A Great War ‘Arabian’ Indian Distinguished Service Medal awarded to Jemadar Diwan Ali Khan, Aden Troop

Indian Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (Jemadar Diwan Ali Khan, Aden Troop) edge bruising, very fine, rare to unit £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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Honours and Awards Indian Army 1914-21 shows just five I.D.S.M’s. awarded to this unit.

The Aden Troop was a small composite force consisting of a Camel Company and an Infantry Company, each of which in peacetime had as few as two British officers and fifty or sixty sowars and sepoys on their strengths. All ranks were volunteers from a variety of Indian Army regiments who chose to serve a term of duty in Aden. The Troop was engaged in operations against the Turks in 1915-16 when they made a determined effort to occupy Aden and Perim Island until, in 1917, Lawrence and his ‘Arab Army’ obliged the Turks to withdraw from most of Arabia. The Troop was disbanded in 1919 (Ref Regiments and Corps of the British Empire and Commonwealth 1758-1993 by Roger Perkins).

Jemadar Diwan Ali Khan entered the Indian Army on 7 October 1894 and attained his rank in June 1908. Awarded the I.D.S.M. for service at Aden. Died sometime prior to April 1919. With a quantity of copied research including A Summary of the War Diary of the Aden Troop War 1914-1918.