Volunteer Long Service Medal (India & Colonies). GV issue (Pte P. E. Robey, 5th (Lucknow) Group Gn Arty. I.D.F.)

Medal verification: Private Percy Evelyn Robey 5th (Lucknow) Group Garrison Artillery, Indian Defence Force, is confirmed having been awarded his VLSM in 1919, the medal published in Indian Army Order 136 of 1919, with award date of, 25 February 1919

Medals issued: Reference 'The Auxiliary Force India and its Predecessors...' (Harfield, 2015) an estimated total of only 5 x VLSM's were awarded named to the unit under its designation as 5th (Lucknow) Group, Garrison Artillery. IDF

The unit was originally raised as an infantry volunteer corps in 1865, as the Oudh Volunteer Rifle Corps. After other name changes, vis Lucknow Volunteer Rifles and briefly as 11th Lucknow Rifles, IDF. In 1917, the unit was converted to an artillery role and became the 5th (Lucknow) Group, Garrison Artillery, IDF. At that time the unit had an establishment of of two combined active and reserve companies and an armoured motor battery After other name changes, the descendent unit was finally restyled in 1933 as No.13 (Lucknow) Field Battery, RA, AFI - and greatly reduced in size, it's establishment being only one section with only one subaltern officer. On the outbreal of the Second World War, the unit comprised 31 active service volunteers and twenty reservists. In 1942 the unit was disbanded, with serving volunteers transferred to the 'Lucknow Rifles'

Percy Evelyn Robey, son of Henry Minto Robey (a Printer at the Thomason College Press, Roorkee) and Elanor Faith Verbana Robey (nee Thompson) was a native of Roorkee, United Provinces, British, where he was born on, 12 June 1882, and where he was baptized on, 5 August 1882. Percy came from a large Eurasian family, records showing that his parents had been blessed with at least 14 x children - all born in British India - and far too many to here record. On 12 January 1907, at Saharanpur, United Provinces, India, Percy (24 years of age & described as an Overseer P.W.D., at Dehra Dun) married Avis Lilian Marten (daughter of James Lauder Marten of Roorkee, who 20 years of age) and the couple were subsequently blessed with two children viz, a daughter Marion Alice Robey (B. 1907, Mussoorie, India) & a son, William Henry Percival Robey (b.1910 at). Percy Robey was employed as an Overseer and later Civil Engineer with the Public Works Department at various locations in the United Provinces of British India. Prior to India gaining independence, Percy had relocated to the United Kingdom, with shipping passenger manifests recording him disembarking at Liverpool on, 7 October1946, described as an Engineer, with address in England shown as, Hogs Back, Guildford, Surrey, England. Percy Evelyn Robey is recorded to have died at Durham, England, sometime during the fourth quarter of 1952

An extremely rare to unit medal, with only 5 x medals awarded

A most attractive example, the medal being toned 'Gun Metal Blue'

Condition: About EF

Code: 24873