Volunteer Force Long Service (India & the Colonies). Victoria issue (Qr. Mr. Sergt. J. Barnard, Nilgiri Voltr. Rifles)

Quarter Master John Barnard, Nilgiri Volunteer Rifles, was awarded the Volunteer Force Long Service Medal, announced in General Orders, Fort William, 10 November 1899

Reference 'The Auxiliary Force India and its Predecessors' (Harfield, 2015) only an estimated 10 x Victorian issue Volunteer Long Service Medals awarded to the Nilgiri Volunteer Rifles (Madras Presidency) through to the end 1901

Provenance: Collection of Major John M. A. Tamplin, M.B.E., T.D. (2009)

Important: An extraordinary Volunteer Long Service Medal to the Indian Volunteers, to a unique long serving Quartermaster Sergeant who was 79 years of age, and a veteran of both 'Sikh Wars' when he was awarded his Volunteer Long Service Medal

The 'Sketch' issue of 11 August 1897 contained the below following article with a portrait photograph of Quartermaster Sergeant Barnard in uniform of the Nilgiri Volunteer Rifles wearing his (then) 3 x medals:

Quote,

The Nilgiri Volunteer Rifles (Madras Presidency) believe that they posses the oldest non-commissioned officer in the Queen's active service. This is Quartermaster-Sergeant John Barnard, who received his first step in promotion in June 1845, or over fifty-two years ago, and who has held the rank of Quartermaster-Sergeant in the Regulars and Volunteers for the last thirty-three years. He helped to ring a peal of bells in one of the Gloucester churches, on the Queen's elevation to the throne, and in 1845 he joined the 3rd Light Drgoons (now the 3rd Hussars) and went out to India almost immediately, going through the whole of the Sikh and the Punjab Wars, 1845-46 and 1848-49, and receiving medals for both campaigns. In those wars Mr. Barnard was present at the followng engagements - Aliwal, January 1846; Sobraon, February 1846; Ramnuggar, November 1848; Passage of the Chenab, December 1848; Sadoolapore, December 1848; Chillianwallah, January 1849, and Goojerat, February 1849. In addition to the honours for these campaigns, he was presented with the medal and annuity for meritorious service. He is now seventy-six years of age, but any stranger would put him down for no more than fifty-six, as he is still quite hale and active, and appears to have many years of good work left in him yet. Two years ago, while breaking in a new horse he met with rather a bad accident, which has taken some of the spring out of him, and left him with a slight limp: but previous to that he thought nothing of walks that would certainly tire out many a young man of twenty-five. When over seventy, to the writer's own knowledge, set off one early morning and walked to a place some twenty-five miles distant, over hilly country, after reaching which he rested for an hour and a half, and then set off and completed the return journey, this doing fifty miles on foot in almost record time. Leaving his pension out of the question, he is quite able and willing to earn his living. I hope the old warrior has still some years of useful work to put in.

Unquote.

'Honest-John' Barnard was a legendry 'Old Soldier Sahib' in British India, and in particualr across the Nilgiri Hills range of Southern India, where around the Military Cantonments at Wellington & Ootacamund, where he settled and raised a large family, his son William like his father before him serving in the Nilgiri Volunteer Rifles, and who was a successful Stables Owner. After his death in January 1902, the below following syndicated obituary was published in newspapers, both in British India and in the United Kingdom. This quoted from 'The People' issue of, 5 January 1902:

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THE REAL "HONEST JOHN."

Old 18th Hussar men will learn with regret of the death of "Honest John" Barnard, at Wellington, in the Nilgiri Hills. Most officers and men who have served in India - from Lord Roberts downwards, in fact - will have kindly memories of the old soldier. who to the last was a type of the best that the British Army turns out. Mr. Barnard joined the 3rd Light Dragoons in 1842, and served through the Sikh and Punjab wars, earning medal for each. He fought at Aliwal, Sobraon, Chillianwallah, and Gujerat. Joining the 18th Hussars on its formation, he served in it till 1867, when he settled down as Ootacamund. There he devoted himself to volunteering, and acted as Sergeant of the Niligiri Volunteers. Amongst "Honest John's" most cherished memories was that he was the sergeant-major on Queen Alexandra's escort on the occasion of her marriage, when she drove through London on her way to Buckingham Palace.

Unquote.

Sold together with some hard-copy photocopied research including exract pages from General Orders pertaining to award of the Volunteer Long Service Medal

An outstanding example of the Volunteer Long Service Medal.for India & the Colonies

Condition: About VF

Code: 21505