The magnificent 'Dargai V.C. action' D.C.M. pair awarded to Lance-Corporal Piper Patrick...

The magnificent ‘Dargai V.C. action’ D.C.M. pair awarded to Lance-Corporal Piper Patrick Milne, Gordon Highlanders who, ‘leading the Highland Pipers, was hit the moment he appeared at the head of them; and Piper Findlater, though shot through both legs, continued, while sitting on the ground, to play his pipes undauntedly’ Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (L/Corpl. Piper. P. Milne. Gord: High’rs.); India General Service 1895-1902, 3 clasps, Relief of Chitral 1895, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (3711 Pr. P. Milne 1st Bn. Gord: Highrs.) mounted as worn, a couple of small edge bruises and light contact marks to the second, otherwise good very fine (2) £6,000-£8,000 --- D.C.M. Recommendation submitted to The Queen, 9 July 1898: 3711 L/Cpl. Piper P. Milne, 1 Gordon Highlanders. Dargai, 20 October, 1897, severely wounded. Two Victoria Crosses and seven Distinguished Conduct Medals were awarded to the Gordon Highlanders for gallantry in this action. The circumstances surrounding Lance-Corporal Piper Patrick Milne’s gallantry at Dargai are best described in his obituary notice published on March 6, 1943: ‘He Led Dargai Assault - Heroic Aberdeen Piper Who Won D.C.M. The piper who led the charge on the heights of Dargai in the nineties - when Piper Findlater won the V.C. - has died in Aberdeen. He was Mr Patrick Milne, 99 Don St., Aberdeen, and was awarded the D.C.M. for his bravery at Dargai. From Rawalpindi the Gordons battalion in which Mr Milne served was rushed to the Khyber Pass, where trouble had broken out. After a minor engagement, the big British attack began on the morning of October 20, 1897. The artillery opened fire at 8 a.m., and shortly afterwards the order was given for the Gordons to attack after three other regiments had failed. The Gordons fixed bayonets and broke into a cheer. Five pipers led the charhe, and foremost of them all was Lance-Corporal Patrick Milne playing “Cock o’ the North.” Piper Findlater fell, shot through the ankle, but continued to play, propped against a boulder - his tune was “The Haughs o’ Cromdale.” Half-way across the open ground Milne fell with a bullet through the lung. He crashed on top of his pipes, and the weight of his body caused the bag to emit a wail for quite a period. He heard the cheer that announced that the Gordons had captured the position. His life was despaired of for a time, but he pulled through. A curious mistake at first attributed Findlater’s plucky conduct to Milne, who was stated to have played as he lay on the ground with both ankles shattered. However, Milne quickly took steps to correct the error, and many times he expressed the hope that Findlater would be awarded the Victoria Cross. Indeed, there ensued an interesting tussle between the two, each trying to make out the other as the heor. Findlater insisted that all the credit was due to Milne, who led the charge, while Milne maintained the glory belonged to Findlater, who carried on after being so badly hurt. The Aberdeen piper lost his bagpipes on that occasion - they were probably picked up by the Afridis. He hailed from Ardoyne, near Insch, where his father was a small farmer. After a time as a farm servant, he joined the Gordon Highlander when 19. When stationed in Ireland he began to learn the pipes, and on going to India he joined the pipe band of the 1st Battalion. Mr Milne, who was 71 years of age, was for 37 years in the employment of the Customs and Excise in Aberdeen. He is survived by his wife, three sons, and a daughter. The eldest son is in the Merchant Service, and the youngest is with the R.A.F. in the Middle East.’ Sold with Gordon Highlanders bonnet badge and several contemporary news cuttings concerning Piper Milne’s gallantry at Dargai.