Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

Indian Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (996 Sepoy Bostan Khan, 76th Punjabis) attempted erasure of unit and severe edge / rim cut to reverse at 3 o’clock, otherwise very fine £140-160

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the collection of Angela and the late Douglas Bertram.

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An award for Mesopotamia (G.G.O. 1250 of 1915).

Quite probably for the attack on the stronghold of Kharajiyah, which was manned by the Beni Taruf Arabs, a pugnacious tribe with pro-Turkish tendencies. Although undertaken in temperatures of 120 degrees, the 76th Punjabis carried the day with dogged gallantry and devotion to duty, 20 of their number gaining general approbation for swimming across a river, under a heavy fire, to retrieve some boats to assist the subsequent crossing.

Bostan Khan was also mentioned in despatches (G.G.O. 441 of 1916 refers).