Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An extremely rare Great War M.M. awarded to Naik Tika Khan, Hong Kong-Singapore Battalion, Royal Garrison Artillery

Military Medal, G.V.R. (H.K.S.B. 1390 Naik Tika Khan, H.K-S. Bn. R.G.A.) suspension neatly soldered and no longer swivels, otherwise very fine £400-500

M.M. London Gazette 25 April 1918.

The award to Naik Tika Khan is the only one announced in this gazette under the heading ‘Hong Kong-Singapore Bn.’ However two further awards have been noted in the London Gazette of 16 April 1918 and there may be others.

With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 the Hong Kong and Singapore Battalion, Royal Garrison Artillery, was employed on coastal defence duties at Honk Kong, Singapore and Mauritius. In 1915 No. 1 Company was formed into a 6-gun Mountain Battery and equipped with 10-pounder guns and then embarked for Egypt where it served with the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade. After a tour of duty in the Suez Canal defences, the Battery took part in the western desert campaign. In early 1916 the Battery was stationed at Abassia where it was re-equipped with camel instead of mule transport and then attached to the Imperial Camel Corps. It then saw service in Palestine where it took part in the battles of Maghdada and Rafah. In January 1917 it was again re-equipped, this time exchanging its 10-pounder mountain guns for 2.75-inch guns. The Battery then took part in the three battles of Gaza, the action at Nebi Samil, the capture of Jerusalem and the attacks on Ammaw, Es Salt, Abu Tehnib and Megiddo.