Major Harold Francis Playne (1885 - 1965) - Indian Army Military Accounts Department & Punjab Vol Rifles - Image needed

[Douglas29]

Dear Forum Colleagues,

 

I am endeavouring to see whether it is possible, via Forum members, that I might find or be directed to a picture of the above commissioned officer, as to date my own searches have proved somewhat fruitless. I attach a copy of his medal group, which reflects an interesting service career in the support arms of the Indian Army as well as in the Volunteer force during and after WWI.

As background, Harold Playne's family were cloth merchants, who owned & ran the Dunkirk Mills. Born, Nailsworth, Gloucester, educated at Brighton College & Pembroke College, Cambridge ( no photographs found from either school or college).

His service appointments were as follows:

1909: Appointed Officer to Indian Army Military Accounts Department ( in England)

1909: Divl Disberg Officer, 7 Meerut Div

1917: 2nd Ltn 34th Upper Burma Bn

1918: 2nd Ltn IARO, Office of Command Paymaster Baghdad

1918: T/Major 23.11.1918

1919: Bushire Field Force - O/C Field Account Office Bushire

1919: NW Frontier - 3rd Afghan War

1920: Malmiss Force, Meshed, N.E. Persia, MiD

1922:Military Accounts Department

1926: Contr. Mily Accts, Northern Command

1930: Dy Financial Advisers, Army & Marine Department, Govt of India

1939: retired to Brighton, with third wife Florence ( married 1927 Bengal)

1944: Ltn & Paymr relinquished comm due to ill health. Granted rank of Major

 

Credit already has to be given to Kim, as he has enabled me to flesh out the career of Playne through his own research on my behalf.

 

 

[RNCVR]

That is a really nice & varied grouping of medals Douglas!

& very nice to see at least 6 named medals in a group.  Is his Delhi Darbur named also?

Thanks for posting!

Bryan

[Douglas29]

Thanks Bryan,

To answer your question - the Dehli Durbar is not named and is as issued.

Douglas

[Douglas29]

I should have added that Playne is not on the Volunteer medal roll for the DD 1911, I assume he received it through his Military Accounts function

[RNCVR]

Reason I asked some DD were privately named.

 

Kim would like his group for certain! A fair amount of hard service represented in Harold Playne's medals.

 

Best...Bryan

Edited 21 November , 2020 by RNCVR

[RNCVR]

 

5 minutes ago, Douglas29 said:

I should have added that Playne is not on the Volunteer medal roll for the DD 1911, I assume he received it through his Military Accounts function

 

Does his VD not give his unit within the naming?

Edited 21 November , 2020 by RNCVR

[Douglas29]

On the VD, the naming is Lt H F Playne PUNJ Rif AFI

exactly the same on the VLSM

[RNCVR]

Thanks Douglas.

Be really great if someone is able to come up with a photo of him for you! Really would add a great touch to his medal group!