A 'Well Documented' Colonial Railway Engineer's Royal Commemorative and Long Service Medal group of 4: Lieutenant-Colonel (Officer Commanding) Clive Osborne Gaby., V.D., South Indian Railway Battalion, Auxiliary Force India

- Jubilee Medal 1935 (Lt Colonel C. O. Gaby. V.D., S.I.Ry. Bn. A.F.I.)
- Coronation Medal 1937 (Lt Colonel C. O. Gaby. V.D., S.I.Ry. Bn. A.F.I.)
- Indian Volunteer Decoration. With top bar (Maj. C. O. Gaby. S. I. Ry. Bn. A.F.I.)
- Volunteer LSM (India & Colonies) GV issue (Capt. C. O. Gaby. S.I.Ry. Bn., A.F.I.)

Note: The Royal Commemorative Medals identically privately named in a contemporary style, and the integral top bar on IVD with pin & clasp fittings removed to facilitate mounting

Sold together with below:

a). Riband bar, for Jubilee/Coronation & IVD as worn 1937-38

a). Photocopy photograph of Lt-Colonel Gaby in uniform of South Indian Railway Battalion, wearing IVD and Jubilee Medal in this order (circa 1936)

b). Original British Indian Passport 'Indian Empire' issued Fort St George, Madras, 21 February 1933. With Ceylon, India, France & South Africa stamps. In photograph

c). Original British India Driving License issued Madras 1938 - most interesting 'British India; document including illustrations of 'European' Police Officers in sun-helmets giving hand-signals!

d). Photocopy photograph of Lt-Colonel Gaby in uniform of South Indian Railway Battalion, wearing IVD and Jubilee Medal in this order (circa 1936)

Medals Verification: All medals confirmed as entitled & awarded per the respective Royal Commemorative medal rolls (India Allocations) and Indian Army Orders, as cited below:

- Jubilee Medal 1935: Ref Jubilee Medal Roll 1935 (India Allocation)
- Coronation Medal 1937: Ref Coronation Medal Roll 1937 (India Allocation)
- Indian Volunteer Decoration: Published in Gazette of India, issue of 1 February 1930
- Volunteer LSM (India & Colonies): Ref Indian Army Order No. 378 of 1928

Clive Osborne Gaby, the second son of Walter Francis Gaby (recorded variously as Auctioneer & Accountant) and Louisa Jane Gaby (nee Bownas) was a native of Melksham, Wiltshire, England, where he was born on, 25 June 1886. The 1901 National Census for England & Wales records, Clive living with his mother, and his maternal grandparents 9his Grandfather was a 'Schoolmaster'), at the latter's residence located at, Calne, Wiltshire, England. The 'Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser' issue of, 4 July 1914, contained the below following notice pertaining to Clive's acceptance of an overseas appointment in British India:

Quote,

Appointment. - Mr. C. O. Gaby. of the the London Office of Messrs, Saxby & Farmer, a son of Mr. Gaby, deceased, who at one time resided at Calne, and a grandson of the late Alderman Bownas, has been appointed electrical engineer in Southern India, and will leave shortly to take up his appointment.

Unquote.

Clive had taken up an overseas appointment in British India, sometime before the Great War. He is recorded embarking at Liverpool for destination India, on 1914, his profession shown as 'Railway Engineer'. The Indian Army Lists show that Clive was first commissioned an officer, in the South Indian Railway Battalion on, 15 March 1915 (prior to arriving in British India, Clive had been an enthusiastic member of his local 'Wiltshire Volunteer Force and later Territorial Force infantry unit). On 1918, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel (and Officer Commanding of his unit) on, 11 January 1934, and continued to hold the appointment of 'Officer Commanding' through January 1938. Clive did not serve during the Second World War. Clive married Nora Amalia Thiele, at St. Andrew's Church, Church of Scotland, Madras, on, 14 March 1918. Nora Gaby died in England, on, 1941. As a widower he married secondly, he wed His wife, is recorded as having died in England on 1941. As a widower, he married, in India on. After retiring from his career in India, Clive, now a widower, migrated to the Union of South Africa (his father had preceded him to South Africa, sometime prior to the Great War and had died there in 1912), where he took up residence in Cape Town, and where is recorded to have died on, 25 February 1951

The South Indian Railway Battalion had it's origins in the raising of the South Indian Railway Volunteer Rifles Corps, that was established in 1884. By 1934, the regiment's establishment comprised to a Headquarters Company (located at Trichinopoly) and three Infantry Companies, with 25 x Officer's. By the start of the Second World War in 1939, the regiment mustered 929 x 'All-Ranks', comprised of 539 x 'Active' members and 390 x 'Reservists'. By ethnicity, in September 1939, the regiment comprised 19 x 'Europeans' & 910 x 'Eurasians'. The regiment was disbanded, on 14 August 1947

Unquote.

The Jubilee/Coronation & IVD medals mounted in the swing-style and as-worn by the recipient. The medals suspended from silk ribands and the silver plated medal mounting bar retaining its stout long hinged pin and clasp fittings. The VLSM - the first medal the recipient was awarded, mounted as a single medal in the swing-style, and as-prior-worn by the recipient. The original silk riband on this latter with a medal mounting brooch that retains its original two loop fittings. Note the order of wear prohibited recipients wearing both the IVD & earlier awarded VLSM in uniform, with only the former award to be worn when medals were required to be worn

A scarce seen 'Commanding Officer's' IVD group to the South Indian Railway Battalion

See other separate listings on the website for the regimental sword and insignia worn by Lieutenant-Colonel Gaby

Condition: GVF

Code: 22613