Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Mesopotamia’ I.D.S.M. pair awarded to Subadar Bahadur Shah, 76th Punjabis, taken prisoner at Kut-al-Amara.

Indian Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (Subadar, 76th Pjbs.) lacking brooch bar; France, Croix de Guerre 1914-1918, good very fine (2) £600-700

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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O.B.I. 2nd Class G.G.O. No. 692 of 1920.

I.D.S.M. G.G.O. No. 1160 of 1915 for services in Mesopotamia.

M.I.D. G.G.O. No. 441 of 1916.

Croix de Guerre G.G.O. No. 420 of 1922.

Bahadur Shah joined the Indian Army on 10 March 1891 and served throughout with the 76th Punjabis, being appointed a Jemadar in May 1903 and Subadar in January 1912. He served on the N.W. Frontier, 1894-95 and 1897-98. During the Great War he served with his regiment in Egypt and in operations in Mesopotamia. The 76th Punjabis arrived at Basra in Mesopotamia on 7 April 1915, where it served with the 30th Indian Infantry Brigade. Bahadur Shah received his I.D.S.M. for gallantry in action in Persian Arabistan where, in a punitive expedition launched against marauding Beni Turuf arabs, the 76th stormed the moated and fortified village of Khafajiyeh on 14/15 May 1915 in a successful but vicious action. In July the regiment took part in the expedition along the Euphrates to capture Nasariyeh. In September it took part in the advance along the Tigris, and after defeating the Turks in the First Battle of Kut on 28 September, formed part of the occupying force at Kut-al-Amara. During the advance on Baghdad the 76th took part in the battle of Ctesiphon, 22 November, before retiring to Kut-al-Amara. The town ultimately surrendered to the Turks in April 1916 and Subadar Bahadur Shah was taken prisoner. For his services at Kut-al-Amara he was awarded the O.B.I. 2nd Class. After the war he was released and went on to serve in Afghanistan and Waziristan during 1919. Still listed as a retired member of the O.B.I. in 1942. With copied research.