THE INDIA SERVICE MEDAL 1939-1945

[Guest pikemedals]

1,BRITISH OFFICERS RESIDENT IN INDIA,VICEROY COMMISSIONED OFFICERS,BRITISH OTHER RANKS AND INDIAN PERSONNEL OF THE INDIAN ARMY

2,MEMBERS OF THE INDIAN TERRITORIAL AND AUXILIARY FORCES WHO WERE CALLED UP FOR SERVICE, INDIAN STATE FORCES WHICH WERE EMBODIED AND THE INDIAN WOMEN'S SERVICES.

3,NON-COMBATANTS IN MILITARY EMPLOY WHO PERFORMED DUTIES WITH A MILITARY FORMATION.

4,BRITISH PERSONNEL WHO SERVED WITH THE BRITISH OR INDIAN ARMIES PROVIDING THAT THEY RESIDED IN INDIA PRIOR TO 3RD SEPTEMBER,1939

5,INDIANS AND EUROPEANS WHO RESIDED IN INDIA PRIOR TO 3RD SEPTEMBER 1939.WHO WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE DEFENCE MEDAL.

[Nick]

Cheers Paul for info

[Ed_Haynes]

This was, in many ways, the Indian equivalent of the Defence Medal (and, in fact, much of the correspondence regarding it made reference to it as the "Indian Defence Medal"). The way the Defence Medal qualifications had written, they were, intentionally, very "Blitz-specific" and it was almost impossible for non-European personnel of the Indian Army to qualify for it (Iran/Iraq/Mediterranean was the main route). Auckinleck, in particular, attached this as being essentially racist and led the charge for the ISM.

Ed Haynes