Indian Army Meritorious Service Medal GV 1st issue. An 'Immediate Award' (1986 Hav. Khan Muhammad, 1/66 Pjbs.)

Important: Reference 'Honours and Awards' Indian Army 1914-21 (Hayward Reprint) the IMSM confirmed as an 'Immediate' gallantry award for theatre of war 'Waziristan', - only 2 x awards for this theatre to this battalion - and was one of 28 x 'Immediate' IMSM's awarded to 1st Battalion 66th Punjabis circa 1914-1921, which by theatre of war were;

- Mesopotamia: x 8
- Kut-al-Amarah: x 8
- India: x 6
- Various (theatre not specified): x 4
- Waziristan: x 2

By ethnicity and faith the recipient was a Punjabi Mussalman soldier, who was holding the rank of 'Havildar' (Sergeant) while serving with the 1st Battalion 66th Punjabis, an infantry battalion of the British Indian Army

1st Battalion 66th Punjabis: The unit could trace its origins to its raising as the 7th Battalion of Coast Sepoy's, an infantry unit of the Madras Presidency Army of the Honourable East India Company. During the Great War, 1/66 Punjabis, was captured at the fall of Kut-al-Amarah. A reconstituted 1/66 Punjabis was subsequently raised in India, and subsequently served on the North West Frontier of India during the Third Afghan War of 1919, and post-war operation in 'Waziristan'. In 1922, the battalion was restyled as 2nd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment. The descendent unit transferred to the Pakistan Army in August 1947, and continues to serve in 2024

In January 1917, the rules pertaining to the award of the Indian Meritorious Service Medal were amended. 'Immediate' awards of the IMSM (without annuity) for devotion to duty in theatres of war, were to be awarded retroactive to August 1914

Reference 'British Gallantry Awards' (Abbot & Tamplin, 1981), the authors have summarised the number of 'Immediate' awards of the IMSM published in the 'Government of India List of Honours' (1917-1921) - an estimate of 5,787 awards - of which only 48 awards were issued for campaign theatre 'Waziristan'. A further study by the authors of the IMSM's published in the Gazette of India for the same period, provides an additional 44 awards gazetted for 'Waziristan Force'

An extremely scarce award by campaign theatre

Condition: About GVF

Code: 24040