India General Service 1936. With clasp 'Burma 1930-32' (Hd. Lscr. K. Viapuri. U. Bur Bn. A.F.I.).

The recipient an Indian of South Indian ethnicity and Hindu faith, was an enrolled non-combatant follower who performed the trade of 'Head Lascar' while serving with the Upper Burma Battalion, a Mandalay centred volunteer unit of the Auxiliary Force India

Note: In the context of the 20th Century usage, the 'Lascar' was generally a marine associated, labouring 'Trade' applied to indigenous seamen from the Red Sea, South Asia and Bay of Bengal regions. The Indian Army did employ 'Lascars' during the Great War, principally in the Inland Water Transport (for pontoons, rafts, launches), but is also found in other corps for example the Indian Ordnance Department. Whether the recipient of this medal was a 'Head-Lascar' aboard a motor launch maintained by the volunteers on the, Irrawaddy, or was employed on general labouring duties, i.e., erecting tents, setting up camps, working at rifle ranges, or working in stores is not known. What is certain, is that the medal her offered is an extremely rare instance of an Indian being employed in the service of an Auxiliary Force India battalion located in Burma

The Upper Burma Volunteer Rifles were an auxiliary regiment based in North Burma. The battalion, whose volunteers were drawn exclusively from amongst European and Eurasian residents of North Burma, was raised on, 9 December 1886, when it was styled as the Upper Burma Volunteer Rifles. As part of the Indian Defence Force Act of 1917, all the units of the Indian Volunteers became units of the short-lived Indian Defence Force and the battalion was restyled, 34th Upper Burma Battalion on 1st April 1917. With the demise of the Indian Defence Force, and the establishment of the Auxiliary Force India, in, 1920, the unit was restyled as the Upper Burma Battalion. The unit retained this title when it transferred to the Burma Auxiliary Force in April 1937, following the transfer of administrative power from the Government of India to the Burma Government

Coincidentally it should be noted that during the Burma Campaign of 1941-42, it is recorded fact, that men of the Upper Burma Battalion did man launches of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, after much of the local crews had deserted their posts in the wake of the Japanese invasion

A rare seen campaign medal to an Indian 'Head-Lascar' serving with the Upper Burma Battalion, Auxiliary Force India

Condition: EF

Code: 23209