Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Chin-Lushai campaign medal awarded to Mr. S. V. Tayler, Assistant District Superintendent of Police in Bengal, who was Mentioned in Despatches

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Chin-Lushai 1889-90 (Mr. S. V. Tayler, Asst. Dist. Supt. of Police) engraved naming, small official correction to end of surname, otherwise nearly extremely fine £400-£500

Dix Noonan Webb, September 2003.

S. V. Tayler was appointed Assistant Superintendent, 3rd Grade, in the Bengal Police, sometime before January 1886, when he is shown as serving at Burdwan. He later served at Backergunge and at Midnapore, and by January 1889 had been appointed to the 2nd Grade, serving at Chittagong Hill Tracts. He took part in the Chin-Lushai expedition of 1889-90, with the Chittagong Frontier Police and after a period of furlough, then served in the South Lushai Hills. He is last mentioned in the Indian Army List of July 1892.

Tayler was mentioned in the Chin-Lushai, Field Operations Despatch, London Gazette 12 September 1890: ‘On the Lushai side the Cachar Military Police under Messrs. Daly and Broderick were brought to the front with great rapidity and in admirable order, and did most useful service, while the Chittagong Frontier Police did good work under Mr. S. V. Tayler.’

He is also mentioned again later in the same Despatch: ‘Chittagong Frontier Police. During the last expedition I was able to make very favourable mention of the men composing the Chittagong Frontier Police Battalion, under the command of Mr. C. S. Murray, District Superintendent of Police. During this expedition 50 men accompanied the Northern Column, and 100 under Mr. S. V. Tayler, Assistant Superintendent of Police, were employed with the advanced party, and did excellent work. They are the most useful and willing men I should ever care to serve with. Besides being keen soldiers, they can build huts, thatch roofs, construct rafts and, in fact, put their hands to anything, and are accustomed to carry all their own kits.’