Afghanistan Medal 1878-80. No clasp (Offg. Supt. Mr. A. J. M. Reade. Tele. Dep.)

The recipient Alfred James Medley Read, a Gazetted Officer of the Indian Telegraph Department, was the maternal Grandson of Lieutenant-General William Macbean George Colebrooke C.B., Colonel Commandant, Royal Regiment of Artillery, and a former Colonial Governor of; Bahamas; Antigua & Leeward Islands; New Brunswick, Canada & Barbados and Windward Islands

Died in Service in British India: Alred James Medley Reade is recorded to have died of 'Heat Apoplexy' at Matound, Banda District, in the Diocese of Bengal, on 10 June 1885, and was buried the following day

Banda was a former Princely State, that was dissolved in 1858, located in the North-Western Provinces (also known as the Ceded and Conquered Provinces), situated in the Bundelkhand region of present-day Uttar Pradesh State. At the time of his death, his personal effects were kept in the custody of the Magistrate's Office at Banda, and with his wife who was then residing at the city of Jhansi

Medal Verification: Medal confirmed as entitled, and the recipients only medal entitlement, per the respective medal cited below:

- Afghanistan Medal 1878-80: IOL&R L/MIL/5/118.

The medal roll is held and accessible at The British Library in the archives of the former India Office Records

Alfred Jamee Medley Reade, first born child and eldest son of Alfred Reade (described as a Fundholder) & Frances Elizabeth Colebrooke (first born child and eldest daughter of Lieutenant-General William Macbean George Colebrooke C.B., Colonel Commandant, Royal Regiment of Artillery) was a 'Son of Empire' who was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada  in 1846, and where he was baptized on, 15 April 1846. By 1851, the young Alfred had relocated to the United Kingdom, where at the time of the compilation of the National Census in 1851, he was residing at 'The Rectory House, Datchet, Buckinghamshire, England, where he lived with his parents, 2 x younger siblings, an older cousin, and a large domestic establishment of servants. 

In 1864, Alfred obtained a 'Direct Commission' (i.e. by examination and not by purchase) in the British Army, when  he was appointed Ensign in the 7th Regiment of Foot (in 1881, became the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers). He resigned his commission as Ensign in December 1866, the event being reported in the Naval and Military Gazette issue of 5 January 1867. In 1869, Alfred obtained an appointment with the Indian Civil Service, being posted to the Bengal Telegraph Department

Alfred was holding the appointment of Assistant Superintendent 4th Grade, in the Telegraphs Department, when he arrived at Calcutta on 8 January 1870. By 1873, he had been promoted to Assistant Superintendent 3rd Grade and had been posted to Assam Province (also referred to as the North East Frontier) where he was variously located in  the Khasi Hills Region, at Shillong (now in Meghalaya) and later at Gauhati (now Guwahati)

During his tenure in Assam, Alfred cohabited with a Khasi woman, 'Lainshap Phanwar', the relationship being blessed with the birth of a son, William Medley Reade (1878-1971), who in later life became a well known spokesperson on behalf of the Khasi community, and professionally as an 'Educationalist' in Shillong, including many years as Headmaster of Mawkhar Christian High School (established 1891 as the Welsh Mission Middle English School)

The first born child, and eldest daughter of William Medley Reade - and grand-daughter of the Second Afghan War medalist, Alfred James Medley Reade - 'Bluebell Reade Syiem' (1921-2019), was no less remarkable than her father, when only 22 years of age, in 1943, Bluebell travelled to the United States across the war-swept Pacific Ocean, in pursuit of higher education, becoming the first Khasi woman to gain a PhD, and who became a highly distinguished Doctor of Science - Food Nutritionist - at the University of Hawaii. Bluebell settled in Hawaii where she died in 2019

By 1879, Alfred James Medley Reade had been relocated from Assam to Bengal, at which time he abandoned his 'local' Assam family, who in the event appear to have thrived without Alfred's presence!

Following what would have been arduous service during the Second Afghan War, and on the North West Frontier of India in the Kurram Valley (1881), Alfred was granted 3 x months furlough in 1881, and proceeded to the United Kingdom where at Slough Parish Church on 10 November 1881, Alfred James Medley Reade, Assistant Superintendent of Government Telegraphs, India, married Helen Bridge the youngest daughter of Lt-Col Bridge of Upton Park, Slough, Buckinghamshire, England. The couple were subsequently blessed with the birth of a child, a son, Ernest Nelson Reade who was born at Ranchi, India, on 7 March 1885. Sadly, the son was never to know his father, as the latter died at Matound, Banda District, in the North Western Provinces (now in Uttar Pradesh), on 10 June 1885

During his 15 years service in India, Alfred's principal movements / appointments in the Indian Civil Service, 'Telegraph Department' as reported respectively in various issues of Allens Indian Mail, the Bengal Directory & the Indian Civil and Military List included: 

- 1869 (Oct): Assistant Superintendent 4th  Grade (Allens Indian Mail of pointed 30/10/69, & arrived at
Calcutta, India, 8 January 1870)

- 1873 (Dec): Assistant Superintendent 3rd Grade (Allens Indian Mail 15/12/73)

- 1873: Assistant Superintendent, Telegraphs, Cossyah & Jynteah hills (Bengal Directory 1873)

- 1875: Assistant Superintendent, of Telegraphs, Assam division Kossyah & Jynteah hills (Bengal
Directory 1875)

- 1876: Assistant Superintendent, of Telegraphs, Assam division Kossyah & Jynteah hills, Shillong (Bengal Directory 1876 & 1877)

- 1877 (Mar): Assistant Superintendent 1st Grade (Indian Civil and Military List)

- 1878: Asst Supt of Telegraphs, Assam div Gowhatty sub-division, Gowalparah (Bengal Directory 1878)

- 1879: Asst Supt of Telegraphs, Bengal (Bengal Directory 1879)

- 1881: (Jan): Assistant Superintendent 1st Grade. Location: Kurram Valley (Indian Civil and Military List)

- 1881: Asst Supt of Telegraphs, Punjab (Bengal Directory 1878)

- 1884: Assistant Superintendent of Telegraphs Location: Nagpore (Bengal Directory)

- 1885 (Jan): Assistant Superintendent 1st Grade. Location: Nagpur (Indian Civil and Military List)

Condition: GVF

Code: 26165