Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A ‘Tibet’ I.O.M. pair awarded to Subadar-Major Jhanda Singh, 32nd Sikh Pioneers

Indian Order of Merit, Military Division, 1st type, 3rd Class, Reward of Valor, silver and enamel, reverse with central nut fitting and engraved in three lines, ‘3rd / Class / Order of Merit’, unnamed, lacking buckle; India General Service 1908-35, 2 clasps, Abor 1911-12, Waziristan 1921-24 (Jemadar Jhanda Singh, I.O.M. 32ns Sikh Pioneers) slight edge bruising, minor contact marks, very fine and better (2) £1400-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Awards to the Indian Army from the Collection of AM Shaw.

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Jhanda Singh joined the Indian Army on 26 April 1896 and served throughout with the 32nd Sikh Pioneers. He was commissioned a Jemadar in June 1911 and advanced to Subadar in November 1914 and Subadar-Major in March 1921. He retired in 1926. Jhanda Singh served on the N.W. Frontier of India, Waziristan, 1901-02, for which he was awarded the I.G.S. Medal 1895 with clasp (not with lot). He then served in Tibet, 1903-04, including operations at and around Gyantse between 5 May and 6 July 1904, for which services he was awarded the Tibet Medal with clasp (not with lot), was mentioned in the despatches of 11 November 1904 (G.G.O. No. 1065) and was awarded the I.O.M. 3rd Class (G.G.O. No. 17 of March 1906). He then went on to serve at Abor, 1911-12, for which he was awarded the I.G.S. Medal 1908 with clasp; service in Iraq followed, May 1917-December 1919, for which he was awarded the British War Medal and G.S.M. 1918 with clasp (neither with lot). Finally, service in Waziristan, 1920-21 resulted in a second clasp to his I.G.S. Medal 1908. For his sterling service, Jhanda Singh was awarded the O.B.I. 2nd Class in June 1924 and the O.B.I. 1st Class (neither with lot) with the title 'Sardar Bahadur' in June 1926. With copied research.