A FIRST WORLD WAR PERIOD 1865 PATTERN ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS OTHER RANKS SEALSKIN BUSBY, ORIGINALLY ISSUED TO 10253 PRIVATE CHARLES SOUTAR, 2ND BATTALION ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS, KILLED IN ACTION 13TH MARCH 1915, AND SUBSEQUENTLY RE-ISSUED TO 10071 PRIVATE (LATER WARRANT OFFICER CLASS II) ALEXANDER WHITECROSS, M.M., 1ST BATTALION ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS, WHO WAS AWARDED THE MILITARY MEDAL IN 1917, sealskin fur body, leather lining all present, but sweat band part detached and lacking chin strap, badge and hackle, with original maker's label of MYERS & Co, 222-6 Cambridge Road, London N.E., War Department "crow's foot" dated mark for 1910, and additional stencilled issue markings "R.S.F. 10253" and "10071". 11 inches (28cm) high approx at front. Some minor mothing to fur, otherwise good condition, and an interesting attributable busby.
The issue markings inside the skull of this busby indicate that it was originally issued in 1910 to 10253 Private Charles E.S. Soutar, 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers. His medal index card indicates that he first saw service during WW1 in France and Flanders, entering that theatre of operations on 6/10/1914 (the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers landed as a unit at Zeebrugge on 6/10/1914, and saw service in France with the 21st Brigade, 7th Division). Medal index card records Private Soutar as having been killed in action on 13/3/1915 (Fourth Day, Battle of Neuve Chapelle, 10th - 13th March 1915). Private Soutar has no known grave and commemorated on the La Touret Memorial, panels 12 and 13.
Stencilled markings indicate that this helmet was reissued to 10071 Private (later Warrant Officer Class II) Alexander Whitecross M.M., whose medal index card indicates that he first saw service in France and Flanders, entering that theatre of operations on 14/8/1914 (the 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers landed at Havre as a unit on 14/8/1914). Whitecross's Military Medal was announced in the London Gazette of 18/7/1917 (Howard Williamson, in his "Great War Medal Collectors Companion" notes that Military Medals announced in this edition of the London Gazette were for Arras and Vimy Ridge).
Busby accompanied by copied medal index cards for Soutar and Whitecross, along with Commonwealth War Graves entry for Soutar and London Gazette M.M. entry for Whitecross.
