Description
Ashantee 1873-4, bar Coomassie, 175 Private William Mcintosh, 42nd Highlanders, aka the Black Watch.
Officially engraved: “175 Pte W. Mcintosh 42nd Highds 1873-4”
Confirmed on the medal roll, for the medal and clasp.
“His character has been BAD
Has been addicted to drink but a clean soldier and respectful to his officers. He is in possession of the Ashanti Medal and clasp for Coomassee and a second class school certificate.”
“His name appears 34 times in the Regimental Defaulters Book and he has been 5 times tried by Court Martial.”
Willaim Mcintosh was born in Inverness, Scotland during 1840.
He enlisted aged 18 into the 79th Regiment of Foot on 22nd April 1858.
He initially got off to a great start, rising to Corporal on 19th December 1861.
He would be again promoted to Sergeant on 5th March 1863.
However he was then “Tried and reduced for Drunk on Duty” on 14th June 1863, returning to Private.
He later returned to Corporal on 17th September 1867, before he was arrested and tried again on 7th Jan 1868, returning to Private.
Transferring over to the 42nd Highlanders on 30th November 1873.
For the rest of his career he was tried and imprisoned by Court Martial on multiple occasions, one as late a few months before his discharge to pension, spending the April to June of 1879 in prison, before his retirement in August 1879.
He would go on to see 20 years 356 days of service, spending out of that 18 years and 2 months overseas consisting of:
“East Indies, 13 Years 3 Months,
Gold Coast, 4 Months,
Malta, 3 Years, 8 Months,
Cyprus, 4 Months, Gibraltar 7 Months.”
He was fully discharged on 2nd September 1879 to pension, intending to return home to Inverness.
