A very scarce officially named 'Auxiliary Force India' Burma Campaign medal group of 4: Private L. Dixon, Calcutta and Presidency Battalion, Auxiliary Force India

- The 1939-1945 Star. No clasp (3616 Pte. L. Dixon, Cal. Pres. Bn., A.F.(I))
- The Burma Star. No clasp (3616 Pte. L. Dixon, Cal. Pres. Bn., A.F.(I))
- War Medal
- India Service Medal

Naming: The 2 x campaign stars are officially impressed 'Calcutta Mint' issues

Note: In more than 40 years of handling Indian Army Medals - including years spent in India - I have only handled 3 x similar named medals, and sighted perhaps another 2, of Second World War officially named campaign 'Stars' to Europeans / Eurasians of the Auxiliary Force India. In all cases the officially named 'Stars' sighted were the 1939-1945 & Burma Stars. By contrast we have thus far never encountered any officially impressed companion, Defence, War or India Service Medals, officially named to the A.F.I., albeit examples of these latter may well exist

The recipient was a European or Eurasian volunteer soldier who had served as a Private with the Calcutta and Presidency Battalion, an infantry unit of the Auxiliary Force India

Reference the strength of the Calcutta and Presidency Battalion on, 3 September 1939 was 739 x 'All-Ranks', all of which were active members and was comprised of 117 x Europeans & 622 x Eurasians. The strength of the unit had dropped to 494 x active, and 60 x reservists. The drop in numbers was due to the large numbers of men of the unit who joined the regular forces, which to 1 December 1944, had been 110 x commissioned as officers, and 150 x men enlisting as 'Other Ranks' - of the former, most served in the Indian Armed Forces, while most of the 'Other Ranks' served in the British Armed Forces. It is most likely that the recipient was one of the 250 men of the battalion to have subsequently enlisted and served in the regular armed forces

A very scarce medal group containing officially impressed campaign stars to an Auxiliary Force India unit

Condition: VF

Code: 23222