Description
India General Service Medal 1854, 2 bars, Burma 1885-7, Burma 1887-9, Lt D. S. Buist, 2nd Regiment of Infantry, Hyderabad Contingent.
Officially engraved in script: “Lieutenant D. S. Buist. 2d Regt Infy Hydbd Contgt” Official correction to initials “D. S.”
The medal is is mounted as worn on an old brooch bar and frayed silk ribbon, as the medal was first issued with the Burma 1885-7 bar which has no top lugs, the 1887-9 bar is sewn onto the ribbon with old thread.
It appears that this was his only named medal issued for his career, he was likely attached to the Hampshire Regiment during the campaign as an Indian Army Officer, he was not recalled to serve in WW1 and did not earn any medals.
Lieutenant Colonel David Simson Buist, F.R.G.S. was born during 1864 in Cherra Poonjee, Bengal. He was the son of another David Simson Buist (Born 1830) another long serving Indian Army Officer who retired as a Major General. (His Indian Mutiny and IGS Bhootan were sold in DNW recently on 17th March 2021
Whilst he was born in India, his family were a long standing Scottish family from Perthshire.
He was the oldest brother of 5, all of them becoming seasoned Military officers, his young brother Major Herbert John Martin Buist, was a Surgeon who distinguished himself in numerous campaigns to earn a Boer War D.S.O. and later Legion D’Honneur.
Some information from “A Military History of Perthshire:
David Simon Buist received his education at Edinburgh University, being gazetted afterwards as a Lieutenant with the Hampshire Regiment during 1885.
He served with the 1st Battalion Hampshires in the Burma Expeditions of 1885-7 and 1887-9, following this he was transferred to the Bengal Staff Corps in 1891 and then was appointed as Officiation Squad Officer with the 2nd Cavalry Hyderabad Contingent (later 29th Lancers, the Deccan Horse).
Promoted Squad Officer during 1891, Capt 1896, Major 1903 and still serving afterwards.”
His retirement was announced in the London Gazette 23rd January 1912, as a Lieutenant Colonel, dated 1st December 1911.
He died at the age of 68 in Steyning, Sussex on 17th May 1932.
