Original British Victorian Named Afghanistan Medal – King’s Own Scottish Borderers Original Items

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. The Afghanistan Medal, sanctioned on 19 March 1881, was awarded to members of the British and Indian armies who served in Afghanistan between 1878–1880 during the Second Afghan War, the first war being from 1839–1842.

The war was caused by British fears of increasing Russian involvement in Afghan affairs. In 1877 the Afghan Amir refused to accept a British Resident and in 1878 agreed a treaty with Russia granting it protective rights in Afghanistan. In response, a British-led force entered the country in November 1878 and advanced on Kabul. After defeats at Ali Musjid and Peiwar Kotal, the Afghans sued for peace and accepted a British Resident in Kabul, the war ending on 26 May 1879. After the Resident was murdered on 3 September 1879, the war recommenced. A British-led force occupied Kabul, defeating the Afghans en route at Charasia. Sporadic fighting continued and after defeat at Maiwand, a British force was besieged in Kandahar. General Roberts led a column that marched from Kabul to relieve Kandahar, the resulting Afghan defeat leading to the conclusion of the war in September 1880. The soldiers who took part in General Roberts’ march were awarded the Kabul to Kandahar Star in addition to the Afghanistan Medal.

Medals awarded to the 66th Foot (Berkshire Regiment) and E Battery of B Brigade, Royal Artillery, rate a high premium as these units sustained the heaviest casualties at the battle of Maiwand in July 1880.

When the first phase of the war ended in May 1879, it was proposed that the India General Service Medal be issued with clasps for Afghanistan, Ali Musjid and Peiwar Kotal. However when the war recommenced in September 1879, it was decided to award a distinct medal to cover the whole campaign.

This example is in very nice condition and is impressed on the rim:
No 6B/458 PRIVATE HENRY SLAPP, 1st Bn 25th FOOT

This medal was originally acquired on August 24th, 1964 and includes the original receipt from Coin Galleries located at the Hotel Salisbury in New York City. It is also still contained in an original Merchants Bank Safety Deposit Envelope. It remained in a private collection since being acquired in 2020.

The King’s Own Scottish Borderers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.

The regiment was not fundamentally affected by the Cardwell Reforms of the 1870s, which gave it a depot at Fulford Barracks in York from 1873, or by the Childers reforms of 1881 – as it already possessed two battalions, there was no need for it to amalgamate with another regiment. The regiment moved to Berwick Barracks in July 1881. Under the reforms the regiment became The King’s Own Borderers on 1 July 1881. A 3rd, Militia, Battalion was formed as the Scottish Borderers Militia, with headquarters at Dumfries. The regiment became The King’s Own Scottish Borderers in 1887.

During the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1878 to 1880, the regiment formed part of the 2nd division which was renamed the Khyber Line Force while guarding the lines of communication between Kabul and Peshawar. The 3rd (Militia) battalion was embodied in January 1900 for service in the Second Boer War, and 998 officers and men embarked for South Africa on the SS Kildon Castle two months later. Most of the battalion returned home in June 1902.

In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganized nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve; the regiment now had one Reserve and two Territorial battalions.

The Bachelor’s Walk massacre happened in Dublin, on 26 July 1914, when a column of troops of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers were accosted by a crowd on Bachelor’s Walk. The troops attacked “hostile but unarmed” protesters with rifle fire and bayonets – resulting in the deaths of four civilians and injuries to in excess of 30 more.