Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Major V. I. S. Knowles, Indian Army, who commanded the 4/2nd Punjabis in operations on the North West Frontier in 1937

India General Service 1908-35, 2 clasps, Waziristan 1919-21, Waziristan 1921-24 (Lieut. U. J. S. Knowles, 2-61 Pnrs.), note first initial; India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1936-37 (Capt. V. I. S. Knowles, 4-2 Punjab R.), the first with one or two edge bruises, otherwise generally very fine and better (2) £250-300

Vivian Isaac Shelley, who was born in Bristol in February 1900, was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant on the Unattached List on graduating from the R.M.C. Sandhurst in January 1920.

Appointed to the Indian Army in the following month, he joined the 2/81st Pioneers as a Company Officer, but transferred to the 2/61st Pioneers a few months later, in which capacity he witnessed active service in the Waziristan operations in the period October 1920 to December 1921 (Medal & 2 clasps), and was advanced to Lieutenant.

Having then been advanced to Captain in the 4/2nd Punjabis in January 1927, he served in the 11/4th Bombay Grenadiers from January 1934 to March 1936, latterly as Adjutant, prior to rejoining the 4/2nd Punjabis and witnessing further active service on the North West Frontier in the period June-September 1937 (Medal & clasp), onetime as Commanding Officer (Medal & clasp).

Advanced to Major in January 1938, Knowles was placed on the Supplementary Unattached List, but he was recalled in November 1939, and served on attachment to the Indian Army Ordnance Corps. He died of heart disease at Agra in August 1945, aged 45 years, and is buried in Delhi War Cemetery.

Sold with several original Indian Army group photographs, a mounted portrait photograph of the recipient after leaving Sandhurst in 1920, and a 4/2nd Punjab Regiment Christmas card, signed by the recipient; together with extensive copied service record.