India Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. GV second type (296 Sep. Bhagat Singh, 1-11 Sikh. R.)

The recipient wasn Indian soldier of the Sikh faith holding the rank of Sepoy (Private) while serving with the 1st Battalion 11th Sikh Regiment (K.G.O.)

Note: The low 3 x digit number indicates an original muster when the 14th (Ferozepore) Sikhs were re-styled as 1st Battalion 11th Sikh Regiment, and would have served in the Great War

The recipient is also confirmed as being entitled to the General Service Medal 1918, with clasp 'Kurdistan', for their services at Kirkuk, in 1923 (reference the respective campaign medal roll, compiled & signed at Mhow, Central Provinces, India, on, 20 March 1925

Reference 'India's Army' (Donovan Jackson, 1940), 1/11 Sikh had a unique experience in the annals of the British Indian Army:

Quote,

Two companies of the 1st, together with their equipment, were flown down from the rail-head to Kirkuk during the Kurdistan Revolt of 1923. A journey which took less than one hour whereas the march would have taken a week. This was the first time in history of a transportation of a large body of troops by air-craft to meet the needs of a serious military situation

Unquote.

Ferozepore Sikhs: 1/11 Sikh - the most senior Sikh battalion of the British Indian Army - has it's origins dating to 1846, in the wake of the British-Sikh War of 1845, with it's ranks recruited from amongst Sikh soldiers of the disbanded Sikh Army. The full lineage & chronology of the regiment being;

- 1846: Regiment of Ferozepore
- 1861: 15th Regiment
- 1861: 14th Bengal Native Infantry
- 1864: 14th (The Ferozepore) Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1885: 14th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (Ferozepore Sikhs)
- 1901: 14th (Ferozepore) Sikh Infantry (1901–1903)
- 1903: 14th Ferozepore Sikhs (1903–1906)
- 1906: 14th Prince of Wales's Own Ferozepore Sikhs
- 1910: 14th King George's Own Ferozepore Sikhs
- 1922: 1st Battalion (King George's Own) (Ferozepore Sikhs) 11th Sikh Regiment

During the Second World War 1st Battalion Sikh Regiment served in Burma

Post independence, the 1st Battalion Sikh Regiment in 1981 was re-designated as 4th Battalion Mechanised Infantry Regiment (1 Sikh). To mark the departure of 1/Sikh from the Sikh Regiment, the latter no longer have a '1st Battalion'

Condition: VF

Code: 22770