Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Sepoy Fazl Din, 33rd Bengal Native Infantry, late 21st Bengal Native Infantry

Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (Sepoy, 21st Regt. N.I.); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1894-95 (164 Sepoy, 33d Bl. Infy.); India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (164 Sepoy, 33d Pjb. Infy.); Indian Army L.S. & G.C., V.R. (164 Sepoy, 33d Bl. Infy.) the last with official correction, all with refixed / re-riveted suspension devices, the first being somewhat crudely soldered, contact wear and edge bruising, generally about very fine and better (4) £350-400

As a regiment, the 21st Bengal Infantry received no medals or clasps between 1869 and 1891, other than no clasp Afghanistan 1878-80 awards for service in the Kurram Field Force. From his name it is evident that Fazl Din was a Punjabi Musalman, and he would have transferred to the 33rd [Punjabi Mahomedan] Regiment of Bengal Infantry in 1891. In accordance with orders received in January 1891, the 33rd Bengal Infantry was disbanded and then immediately re-raised with a substantially modified class structure - hence the transfer of Punjabi Musalmen from the 21st Bengal Infantry, including Fazl Din. The 33rd Bengal Infantry went on to serve with the Waziristan Field Force from November 1894 to March 1895, and then with the Tochi Field Force between June 1897 and March 1898, earning the 1854 and 1895 India General Service Medals with appropriate clasps. It was not present in any other field operations until the Great War.