Indian General Service Medal 1908-1935, with bar for Burma 1930-32, awarded to Pvt. F. Delaney, 1933
Obverse, a portrait of King George V in robes |
Reverse, Jamrud fort overlooking Khyber Pass with mountains behind |
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Obverse, a portrait of King George V in robes |
Reverse, Jamrud fort overlooking Khyber Pass with mountains behind |
The India Medal of 1895 having needed alteration for its last issues due to the death of Queen Victoria, in 1908 it was decided to replace it entirely with a new medal of Edward VII, which was first issued in 1909. When the first issue was made under King George V, in 1911, Richard Garbe designed a new obverse but the medal was otherwise unaltered.
British rule in Burma, formalised after the British victory in the Third Anglo-Burmese War, ineluctably involved a more demanding taxation system than the Burmese had been used to, and a monk and healer by the name of Saya San became a spokesman of resistance during a survey of the peasantry that he conducted in 1927. New taxes imposed in 1929 led Saya San to instigate a local revolt, which rapidly flared out of his control all across the country. The subsequent British campaign took two years to quell all unrest; Saya San was hanged.
Participation in this campaign earnt this clasp to the Indian General Service Medal. This example was awarded to Private F. Delaney of the Manchester Regiment. It was one of the last pieces acquired by Lester Watson, purchased from the London dealers Baldwin in 1936.