Efficiency Medal. GVI issue with bar 'India' (Tpr G. Gauld, S. Prov. M. Rif., A.F.I.)

The recipient, George Gauld, a 'Spinning Master' & British colonial expatriate of paternal Scottish descent, served as a 'Trooper' with the Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles of the Auxiliary Force India

George Gauld son of James Alexander Gauld & Ann Gauld (nee Ward) was a native of, Mossley, Lancashire, England, where he was born on, 7 January 1901. Sadly, George's mother died in child birth, or shortly thereafter. The National Census for England & Wales records baby George, 2 months of age, living with his Scottish Grandfather and family (a County Police Sergeant) at, Mossley, Lancashire, England. Described as a 'Spinning Overlooker', George was just 17 years and 8 days of age when he enlisted in the British Army, on, 15 January 1918. George was posted to the Royal Flying Corps, as a 'Boy' entrant, his terms of engagement being 'Duration of War'. On the creation of the Royal Air Force, George transferred to the R.A.F. on, 1 April 1918. He re-enlisted in the Royal Air Force as an 'A.C. 2.' on 1 January 1919, and transferred to the Royal Air Force Reserve on 27 April 1919. George never served overseas with the Royal Air Force, and consequently neither qualified or received any medals for his services in the Great War, or with the Royal Air Force. On August 1927, George Gauld - described as a Ring Spinning Overlooker - married Ivy Bown Shaw at Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire. Sometime after his marriage took up an overseas appointment, in the thriving Cotton Textiles Industry in Southern India (Madras Presidency), where he was employed and described himself in shipping passenger manifests as a 'Spinning Master'

Passenger shipping manifests circa 1933-1951 show that George and his wife Ivy, made several passages to/from India circa 1933 - 1951, all of them showing travel between Colombo, Ceylon Colony & ports in the United Kingdom. In all the sailings George is shown as resident in India, and contracted to final destination Tuticorin. Residents (like freight) from the interior of Southern India (e.g., Coimbatore, Madurai, Quilon) generally preferred transhipping via gateway port Tuticorin to connect to long-haul liners that all transited via Colombo

George Gauld is recorded as having died at, Fylde, Lancashire, England, on 29 December 1963

Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles: The unit can trace its origins to its raising as The Southern Provinces Mounted Infantry in 1904 - the unit's title being restyled as Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles on, 3 April 1905. By 1932, the authorised establishment of the regiment was 561 x 'All-Ranks'. By 1939, the regiment mustered 391 x 'All-Ranks', that were split over 11 x locations across South India, as under:

Headquarters:

- Madras (HQ, Armoured Car Section & 'Madras Light Patrol'

Northern Group: 5 x Light Motor Patrols

- Nilgiri - Wynaad
- Meppadi - Manantoddy
- Coimbatore
- North Anamalai
- South Anamalai

Southern Group: 4 x Light Motor Patrols

- Madurai
- Tuticorin - Ambasamudram
- Quilon - Rani - Venture
- Peermade - Mundakyam

Munnar Group: Troop (Mounted)

The Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles was disbanded on 14 August 1947

The medal retaining its original long length of silk riband, this stitched as-worn

Condition: GVF

Code: 21731