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Remembered Today:

North West Frontier a Great War Theatre?


yperman

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I found in Peter Ducker's 'British Campaign Medals of the 1WW' that India's North West Frontier was a designated war zone for the purposes of issuing the GW Victory and 1914 Star medals. Can someone explain why this area in India qualified as part of the Great War (as opposed to  Colonial campaigns)?

 

Many thanks, Yperman

 

 

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Hi,

 

Although I haven’t seen the full eligibility criteria recently I’ve always understood the 1914 Star was for service in France & Flanders only. The official U.K. Gov site does not cover the point you raise.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/medals-campaigns-descriptions-and-eligibility

 

The criteria for the 1914 and 1914/15 Star are here - 

 

https://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/ww1_1914_mons_star_wwi.htm


https://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/ww1_1914_15_star_award.htm

 

 

 

Edited by tullybrone
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For the Victory Medal, the eligibility criteria is 

"In the frontier regions of India, carried out by Forces which actually took the field:—"

There are then nine subcategories listed,  with very defined areas and dates.

https://www.defence.gov.au/Medals/_Master/docs/Imperial/WWI/WWI-criteria-Victory-Medal-1914-19-Australian-transcribed.pdf

 

For the African Theatre the wording states  "To include all operations as set forth below, but excluding local military operations against native tribes or rebels, for which the Africa General Service Medal is awarded...."

 

Perhaps the actions in India were considered to be on a bigger scale than "local military operations against native tribes or rebels", or were considered more important from a strategic post of view, protecting the frontiers.

 

Maureen

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Thank you both. Big (by North West Frontier standards) campaigns  maybe - but the 1914 and 1915 ones  don't seem to fit the presumably required presence of central powers (as at Tsing Tao) or Russian communist forces.  It is curious isn't it?

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1 hour ago, yperman said:

Big (by North West Frontier standards) campaigns  maybe - but the 1914 and 1915 ones  don't seem to fit the presumably required presence of central powers (as at Tsing Tao) or Russian communist forces.  It is curious isn't it?

The campaigns in the North West Frontier provinces during 1914-15 were considered to involve the Central Powers because they were supposed to have supplied arms to the rebellious tribesmen. 

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Was the Indian General Service Medal issued for any operations during WW1?

RM

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1 hour ago, rolt968 said:

Was the Indian General Service Medal issued for any operations during WW1?

RM

 

Hi,

 

Depending what you consider to be the end date of WW1 some of the campaigns that took place between 1919/21, for which the clasp was issued as shown in this list, could be considered to be “WW1 operations”.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_General_Service_Medal_(1909)

 

Steve

Edited by tullybrone
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22 hours ago, tullybrone said:

Hi,

 

Although I haven’t seen the full eligibility criteria recently I’ve always understood the 1914 Star was for service in France & Flanders only.

 

 

 

The War Office issued the Army Order covering this on 24 November 1917

Item 1 refers to services rendered under Sir John French "in France and Belgium during the earlier phase of the war in 1914, up to midnight 22/23 November, 1914."

Signed by R. Brade by Command of the Army Council

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23 hours ago, ajsmith said:

The campaigns in the North West Frontier provinces during 1914-15 were considered to involve the Central Powers because they were supposed to have supplied arms to the rebellious tribesmen. 

And now I think of it the Germans attempted to encourage an Afghan rebellion against the British. Many thanks everyone. Yperman

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The Peter Hopkirk book "Like Hidden Fire" US title "On Secret Service East of Contaninople UK title deals with the German plans to start rebellions in India ect. The there is the Official History "Operations in Persia"

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On 21/05/2021 at 16:33, James A Pratt III said:

The Peter Hopkirk book "Like Hidden Fire" US title "On Secret Service East of Contaninople UK title deals with the German plans to start rebellions in India ect. The there is the Official History "Operations in Persia"

Now on my to buy list thanks! Yperman

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On 27/05/2021 at 01:01, Maureene said:

Both the above are available online

History of the Great War based on Official Documents: Operations in Persia 1914-1919  by Brigadier-General FJ Moberly in 1929

Qatar Digital Library. Download also available.

Like Hidden Fire : the Plot to bring down the British Empire by Peter Hopkirk 1994 Archive.org Lending Library. 

 

Maureen

Thank you very much. Yperman

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