A 'Hard-Fighting' Pakistan Junior Officer's multi-campaign medal group to a former Rifleman of 'Outrams Rifles' who served with the 8th Army in North Africa & Italy: Jemadar Ali Akbar Khan late 4th (Outram's) Battalion 6th Rajputana Rifles

- India General Service 36-39. North West Frontier 1936-37 (13299 Rfn. Ali Akbar, 4-6 Raj Rif.)
- The 1939-1945 Star. No clasp
- The Africa Star. With clasp '8th Army'
- The Italy
- Defence Medal
- War Medal
- Coronation Medal 1953
- Pakistan (Dominion): Independence Medal 1947 (PJO-14184 Jem HC Ali Akbar Khan Baluch R.)

The clasp '8th Army' is an original issue - and very scarce thus-found in surviving medal groups to former veterans of the British Indian Army 

All Pakistani recipients of the Coronation Medal 1953, can be found in the respective medal rolls held on the open shelves of The National Archives

The recipient Ali Akbar Khan was by ethnicity and faith a Punjabi Mussalman, who in 1950, was holding the Junior Commissioned Officer rank of Jemadar with appointment of 'Head Clerk' while serving in a battalion of the Baluch Regiment

'Ali Akbar' is recorded as being Jemadar - with note that he was also 'Head Clerk' in the Rajputana Rifles, per the Indian Army List for April 1946 (Part II). He s shown as first entering the Indian Army on 11 December 1931, and became a substantive 'Jemadar'' on 14 April 1945. There is no other VCO of that name and rank who is also credited with being a 'Head Clerk' in April 1945

Double Victoria Cross Battalion: During it's service in East Africa (at Keren, Eritrea in 1941) and later in North Africa (at Djebel Garcito, Tunisia, 1943), 4th (Outram's) Battalion 6th Rajputana Rifles had the distinction of being awarded 2 x Victoria Crosses to Indian soldiers of the regiment. Both VC's were posthumous awards vis: Subadar Richpal Ram for deeds fighting Italian Forces at the Battle of Keren, while the latter award was to Havildar Chelu Ram, for his gallantry fighting the German Afrika Corps at the Battle of Djebel Garcito. Both soldiers were Rajputana Jat's of the Hindu faith

As if 2 x VC's was not enough evidence of the fighting prowess of 'Outram's Rifles', in 1944 4/6 Raj Rif had the distinction of being nominated  for conversion to an 'Airborne' role, and in 1945 to become parachutists restyled as 4 (Para) Bn (Outram's) The Rajputana Rifles, brigaded with 1 FF Regt & 3/16 Punjab 

The recipient Ali Akbar Khan was by ethnicity and faith a Punjabi Mussalman, who in 1950, was holding the Junior Commissioned Officer rank of Jemadar Head Clerk while serving in a battalion of the Baluch Regiment

The lineage of 4/6 Rajputana Rifles can trace its origins to the old Bombay Presidency Army, when in 1820 the regiment was originally raised as the 1st Battalion 12th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. By the time of the Great War the regiment was styled 123rd Outram's Rifles, and in 1922 became 4th Battalion (Outram's) 6th Rajputana Rifles, a.k.a. 'Raj Rif'. In 1923, the composition of 1, 2, 4 & 5 battalions of the 6th Rajputana Rifles, was: 2 x companies of Rajputana Jats, 1 x company Rajputana Rajputs & 1 x company Punjabi Mussalmans

In 1947, at partion / independence, the Raputana Rifles regiment was allocated to the Indian Army, at which time the Punjabi Mussalmans serving with the regiment  who were natives of Pakistan were transferred to infantry regiments of the Pakistan Army - mostly to the Baluch Regiment   

The medals are mounted as-worn in the swing-style, and as-worn by the recipient in the correct order of precedence that prevailed in the 'Dominion' era of Pakistan 1947-1956. The medals suspended from on silk ribands from w hwite-metal mounting bar, this retaining its long hinged pin and clasp fittings

A most desirable multi-campaign medal group to a hard-fighting soldier who had seen combat against diverse enemy forces whose foes included, Pathans, Italians and Germans

Condition: GVF

Code: 26098