Orders, Decorations and Medals

An exchange George Cross for Malabar 1921-2 awarded to Assistant Surgeon George David Rodriques, Indian Medical Department

GEORGE CROSS, reverse officially engraved (Asst. Surgeon 3rd Cl. George David Rodriques, Indian Medical Dept., 2nd June, 1923), in its Royal Mint case of issue, extremely fine

George David Rodriques was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal, announced in the London Gazette on 2 June, 1923. The award was for services rendered in connection with military operations in Malabar 1921-2 and was given also to four men of the Dorsershire Regiment for similar services. The 2nd battalion of the Dorsershire Regiment was stationed at Belgaum in India when the Moplah rebellion starred. These fanatical Moslems had long been a trouble to the British. In the thick forest country, armed with every sort of weapon from stolen rifles and shotguns to swords and spears, they were formidable fighters at close quarters. It was in one of these hand-to-hand encounters that these men won their E.G.M. 's. All five subsequently had their awards exchanged for the George Cross.