The Gordon Highlanders At Ladysmith.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Defence of Ladysmith", "Laings Nek" and "Belfast".
King's South Africa Medal with clasps "South Africa 1901" & "South Africa 1902".
1211 Pte. P. McCabe, Gordon Highlanders.
Ex Thomas Lees Collection.

Philip McCabe, the son of Patrick McCabe, was born in Glasgow in the year 1867. On 14th November 1883, at the age of 16, he attested for the 2nd Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders at Dundee, agreeing to serve for 12 years and joining the Regiment two days later at Edinburgh as a boy soldier. His Attestation Papers describe him as just over 5' 2" in height, 111lbs in weight, with grey eyes and brown hair and with extensive tattoos on his chest and arms. Interestingly, his occupation is given as "musician".

Army life does not seem to have been much to Philip's liking at first; just over two months after enlisting, he deserted, remaining absent until the middle of March 1884, when he rejoined, was tried and imprisoned, and spent over two months in confinement, forfeiting all his previous service. Philip saw only home service during his first 14 years in the army but these years included a spell of garrison duty in the Channel Islands from December 1885 till August 1887, serving at Fort George in Guernsey with some time spent on the nearby island of Alderney. After this, the 2nd Gordons spent time in Ireland and it was here in 1890 that the Battalion football team distinguished themselves by winning the Irish Cup, drawing 2-2 against Cliftonville at Belfast on 8th March, and beating them 3-1 in the replay four days later.

By 1895, the 2nd Battalion were back in Glasgow with three more years of home service before them. The following year, Philip McCabe re-engaged to complete 21 years with the Colours. In September 1898, however, the Battalion were on their way to India for a taste of foreign service but, on arriving in that country, they would stay less than a month before being ordered to South Africa, where war with the Boers was now a foregone conclusion. The full story of the Gordon Highlanders involvement in the Boer War can be read here.

The 2nd Battalion of the Gordons were present in Ladysmith throughout the siege of the town and saw plenty of fighting. On 10th November 1899 they were playing a football match against a team from the Natal Regiments. Two minutes into the game, a 90lb shell from one of the Boer guns landed at the side of the ground but failed to stop play. The details of this and other actions during the siege can be read here.

Ladysmith was finally relieved on 28th February 1900 but the 2nd Gordons would stay in South Africa for two more years, enough time for the original members of the Battalion to earn their entitlement to the King's South Africa Medal in addition to the Queen's South Africa Medal.

In January 1902, the 2nd Battalion left South Africa and returned to India. In December of that year, Philip spent a few days in hospital because of a blistered heel caused by ill-fitting boots. In January 1905, he returned to the United Kingdom. Philip McCabe was discharged from the army on 2nd February after having served for just over 21 years in the ranks.
Philip McCabe's medals were originally part of the Thomas Lees collection. Mr Lees was a Scot and most of his collection was of regiments with a Scottish connection. He began collecting at a very early age, although the bulk of his purchases were made from leading London auctioneers and dealers during the 1920s and 1930s. Following Mr Lees' death in 1947, the collection remained intact and in the possession of his family until it was sold at Sotherbys in March 1986.