Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Subedar-Major Rajpal Rai, O.B.I., 7th Gurkha Rifles, late 1st Gurkha Rifles

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1894-5 (1118 Sepoy Rajpal Rai, 2-1 G.R.), an official replacement / late issue of the Great War period; India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (1118 [Sep]oy Rajpal Rai, 2d Bn. 1st Gurkha [Rifles]), partial loss of naming owing to bruising; Tibet 1903-04, 1 clasp, Gyantse (1118 Hav. [Raj]pal Rai, 2d Bn. 1st Gurkha Rifles), partial loss of naming owing to bruising; 1914-15 Star (Subdr. Rajpal Rai, 1/7/Gurkha Rifles); British War and Victory Medals (Subdr. Rajpal Rai, 2-7 Grks.); Jubilee 1935, unnamed as issued, the third with loose and flattened suspension claw and, in common with the second, worn overall and fine, the remainder generally very fine and a rare combination of awards (7) £600-800

Rajpal Rai enlisted in the 1st Gurkha Rifles in 1890 and served in ‘F’ Company of the 2nd Battalion, attached 1/1/ Gurkha Rifles during the Waziristan Campaign 1894-95 (Medal & clasp). Indian Army Lists also confirm his subsequent services on the North-West Frontier of India 1897-98 (Medal & 2 clasps), in Tibet (Medal & clasp - likely a unique award to the 1st Gurkha Rifles), in Gallipoli - when he was attached to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Gurkha Rifles - and in the re-constituted 2nd Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles in Mesopotamia and Palestine 1915-18. He was promoted to Subedar-Major in the latter campaign and awarded the 2nd Class of the Order of British India. He had earlier been promoted to Jemadar in 1909 on transfer to the 1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles and to Subedar in 1912; sold with brief copied research.