Indian Meritorious Service Medal GVIR obverse and ‘lotus lea...

Estimate

£80 - £120

Indian Meritorious Service Medal GVIR obverse and ‘lotus leaves’ reverse named to: 5387 Hav Santa Singh 26 Bn Sikh Rifles. The Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for the Indian Army) was instituted in 1888. The medal was awarded for meritorious service to one Daffadar or Havildar
(Sergeant) of each of the regiments of the Presidency armies who had served for at
least 18 years and had ‘…performed in a meritorious manner, with no court-martials,
and having been entered in the defaulters book fewer than five times’.
 Additionally, they must also have been recommended by their commanding officer.
Recipients of the Indian Meritorious Service Medal were required to subsequently surrender any previously awarded Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
The award became obsolete in 1947.
 These medals were highly prized by their recipients as a mark of distinction and are
relatively uncommon.