parents were from around Fife. I have a record from "Findmypast" that shows he joined the Highland Light Infantry August 17, 1889.
Regiment: 1 Battalion The Highland Light Infantry
Rolls: WO100/342 page 182
Notes: KSA Clasps: SA01,SA02
I am attaching a picture if him and of some medals another family member sent me and was wondering what they might be - I apologize for the poor quality- that's how they were sent. Thanks for any help!






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John
A nice pair of pics. Some basic information to start things off. Your GGF of the 1/HLI is shown on the South African war medal roll as " 3355 Pte. M. Galloway" (medal roll WO100/202 page 43) and earning the clasps "Cape Colony", "Paardeberg" and "Wittebergen" on his QSA medal. He also earned the Kings South Africa medal with clasps "SA1901" and "SA1902" ; shown on roll WO100/342.
The centrepiece of the second pic is Queen Victoria's chocolate box - issued to the troops on active service in SA between January and March 1900. Many of these tins were sent home by the recipients as a memento.
The badge at 12 o'clock is that of the HLI - and the ribbons in the form of a cross appear to be faded red/white/blue.
The medal at 3 o'clock is the Queen's South Africa medal (apparently bearing four clasps, your GGF may have had a late entitlement added to his medal).
The badge at 6 o'clock I cannot identify. Hopefully others will be able to.
The medal at 9 o'clock is the Kings South Africa medal with two clasps.
There is sufficient background information on this site for you to get your teeth into. The service of the HLI in the Boer War can be found under Unit Information and the actions at Paardeberg and Wittebergen are well covered elsewhere. As an aside, the latter clasp Wittebergen is a favourite of mine.
Personal papers for your GGF may be available at cost from a commercial site.
Good luck with your research
Regards
IL.

The uniform photo would seem to date from 1893-96 when his papers record him as “Bandsman”

Pete

John - I wonder if "better" photos might show one of the date clasps belonging to the KSA has at some time been incorrectly transferred to the QSA (or perhaps I just need to revisit SpecSavers) - there is a bit of a larger gap between the two top clasps on the QSA suggesting possible "interference". You ought to have also posted the later photo of him with trombone as shown on your Ancestry FT - well I like it! Regards, David.

Private 3355 M Galloway Highland Light Infantry medal rolls suggests the 3 clasps as mentioned by Linneyl the fourth clasp was for Transvaal. 3 medal rolls for 3355 Pte Galloway, two for his QSA and one for his KSA.

Regards

Dave.....

Thank you all so much for the helpful information -more to look into! An early note passed on to me is that he was in India before 1900.
As mentioned, my GGF joined the Salvation Army and is pictured here with his family in New York.