{"product_id":"scots-guards-piper-killed-in-action-1917-police-constable-stranraer-ww1-medals","title":"Scots Guards PIPER Killed in Action 1917 Police Constable Stranraer WW1 Medals","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eFirst World War Medals – Piper Adam Ion, Scots Guards, K.I.A. 1917\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;\"\u003eBritish War Medal – \u003cb\u003e10529 PTE. A. ION. S. GDS.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eVictory Medal – \u003cb\u003e10529 PTE. A. ION. S. GDS.\u003c\/b\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\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eAdam Ion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e was born on \u003cb\u003e6th April 1882\u003c\/b\u003e at \u003cb\u003eKirroughtree, Minnigaff, Kirkcudbrightshire\u003c\/b\u003e, the son of \u003cb\u003eThomas Parr Ion\u003c\/b\u003e, a labourer, and his wife \u003cb\u003eJessie McGowan\u003c\/b\u003e. He was brought up in rural Kirkcudbrightshire and is recorded in the \u003cb\u003e1891 census\u003c\/b\u003e living with his parents in Minnigaff, and again in \u003cb\u003e1901\u003c\/b\u003e, by which time he was living away from home as a boarder. As a young man he entered public service, joining the \u003cb\u003eWigtownshire Constabulary\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003cb\u003e31st March 1909\u003c\/b\u003e, and served as a police constable at \u003cb\u003eStranraer\u003c\/b\u003e and later at \u003cb\u003eCairnryan\u003c\/b\u003e, where he was stationed at the Police Station.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003ePrior to the First World War Adam Ion had already seen military service with the \u003cb\u003eScots Guards\u003c\/b\u003e, during which period he qualified and served as a \u003cb\u003epiper\u003c\/b\u003e. His association with the regimental pipes is well established, and a number of \u003cb\u003eexcellent studio and service photographs of him in Scots Guards uniform\u003c\/b\u003e survive and are accessible online, showing him clearly identified as a Guardsman and piper. This pre-war soldiering formed an important part of his life, and his experience in the regiment pre-dated the outbreak of hostilities in 1914.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eOn \u003cb\u003e11th April 1911\u003c\/b\u003e he married \u003cb\u003eAgnes Hume\u003c\/b\u003e at \u003cb\u003eStranraer\u003c\/b\u003e, and the couple later had children. At the outbreak of the Great War he was still serving as a police constable, but he returned to the colours and rejoined his old regiment, being posted to the \u003cb\u003e2nd Battalion, Scots Guards\u003c\/b\u003e, retaining his role as a \u003cb\u003epiper\u003c\/b\u003e. He served with the battalion in \u003cb\u003eFrance and Flanders\u003c\/b\u003e, where pipers were employed both in their traditional role and as infantry soldiers, often exposed to the same dangers as the men they accompanied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eIn \u003cb\u003eOctober 1917\u003c\/b\u003e the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards were heavily engaged during the later stages of the \u003cb\u003eThird Battle of Ypres\u003c\/b\u003e, in the fighting associated with \u003cb\u003ePasschendaele\u003c\/b\u003e. Conditions were among the worst of the war, with deep mud, relentless shellfire, and determined enemy resistance. During these operations, \u003cb\u003ePrivate Adam Ion\u003c\/b\u003e, service number \u003cb\u003e10529\u003c\/b\u003e, was \u003cb\u003ekilled in action on 9th October 1917\u003c\/b\u003e, aged \u003cb\u003e36\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eHe is buried at \u003cb\u003eArtillery Wood Cemetery, Boesinghe, Belgium\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ePlot V.D.19\u003c\/b\u003e, where his headstone bears the personal inscription chosen by his family:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“SLEEP ON BELOV’D FOR GOD KNOWS BEST YOU HAVE WON A SOLDIER’S REST.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis Commonwealth War Graves Commission entry records him as the son of \u003cb\u003eThomas Parr Ion and Jessie McGowan Ion\u003c\/b\u003e, of Stronord, Palnure, Newton Stewart, and the husband of \u003cb\u003eAgnes Ion\u003c\/b\u003e, of \u003cb\u003eThe Police Station, Cairnryan, Stranraer, Wigtownshire\u003c\/b\u003e. His \u003cb\u003eBritish War Medal and Victory Medal\u003c\/b\u003e were later issued to his widow, forming a poignant pair to a pre-war \u003cb\u003eScots Guards piper\u003c\/b\u003e whose military service spanned both peace and war.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eFantastic photographs of Piper Ion are available to view online.\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\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\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003eVisit my website for better prices on most of my stock.\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","brand":"AJMS Medals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53668210049370,"sku":null,"price":340.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0958\/9850\/1466\/files\/20260121_151251.png?v=1771856518","url":"https:\/\/ajms-medals.com\/products\/scots-guards-piper-killed-in-action-1917-police-constable-stranraer-ww1-medals","provider":"AJMS Medals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}