Acting Sergeant Major Alexander Henderson McSwain, Royal Highlanders

Alexander Henderson McSwain was born on the 13^th of September 1847 at Falkland, County Fife, Scotland. His father was a blacksmith. He was a ploughman by trade. He enlisted at Edinburgh on the 11^th of August 1869 and is shown as having prior service in the Fife Artillery Militia. His enlistment details show that was 22 years old, a Presbyterian, had a swarthy complexion, and was 5 feet 8 inches tall. He was promoted to Corporal in December of 1875, Lance Sergeant in 1877, Sergeant in 1880, and Colour Sergeant in 1884. On the 25^th of March 1891 he transferred to the 3^rd Volunteer Battalion (Dundee Highlanders) and was appointed Acting Sergeant Major. He was married to Isabella Jane Stephen at Perth in October 1884 and they had three girls and one boy between September 1885 and July 1893.

His active and overseas service includes the Ashantee Campaign in the Gold Coast from the 3^rd of December 1873 to the 23^rd of March 1874 (111 days). During the Ashantee Campaign he took part in the battles of Amoaful on the 31^st of January, Ordasi, and the Capture of Coomassie. He was a private during this campaign. He was at Malta from the 14^th of November 1874 to the 17^th of July 1878 (3 years 246 days); Cyprus from the 18^th of July 1878 to the 18 ^th of November 1878 (124 days); and Gibraltar from the 19^th of November 1878 to the 19^th of June 1879 (213 days). He now returned to active service as a Sergeant in the Egypt Campaign of 1882 on the 8^th of September 1882. During this campaign he took part in the assault and capture of the trenches at Tel-el-Kebir and other operations in the area. He then served in the Sudan Expedition of 1884 at Suakin and at the Battle of El-Teb on the 29^th of February 1884. At El-Teb he would be severely wounded, receiving a gunshot wound which severed two fingers and mangled his left wrist. He was in the hospital foe 79 days and was invalided home on the 24^th of April 1884 after 1 year and 265 days in Egypt.

He was stationed at Perth until 1891 when he transferred to the Dundee Highlanders and was stationed in Dundee. He was discharged on the 9 ^th of January 1894 with 24 years and 150 days' service in the British Army. He became a Pensioned Recruiting Sergeant in Dundee in 1901 and served as such until 1914. He then was assigned to staff duty in the Recruiting Office and in the Military Service Office until 1922. He was described as, "a small, smart man with a grey moustache." His Meritorious Service Medal was awarded on the 25^th of April 1920.

All totaled, Acting Sergeant Major Alexander Henderson McSwaine was to have 53 years of service and association with the British Army. He died at Dundee on the 29^th of July 1928 at the age of 79 of "senility."