General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. E. Asia 1945-46 (28081 Sep. Shiv Singh, 9 Bn., F.F.R.) General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. E. Asia 1945-46 (28081 Sep. Shiv Singh, 9 Bn., F.F.R.) General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. E. Asia 1945-46 (28081 Sep. Shiv Singh, 9 Bn., F.F.R.) General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. E. Asia 1945-46 (28081 Sep. Shiv Singh, 9 Bn., F.F.R.) General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. E. Asia 1945-46 (28081 Sep. Shiv Singh, 9 Bn., F.F.R.)

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. E. Asia 1945-46 (28081 Sep. Shiv Singh, 9 Bn., F.F.R.)

Important: The only 'Infantry' units of the British Empire to serve in French Indochina (Vietnam) and fight against the Viet-Minh in the period 1945-46, were British & Indian Officers, together with Indian & Gurkha VCO's & 'Other Ranks' of the British Indian Army. All of the British Indian Army infantry units to serve in French Indochina had hitherto served in the Burma campaign fighting the Imperial Japanese Army

The recipient was an Indian soldier of the Sikh faith who was holding the rank of Sepoy (Private) while serving with the war raised 9th Battalion Frontier Force Regiment, an infantry unit of the British Indian Army

9th Battalion 12th Frontier Force Regiment was raised at Jhansi, Central India, on, 1 April 1941. The battalion subsequently served in, India, Ceylon Colony, Burma & French Indochina (now Vietnam) 1941-46. During its immediate post-war service in French Indochina 1945-46, it served as one of 3 x Indian Army infantry battalions that were assigned as 'Divisional Troops' of 20th (Tulwar) Indian Division of the British Indian Army

The complexity of the war and the ‘strangeness’ was staggering to many Burma campaign veterans. 9/12th Frontier Force Regiment 98 was earmarked to set up a large Japanese internment area in Cap St. Jacques (present day Vung Tau) to repatriate Japanese POWs. As the concentration of surrendered Japanese troops increased, the men of 9/12 FFR had naturally to come into closer contact with their late enemies, and had the opportunity to observe them closely. It is recorded that their discipline was first class, and they co-operated and carried out orders 100 percent. Never was there a cause for complaint, and the men grew to respect them and showed a tendency to fraternize.There differing sentiments in other battalions, as noted in the 9/14th Punjab Regiment’s battalion history, that while respecting the Japanese soldiers’ discipline, many still could not see them other than an enemy. As the battalion stated: ‘Many of the [surrendering Japanese soldiers, handing over their swords which were family heirlooms, were in tears but after what we had been seen of them (in Burma) the 'Jawans' hearts were closed to any pity for the Jap

More than 54,000 Japanese soldiers had been disarmed and concentrated at Cap St Jacques; 40 soldiers from the 20th Indian Division had died and more than 100 had been wounded between October 1945 and late January 1946. It is estimated that more than 2000 Viet Minh were killed during the same period. Initially the 100th Indian Brigade was assigned to support the French, but this was stopped in response to political pressures in India and objections from Auchinleck and the Viceroy. The brigade left on two days, 8 and 9 February, 1946; over the course of January and February close to 12,000 troops from the 20th Indian Division withdrew from Frecn Indochina

The 9/12 FFR115 and 2/8 Punjab remained in French Indochina, the latter to guard the mission in Saigon and the former to guard Cap St Jacques and continue the repatriation of Japanese POWs. Both battalions served until the end of March under the authority of Allied Commander’s Inter-Service Liaison Mission to French Indo-China, under the command of a British Brigadier, F.K.S. Maunsell. Only small miscellaneous sub-units remained, including one company from 2/8th Punjab, until May 1946

Condon notes an interesting aspect of the withdrawal of the 9/12th FFR in his book ‘on 29th of March the battalion embarked at Cap St Jacques. . . . Many Japanese senior officers and men lined the route to say goodbye to the Battalion, and it was a curious, if not pathetic, scene to find the very men who had fought against us so bitterly, now so manifestly sorry to bid the Battalion farewell,’

On 30 April 1946, 9/12 FFR was re-styled as the re-constituted 2/12 FFR (that had been lost in the Malay campaign 1941-42). At the time of Pakistan Independence on 14 August 1947, the 2nd Battalion /Frontier Force Regiment, was one of 6 x Frontier Force Regiment infantry battalions to be allocated to the Pakistan Army, at which time the Dogra and Sikh company's of the FFR battalions were transferred to the Indian Army

Condition: GVF

Code: 21513