A fine North West Frontier I.O.M. group of five awarded to Subadar Rasul Khan, South Waziristan Scouts

Indian Order of Merit, Military Division, 2nd type, 2nd Class, Reward of Valor, silver and enamel, the reverse inscribed on two lines ‘2nd Class Order of Merit’, lacking ribbon buckle; India General Service 1936-39, 2 clasps, North West Frontier 1936-37, North West Frontier 1937-39, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Subdr. Rasul Khan, S.W. Scouts); 1939-45 Star; War Medal; India Service Medal, mounted court style, enamel chips to the first, otherwise very fine (5) £3000-3500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Awards to the Indian Army from the Collection of AM Shaw.

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I.O.M. Gazette of India 25 June 1938: No. 87-H - ‘His Excellency the Viceroy is pleased to sanction the following awards for services rendered during the action at Dargai Sar on the 14th/15th April 1938:-

Indian Order of Merit (2nd Class).

Subadar Rasul Khan, South Waziristan Scouts.

This Indian officer displayed great gallantry and devotion to duty. Under heavy fire for a long period on the 14th April 1938, he continually exposed himself to hostile fire with complete disregard to his own personal safety. He encouraged his men both by word of mouth and by personal example. As senior Indian officer with the patrol he was of the greatest assistance to Lieutenant Alderman who was left in command after Captain I. D. B. Derwar had been killed. His long experience of the Frontier was of inestimable value to Lieutenant Alderman who had only just joined this Corps.

Subadar Rasul Khan was indefatigalble in his efforts to make the patrol safe for the night against vastly superior numbers of tribesmen. Although ammunition had run short and the position was critical until more ammunition had been dropped by aircraft, he reassured his men by his entire disregard for his own safety. Calm and collected throughout, he inspired confidence in others.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 17 October 1939: ‘For distinguished services rendered in connection with the operations in Waziristan, North West Frontier of India, 16th December 1937, to 31st December 1938.’

The following account of the Dargai Sar action is taken from Frontier Scouts by Charles Chenevix Trench:

‘Meanwhile Dewar on the peak had been ordered by helio to move northwards and join up with Wood’s gasht. Leaving Alderman on top with three platoons, he took the other three down the ridge. Almost immediately he encountered large numbers of tribesmen and was killed. Subadar Rasul Khan withdrew the platoon to the peak, bringing Dewar’s body with him. The enemy were closing round Alderman, but with six platoons he was able to move the gasht to a strong position on top of the hill where they were surrounded. Air-support was summoned by carrier-pigeon and during the afternoon planes were often overhead, bombing and machine-gunning, which encouraged the Scouts even though the enemy were not greatly incommoded.

It was Alderman’s first gasht, and his first experience of being shot at. Scouts were very expert at looking after themselves in noisy situations, and he had Subadar Rasul Khan, the big, bearded Akora Khattak, clam and capable. His platoons were a good mixture of Khattaks, Orakzais and Mohmands. They organised an all-round defence of the boulders on the peak, saw to the wounded and checked up on ammunition. Late in the afternoon, under continuous sniping and despite strict fire-control, ammunition was running rather low. As they would obviously have to stay there until relieved, they sent off the second pair of pigeons with an urgent request for more ammunition, grenades and Very lights. These were duly delivered, but the dropping equipment was at Miranshah and for his last drop, late in the evening, the pilot reckoned he would not have time to fly there, load up and return before dark. So he landed on the emergency strip of Sararogha, only ten miles away, and while men brought out what the gasht needed, he improvised a parachute from strong cord and a Mess tablecloth. Just as it was getting dark, with the Scouts down to ten rounds a man and the Mahsuds closing round and calling on them to surrender, he was back over them, flying low and slow. The spread tablecloth with the boxes swinging below landed within a few feet of the peak.

There was no serious night-attack. Faced by one hundred and fifty Scouts, concentrated in a strong position and well-found, the Mahsuds sensibly refused battle. When Wood’s gasht climbed up the ridge in the morning, not a shot was fired at them.’

In addition to Rasul Khan’s I.O.M., an M.C. and three I.D.S.Ms were awarded for the Dargai Sar operations. Flight Lieutenant George Jackson, the intrepid pilot who made four flights in his Westland Wapiti biplane to resupply the beleaguered Scouts, was awarded a well-earned D.F.C. for his part.