{"product_id":"cameronians-scottish-rifles-officer-kia-1918-mid-ww1-victory-medal-from-glasgow","title":"Cameronians Scottish Rifles Officer KIA 1918 MID WW1 Victory Medal from Glasgow","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eFirst World War Victory Medal – Second Lieutenant Angus Murray Russell Steel, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eVictory Medal (copy M.I.D. oak leaf attached to the ribbon) – \u003cstrong\u003e2 LIEUT. A. M. R. STEEL.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eAngus Murray Russell Steel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e was born on \u003cb\u003e13 November 1891\u003c\/b\u003e at \u003cb\u003eMilton, Glasgow, Lanarkshire\u003c\/b\u003e, the son of \u003cb\u003eRobert Smith Steel\u003c\/b\u003e (1854–1924) and \u003cb\u003eMary Ann Russell Steel\u003c\/b\u003e (1862–1936). He grew up in Glasgow, where the family resided at various addresses including \u003cb\u003eGreat Western Road, Kelvin\u003c\/b\u003e, and later \u003cb\u003eMaryhill\u003c\/b\u003e, and he was one of several siblings, including Jessie Russell Steel, Jeanie Smith Steel, John Steel, and Mary Russell Steel. Prior to the war he lived in Glasgow, and he is recorded in civil and census records as residing in Lanarkshire throughout his early life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eSteel was commissioned into \u003cb\u003eThe Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)\u003c\/b\u003e and held the rank of \u003cb\u003eSecond Lieutenant\u003c\/b\u003e. He served with the \u003cb\u003e7th Battalion (Territorial Force)\u003c\/b\u003e, though at the time of his death he was \u003cb\u003eattached to the 5th Battalion\u003c\/b\u003e, a detail confirmed both by regimental history and casualty annotations. He was \u003cb\u003eMentioned in Despatches\u003c\/b\u003e, as recorded on his Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eBy \u003cb\u003e1918\u003c\/b\u003e, the Cameronians were heavily engaged during the final phase of the German Spring Offensive and its aftermath in \u003cb\u003eFlanders\u003c\/b\u003e. During \u003cb\u003eMay and June 1918\u003c\/b\u003e, the battalions of the regiment were operating in the difficult sector around \u003cb\u003eDickebusch, Brandhoek, Ridge Wood, and Kemmel\u003c\/b\u003e, an area characterised by low ground, waterlogged conditions, and constant observation from higher German-held positions. The period was marked by repeated attacks, counter-attacks, gas casualties, and heavy artillery fire, even during so-called “quiet” spells.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eIn early May 1918, following intense German pressure, the \u003cb\u003e1st and 5\/6th Battalions\u003c\/b\u003e were involved in defensive operations stretching from \u003cb\u003esouth-west of Arras to north of Ypres\u003c\/b\u003e, with responsibility for holding and restoring broken sections of the British line. The fighting around \u003cb\u003eKemmel Beck\u003c\/b\u003e proved especially severe, with advancing troops subjected to machine-gun and artillery fire while attempting to cross swollen ground under observation. Casualties among officers were heavy, and command structures were repeatedly disrupted as senior officers were wounded, killed, or taken prisoner.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eRegimental records for this period list \u003cb\u003eSecond Lieutenant A. M. R. Steel\u003c\/b\u003e among the \u003cb\u003eofficers killed\u003c\/b\u003e, noting his death during the operations of early June. He was \u003cb\u003ekilled in action on 9 June 1918\u003c\/b\u003e, aged \u003cb\u003e26\u003c\/b\u003e, while serving with the \u003cb\u003e1st Battalion\u003c\/b\u003e to which he was attached. His death occurred during a phase described in the regimental history as outwardly quiet but in reality deadly, with significant losses caused by shellfire, sniping, and gas, particularly among officers exposed while carrying out reconnaissance, command, and liaison duties.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eSecond Lieutenant Steel is buried at \u003cb\u003eNine Elms British Cemetery\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ePoperinge\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003eWest Flanders\u003c\/b\u003e, grave \u003cb\u003eXIV.A.4\u003c\/b\u003e. His headstone records his rank, full name, regiment, and date of death, and confirms his status as \u003cb\u003eMentioned in Despatches\u003c\/b\u003e, as well as his parentage. The chosen epitaph reads:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e“BLESSED ARE THOSE AMONG NATIONS WHO DARE TO BE STRONG FOR THE REST.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eHe is commemorated by the \u003cb\u003eCommonwealth War Graves Commission\u003c\/b\u003e, appears in the \u003cb\u003eUK Soldiers Died in the Great War\u003c\/b\u003e records, and is listed on the \u003cb\u003eScotland National War Memorial\u003c\/b\u003e. His death represents the loss of a young Scottish officer during the critical defensive fighting that helped halt the German advance and stabilise the front in Flanders in the summer of 1918.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003ePLEASE NOTE: All research will be sent to the buyer via email. I am unable to provide printed copies, as I do not have access to a printer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eAJMS Medals\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003e\u003cbr clear=\"all\" style=\"mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"AJMS Medals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53338599096666,"sku":null,"price":98.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0958\/9850\/1466\/files\/20251219_114056.png?v=1768488730","url":"https:\/\/ajms-medals.com\/products\/cameronians-scottish-rifles-officer-kia-1918-mid-ww1-victory-medal-from-glasgow","provider":"AJMS Medals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}