India General Service Medal 1895-1902. Silver issue with clasp 'Punjab Frontier 1897-98' (Jemdr. Pooran Singh 12th Bl. Cavy:)

Important: Confirmed as the recipients only medal entitlement (Indian Army List January 1901 refers)

The recipient was an Indian soldier of the Sikh faith, who was a Viceroy's Commissioned Officer (VCO) holding the appointment of Jemadar while serving with the 12th Bengal Cavalry, a mounted regiment of the British Indian Army

Pooran (sic) Singh first enlisted in the Indian Army on 26 August 1882, at which time he joined the 12th Bengal Cavalry (unit was first raised as the 2nd Regiment of Sikh Irregular Cavalry in 1857), and with which regiment he remained throughout his subsequent 19 x years of service. He was created a Viceroy's Commissioned Officer on 1st May 1896, at which time he was bestowed the appointment of Jemadar, and in which rank he served - on detachment - during the Punjab Frontier campaign of 1897-1898. Interestingly, the Supplement to the Indian Army List of January 1901, shows that Jemadar Pooran Singh held a certificate for 'Military Surveying' - the only Indian officer of his regiment to be so qualified

Prior to the Great War the 12th Cavalry had been awarded the below following battle honours:

- Abyssinia
- Peiwar Kotal
- Charasia
- Kabul 1879
- Afghanistan 1878-80

A very scarce seen unit on the market for the IGS 1895 medal, as the regiment did not deploy as a unit during the 'Punjab Frontier' campaign of 1897-98 (the 1901 IA list 'War Services of Indian Officers' shows only 5 x VCO's of the regiment at the time held the IGS 1895, four of whom had the single clasp 'Punjab Frontier 1897-98, and a single VCO who held the medal with clasp 'Relief of Chitral 1895'

A superb Indian Officer's medal with very likely participant 'Great Game' associations, due to his capacity as a qualified 'Military Surveyor'

Condition: VF

Code: 20246