Description
India General Service Medal 1895, 3 bars, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98, Relief of Chitral 1895, 3476 Private Samuel Washington, 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders.
Officially engraved in running script: “3476 Pte S. Washington. 1st Bn Gord: Hrs:”
According to the medal roll, Pte Washington is entitled to the bottom 2 clasps for Punjab Frontier and Tirah, but missed out on the Relief of Chitral. He looks to have added it anyway, as an original bar has been neatly attached to the others, he was with the 1st Gordons in India at the time so could have been missed off the roll perhaps.
With copy service papers.
Samuel Washington was born during 1870 in Chelsea, Middlesex, being baptised there at Christ Church (now St Lukes and Christ Church).
He enlisted into the Gordon Highlanders on 19th September 1890 aged 20.
He saw some initial promise being appointed lance Corporal on 3rd September 1891, but reverted back to Private soon after and remained in that rank for the rest of his army service.
He joined the 1st Battalion 5th April 1902.
His service details:
Home, 15th Sept 1890 – 25th Feb 1892
East Indies (India), 26th Feb 1892 – 28th March 1898
Home, 29th March 1898 – 8th November 1899
South Africa, 9th Nov 1899 – 11th July 1902
Home, 12th July 1902 – 14th July 1902.
Following on from the successes of the Gordons in the Tirah Campaign and at the Battle of Dargai Heights, Pte Washington returned back home after 6 years away and was discharged to the Army Reserve on 31st March 1898.
WIth the outbreak of the Boer War, he was emergency recalled on 9th October 1899, rejoining the 1st Battalion, and posted to South Africa.
He saw a lot of fighting in the Boer War, being entitled to the Queen’s South Africa Medal with 5 bars for Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johnnesburg, Belfast and Cape Colony.
For his additional service he also earned the King’s South Africa Medal with both clasps.
With the war over he returned back to the Army Reserve in September 1902.
