Volunteer Long Service Medal (India & the Colonies). EDVII issue (Qr. Mr. Sergt C. O. Vernieux Simla Voltr: Rfls.:)

Great War Casualty: Captain Charles Osmond Vernieux, late 3rd Labour Corps, Indian Army, 'Died of Disease' at Bombay, British India, on, 1920 - just days after returning from active overseas Great War service in Mesopotamia. His life and sacrifice, are commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at the Kirkee Memorial (Maharashtra, India) where his remains were interred and a memorial flagstone placed in his memory

Medal verification: The award to Quarter-Master Sergeant Charles Osmond Vernieux, Simla Volunteer Rifles, was published in India Army Order 257 of 1911, on which date there was just one medal awarded to the unit. Only an estimated 48 x Edward VII VLSM's awarded to the unit

In addition to the above referenced Volunteer Long Service Medal the recipient was also entitled to, the Delhi Durbar Medal 1911 (silver issue) per below source:

- Delhi Durbar Medal 1911 (Silver): Ref WO 100/400 (Present at Delhi with unit, holding appointment of Quartermaster Sergeant)

At the time of being awarded his Volunteer Long Service Medal. the recipient was holding the rank of Quarter-Master Sergeant, while serving with the Simla Volunteer Rifles

Chronology of the Simla Rifles: The unit was centred on the 'Hill Station' of Simla (the Summer Capital of British India) located in the Himalayan foothills of Himachal Pradesh. The unit had

- 1861 raised as 2nd Punjab (Simla) Volunteer Rifle Corps on 2nd May
- 1897 restyled 2nd Punjab (Simla) Volunteer Rifles, January
- 1904 renamed the Simla Volunteer Rifles
- 1917 1st April, became the 4th Simla Rifles (Indian Defence Force)
- 1920 1st October, redesignated Simla Rifles (Auxiliary Force India)

Interestingly the unit had at least one and possibly two affiliated 'Cadet Corps'. In 1884 Bishop Cotton School (BCS) established a Cadet Corps and joined the unit as “D Coy” Simla Volunteer Rifles. In 1947, Freddie Brown, Schoolmaster at BCS, along with the British & Hindu boys had to ensure that 42 Pakistani boys were not harmed. Between 15 August to 21 Oct 1947, at night, under Freddie’s supervision, armed guards from the Simla Rifles cadets patrolled the dormitories, until the Pakistani boys were safely evacuated. Another school that was likely connected with the Simla Volunteer Rifles was the Lawrence Military Asylum, Sanawar, near Kasauli, which not only had a strong military background, but it is also known that the Principal of that school was, in 1923, also 2nd in Command of the Simla Rifles

Condition: About EF

Code: 23760