Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An extremely rare ‘East Africa 1917’ I.D.S.M. awarded to Tindal of Lascars Sheik Waz-ud-Din Naqua, Royal Indian Marine, one of only three awards to the R.I.M. in the Great War

Indian Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (Tindal of Lascars Sheik Waz-ud-Din Naqua, R.I.M.) lacking top suspension bar, extremely fine £1,000-£1,200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Ron Wright.

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I.D.S.M. G.G.O. 381 of 1917.

During the Great War, Indian non-combatants as a whole were ineligible for the award of the I.D.S.M. Certain Army Commanders, however, were delegated powers to grant immediate awards of military distinctions to forces engaged in active operations under their command. Under this authority, General Smuts, General Officer Commanding, East African Expeditionary Force, recommended the award of the I.D.S.M. for services rendered in the field to Subadar Faqir Hussain of the Indian Postal Service and Tindal of Lascars Sheikh Wazudin Naqwa, Royal Indian Marine. Though these awards had been made under a misapprehension, they were approved by the Secretary of State and notified in the London Gazette of 1st February 1917. In 1929 the award was extended to Indian Warrant Officers, Petty Officers and men of the Royal Indian Marine, by the Royal Warrant of 13th September 1929. The Royal Indian Marine was accorded combatant status following the recommendations of the Rawlinson Committee in 1928 (The Indian Distinguished Service Medal, by Rana Chhina refers).