The Bond of Sacrifice 1914

2/Lt The Honourable.Charles Henry Murray St.Clair as a newly commissioned officer sitting on the bottom row in patrol dress extreme left in 1898.

Captain the Honble.Charles Henry Murray St Clair, 1st Battn. Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s) younger son of the Right Hon. Charles William St Clair, fifteenth Baron Sinclair, was born on the 19th December, 1878, and was educated at Eton and the R.M.C; Sandhurst. He was gazetted to the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders in May, 1898, becoming Lieutenant in December, 1899. He served with his battalion in the South African War of 1899-1902, being present in the advance on Kimberley, including the engagements of Magersfontein, Paardeberg, Poplar Grove and Driefontein. During the operations in the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal in 1900-01 he was attached to Brigadier-General Sir Henry Rawlinson’s column as Signalling Officer, and was present at the action at Wittebergen. For his services he was mentioned in Despatches (“London Gazette” 10th September, 1901) and received the Queen’s medal with five clasps and the King’s medal with two clasps. From 1903 to 1906, having obtained his company in April, 1902, he was Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion of his regiment, and in 1906-07 was A.D.C to General Sir Bruce Hamilton, commanding the IInd Division at Aldershot; whilst from 1908 to 1912 he was Staff Captain on the Headquarters Staff of the Scottish Command. In the latter year he was posted to the 1st Battalion of his regiment at Agra, India. Captian St. Clair landed in France with the Indian (Meerut) Expeditionary Force on the 13th October, 1914, and served in the North of France until 20th December, 1914, when he was killed in action in the trenches near La Bassee. He was mentioned in Sir John French’s Despatch of the 31st May, 1915. Captain St. Clair, who was a member of the King’s Bodyguard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) and a Knight of the Order of St. Ernestine, of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, belonged to the United Service and Bath Clubs, London, and to the New Club, Edinburgh.’

St.Clair's Family crest and initials of St.C[lair]C[harles]

The Below Biography is taken from the 'The Bond of Sacrifice 1914-15.'

CHM St. Clair ordered this sword in 1898 on his commissioning into the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders from Pillin. This is done in 'Full Regimental" with Battle Honours and the family crest with the initials of Captain St. Clair. Like Wilkinson, this sword is numbered on the spine 100614 which denotes a 1898 date. The sword has been sharpened for active service and must have been done in time for the South African War as he missed the Sudan Campaign having been commissioned vice Lieutenant Gore killed at Atbara in May 1898. He was wearing this sword when commanding B Company at Le Bassee when he met his end. The sword is in an undress crosshilt order which was worn by officers for active service when the Basket Hilt not considered suitable for fighting with.