Indian Military Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. GVI issue (GSS-4601 Sep. Maqbul Khan, Rectg Staff)

The recipient was a Punjabi Musalman serving with the 'Recruiting Staff' of the British Indian Army during the Second World War

The GSS prefix to the recipient's regimental number indicates his 'General Service' status that was applied to Indian soldiers serving on secondment during the Second World War. In this case the soldier was serving with the Recruiting Staff of the British Indian Army at the time of qualifying for his long service and good conduct medal - and a crucially important function at the time of the massive expansion of the British Indian Army, during the war years. It is variously estimated that as many as 2.5 million had served in the British Indian Army 1939-1945 - more then 2 million of whom were volunteers recruited in the period September 1939-August 1945

Prior to the Second World War, 'all' recruiting in the British Indian Army was conducted on a regimental / corps / unit basis - this only changed during the war years, when the demand for a massive expansion in the British Indian Army was apparent to the Imperial Government

The recipient would have been seconded to the Recruiting Staff during the Second World War

See the Imperial War Museum on-line article Behind the photographs: Indian Army Recruitment in the Second World War for a splendid lavishly illustrated summary pertaining to Indian Army recruitment and recruits 1939-1945 - that can be accessed by cutting and pasting the below link:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/research/research-projects/provisional-semantics/behind-the-photographs

A rare seen and 'important' unit

Condition: EF

Code: 23182