India General Service Medal 1936-39. With 2 x clasps 'North West Frontier 1936-37' & 'North West Frontier 1937-39' (6638 Rfn. Randhoj Thapa. 2-2 G.R.)

Upper clasp attached by a silver rod attachment

The recipient was Nepalese soldier of Gurkha ethnicity holding the rank of 'Rifleman' while serving with 2nd Battalion 2nd Gurkha Rifles of the Indian Army

Note: 2/2 GR did not qualify as a unit for the North West Frontier 1936-37 clasp (as a unit they qualified for the later North West Frontier 1937-39 clasp), with only a small number of 2/2 soldiers qualifying for the earlier clasp having served in theatre on attachment with their sister battalion 1/2 G.R.

2/2 GR: Following their service in Waziristan, 2nd Battalion 2nd Gurkha Rifles served during the ill-fated Malaya campaign of 1941-1942, the remnants of the battalion being captured at the surrender of Singapore Colony on 15 February 1942

Considering the recipients regimental number, and rank, it highly likely that Rifleman Randhoj Thapa subsequently served in Malaya 1941-1942, and was captured and became a 'Far East' Prisoner of War in 1942. A search of our prior sale records that we handled another IGS 1936 to a 2/2 GR soldier vis that to, 6640 Rifleman Balbahadur Thapa - just 2 x enlistments after Randhoj - which former soldier was 'Wounded-in-Action' in Malaya, on, 17 December 1941

Note: 2nd Battalion 2nd Gurkha Rifles transferred to the establishment of the British Army on 1 January 1948, and the descendent unit - that was amalgamated with the other Gurkha Rifles regiments of the British Army - continues to serve in the British Army as the Royal Gurkha Rifles

An extremely scarce two clasp India General Service 1936 medal to the 2nd Battalion 2nd Gurkha Rifles

Condition: Toned about GVF

Code: 23006