Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding and rare O.B.I. and Edward VII I.D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Subadar Major (Hon. Captain) Zargun Shah, Sardar Bahadur, 55th (Coke’s) Rifles, Punjab Frontier Force

Order of British India, 1st Class, 1st type neck badge, gold and enamels; Indian Distinguished Service Medal, E.VII.R. (Subdr. Major Zargun Shah 55th Cokes Rifles) complete with top suspension bar; Coronation 1902, silver; Delhi Durbar 1911); India General Service 1854-94, 1 clasp, Samana 1891 (4453 Naick Zargun Shah 1st Punjab Infy.) officially re-engraved naming; India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Waziristan 1901-02 (Subdr Zargun Shah 1st Pjb. Infy.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1908 (Subr. Major Zargun Shah 55th Rifles) official correction to last part of unit, light contact marks, otherwise generally very fine or better (7) £3,000-£3,600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Peter Duckers.

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O.B.I. 1st Class Gazette of India 26 June 1908.

O.B.I. 2nd Class G.G.O. 21 January 1903.

I.D.S.M. Gazette of India 1 January 1908: a retrospective award, upon the introduction of the I.D.S.M., for services in the Waziristan campaign of 1901-02, during an attack on positions in the Wacha Khwana on 23 December 1901.

M.I.D. G.G.O. 521 of 1908.

Zargun (Zarghun) Shah was an Afridi of the Kambar Khel. He enlisted into the 1st Punjab Infantry (later 55th Coke’s Rifles) on 4 September 1882, at the age of 17 years; Naick, 1 October 1890; Havildar, 9 February 1892; Jemadar, 9 October 1894; Subadar, 22 July 1897; Subadar Major, 12 October 1903; to Pension, 30 October 1909, granted honorary rank of Captain.

The following information was collated from the two histories of Coke’s Rifles by Captain J. P. Villiers-Stuart and Colonel H. C. Wylly:

On 23 December 1901, a detached force, consisting of the 1st Punjab Infantry, 35th Sikhs, 38th Dogras, and two guns, moved over the watershed into the Wacha Khwana Nullah. The enemy opposed the advance and pursued the force at one time very closely, but five villages were destroyed and a tower blown up. None of the Regiment were hit this day, but Captain Houston, Subadar Zarghun Shah and his company distinguished themselves by the way they rushed a position on a hill occupied by the enemy. For their gallantry on this occasion Subadar Zarghun Shah and Havildar Shah Gul were afterwards awarded the Indian Distinguished Service Medal.

During 1902, a party of twenty-five men, under command of Subadar Zarghun Shah, left for England to form part of the Indian Army Contingent attending the coronation ceremonies of King Edward VII (Medal). During the Mohmand operations of May 1908, Coke’s Rifles had 1 man killed, 1 Indian Officer (Subadar Major Zarghun Shah), 2 havildars and 13 men wounded. In December 1911, late Subadar Major Zarghun Shah, Sirdar Bahadur, was present, together with a representative party of Coke’s Rilfes, at the Coronation Durbar held for the proclamation of H.M. King George V, Emperor of India (Medal).

Zargun Shah’s group of medals was originally purchased in Peshawar by Colonel (then a Captain) R. M. Adams, in two parts in November 1941 and January 1942 under interesting circumstances, as described by him to a subsequent owner in two accompanying letters dated October 1964. Sold with additional letters and research including a copied group photograph of the 1902 Coronation Contingent.