Defence Medal (8638 Rfn. Narbahadur Gurung, 8 G.R.)

The medal is an officially impressed Calcutta Mint issue

The recipient Narbahadur Gurung was a Nepalese soldier of Gurkha ethnicity and the Hindu faith, who held the rank of Rifleman while serving with a battalion of the 8th Gurkha Rifles of the British Indian Army

Due to strict eligibility and award criteria, it is most likely that the recipient of this medal had been a serving member of 2nd Battalion 8th Gurkha Rifles

During the Second World War the 8th Gurkha Rifles comprised 4 x battalions (2 x pre-war regulars & 2 x war raised battalions)

- 1st Bn - India, Burma, Netherlands East Indies
- 2nd Bn - India, Iraq, Egypt, Italy
- 3rd Bn - India, Ceylon, Burma, French Indochina, North Borneo
- 4th Bn - India, Burma, Siam, Malaya, Netherlands East Indies

The India Service Medal was an exclusive service medal for award to 'All Races' and 'All-Ranks' of the Indian Armed Forces (personnel of the British & Commonwealth forces did not qualify), who met the basic qualifying criteria, which was 3 years aggregated non operational service within India between 1939-1945

Condition: About VF

Code: 24497