A rare 'Anglo-Indian Force' Great War campaign and volunteer Long Service Medal group of 3: Private Benjamin Crizzle, 2nd Battalion Bombay Nagpur Railway Regiment, Auxiliary Force India, late Anglo-Indian Force

- British War Medal. Silver issue (681 Pte. B. Crizzle, A.I. Force.)
- Interallied Victory Medal 1914-19 (681 Pte. B. Crizzle, A.I. Force.)
- Volunteer LSM (India). GV (Pte. B. Crizzle, 2. B. N. Ry. R., A.F.I. )

Medal(s) Verification: There are extant / accessible complete medal rolls in the public domain for the British War & Interallied Victory Medals that were awarded to men of the Anglo-Indian Force, and subsequently served overseas in the Great War. The award of the VLSM is confirmed as entitled per the below cited authority:

- British War Medal. Silver issue: Medal is an officially impressed 'Calcutta Mint' strike
- Interallied Victory Medal 1914-19: Medal is an officially impressed 'Calcutta Mint' strike
- Volunteer LSM (India). GV: Award date 22 October 1930 per Indian Army Order No 656 of 1930

Comrades-in-Arms: We have only once before handled an identical group combination to an Anglo-Indian Force, soldier viz the Great War medals to No 681 (2 x digits lower than Benjamin Crizzle) L/Cpl Herbert Colin Melville Harrison, who also earned a VLSM awarded to him in 1932, while serving with the very same A.F.I. unit as Benjamin Crizzle. A search of the VLSM medal rolls of the Bombay Nagpur Railway Regiment (A.F.I.) from the inter-war years record one other volunteer with the rare surname 'Crizzle', viz Corporal Alfred Benjamin Crizzle 1. B. N. Ry. R., A.F.I. awarded a VLSM in January 1932 (Benjamin and Alfred were not brothers, but view the rare surname, they were most likely relatives?). 

Benjamin Adolphus Crizzle, son of Paul Crizzle (1832-1922 a former Musician in the H.E.I.C.'s 47th Madras Native Infantry, who in 1855 married a 16 year old Indian woman called Annuma (sic), and at his death 1922 was described as a 90 year old 'Military & Railways Pensioner') was a native of, Kamptee, Bengal Presidency, where he was born on 19 January 1896 (The file series 'Britain, Naturalisations 1844-1990; held at The National Archives refer). On 21 May 1923, Benjamin (25) described as employed as a 'Guard' (Bengal Nagpur Railway), and at the time resident of Chakradharpur, Bengal, married Alice Clarissa Green (17, daughter of William Green of Jamshedpur), at Jamshedpur. The married 'Crizzle' couple were subsequently blessed with numerous children, all born in British India, including daughters: Sheila Crizzle (11/05/25); Rita Norma Crizzle (18/10/26); Beryl Clarissa Crizzle (21/01/28). The sons included: Dennis Patrick Crizzle (26/03/24);  Alfred Crizzle (11/10/34); & Ronald Crizzle (29/09/39). Many but not all of the 'Crizzle Family' relocated to the United Kingdom in the 1950's. Benjamin arrived in 1955, and the family  settled in London & 'Home Counties' of England. Benjamin Adolphus Crizzle was issued with his British Certificate of Naturalization - Certificate No R1/18105 - on 20 June 1957 (Home Office Reference: C 65041.)

Great War veteran, Auxiliary Force India volunteer and career 'Railwayman', Benjamin Adolphus Crizzle is registered to have died at Brent, Middlesex, England during the second quarter of 1988

Anglo-Indian Force: During the Great War, Benjamin was one of just over an estimated 600 Eurasian volunteers that served with the infantry contingent of the war raised (1916) 'Anglo Indian Force', a generic volunteer force that was formed exclusively from the Eurasian population of British India - all of whom were 'volunteers'. Prior to the creation of the 'Anglo Indian Force', it is estimated that the Eurasian community in British India, had already provided 8,000 recruits to the British Armed Forces especially the British Army) and certain Indian Army and Royal Indian Marine services / trades. The generic 'Anglo Indian Force' comprised, artillery, cavalry and infantry, but never deployed overseas as a composite unit. The Cavalry squadrons were converted to 'Signallers' and served attached to British & Indian cavalry brigades in India and overseas. Some artillery volunteers, served in Mesopotamia attached to front-line units of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Only a few hundred of the, infantry component, served overseas in Mesopotamia. On arrival in Mesopotamia the infantry of the 'Anglo Indian Force' was dispersed, its men scattered at platoon and company level across the Lines of Communication. A cyber search of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for casualties of the 'Anglo Indian Force' returned only 10 x names of AIF personnel that lost their lives in the Great War, this included 5 x soldiers that died in India, and 5 x soldiers who died in Mesopotamia - other deaths almost certainly occurred but cannot be ascertained from the CWGC site as the casualties parent unit designation was not always recorded in the returns.......

A rare Indian Volunteers group and - and only the second 'complete' group we have handled (or sighted) - that has included both Great War medals and the recipients companion Volunteer Long Service Medal

Condition: About VF

Code: 26103