Indian Army Reserve of Officers

[Dannemois]

Can someone please help with the details on Frank Lewis Jones medal card (attached).  His records on line are very sparce; but one item that is of interest to me "20 Mar 1917 he was discharged in consequence of being appointed to Indian Army Reserve of Officers."  I have searched on line but to no avail.  I would appreciate any help.

 

Thanks in advance

Roy      

[FROGSMILE]

When a soldier from the ranks is accepted for an officers commission he has first to be discharged as a soldier.  This is a legal requirement as one does not simply transfer into being an officer, one is taken into service under entirely different terms and conditions of service and with special status entrusted under the crown (sovereign).  This latter is enacted via a commissioning document (scroll).

 

There were several types of commission and a man would be granted one or other of them.  It might be with the Special Reserve (previously militia), the Territorial Force, or as a regular, but for hostilities only (often referred to as temporary gentlemen in a typically snobbish British fashion), or even as a career regular officer (providing you meet stringent criteria).  In addition there were commissions with the British-Indian Army, both as regulars, and under the terms and conditions of the Indian Army Reserve of Officers.

 

NB.  Quite a number of TF soldiers were relatively well educated, even if not up to the pre-war private school standards normally expected of a regular officer.  After observing the Army around them, and feeling that they had the necessary qualities to be a commissioned officer, significant numbers of them applied for commissions, and some of the applications were to the Indian Army.

Edited 20 August , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Terry_Reeves]

Try this site: https://www.researchingww1.co.uk/indianarmyww1

 

TR

[HarryBrook]

This is the London Gazette notification for his commissioning as a 2nd Lt. in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30138/page/6064

 

Edit to add:- Promoted to the rank of Lt. 20 March 1918 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30992/page/13008

and resigned his commission and retained the rank of Lt. 1 May 1922 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32748/page/6717 (heading on page 6716)

Edited 20 August , 2020 by HarryBrook

[Dannemois]

Frogsmile, Terry and Harry; I am grateful for your help, thank you for the information and links to the Gazette.  

 

[Dannemois]

Frank Lewis Jones's WW1 records show he received the B.W.M. but his medal index card show more.  Am I correct in saying he also received the Territorial Force War Medal and the General Service Medal & Clasp Irag?  Can someone please explain what is written on the back of the card.  

[FROGSMILE]

7 hours ago, Dannemois said:

Frank Lewis Jones's WW1 records show he received the B.W.M. but his medal index card show more.  Am I correct in saying he also received the Territorial Force War Medal and the General Service Medal & Clasp Irag?  Can someone please explain what is written on the back of the card.  

Yes, you are correct regarding his medal entitlement.  Those earned whilst he was with the Indian Army were administered by the India Office.  He was attached to the Supply and Transport [Corps], Indian Army, and the Royal Army Service Corps.

 

I see the annotations on the rear as:  

 

“Officer Commanding Administrative Supply Depot, Mesopotamia Lines of Communication, to submit nominal roll of individuals entitled to the emblem (MID) 21 April 1920.

India Office forwarded application for medals 12 December 1921.”

 

Expeditionary Force Iraq (?) 10 January 1922.  Mentioned in Dispatches.

 

NB.  His entire overseas military service was in India (North West Frontier) and Iraq (erstwhile’Mesopotamia’).

Edited 21 August , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[headgardener]

It's a little more complex than that. He was eligible for the just the BWM for his service in India as an O/R with the East Surrey Rgt, but he received the BWM&VM for his services as an officer in the IARO (attd RASC) - I would say, based on the  fact he received the GSM (Iraq) that these were earned in Mesopotamia (it would be relatively rare to receive the BWM & VM for service in India). He also received the MID oak leaf emblem. He appears to have received the TFWM in 1923, but there is a little ambiguity as it says below that he was ineligible for the TFWM. A plausible scenario was that he applied for a TFWM but initially there was no record of him having signed the Imperial Service Agreement. Alternatively, he was understood to have signed the Imperial Service Agreement but then there was some dispute as to whether his service in India rendered him ineligible. I suspect that reference to the medal roll will show that he received it as the other annotation looks like it was made when the MIC was first being prepared (1919?) and the medal appears to have been issued in 1923.

[Dannemois]

Thanks both for the explanation of the medal card, much appreciated.