Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A C.I.E. group of five awarded to Captain A. R. Leishman, Assam-Bengal Railway Volunteer Rifles, who for many years was a prominent member of Chittagong’s municipal and business community

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, C.I.E., Companion’s 3rd type neck badge, gold and enamels; British War Medal 1914-20 (Capt. A. R. Leishman); Delhi Durbar 1911, unnamed; Indian Volunteer Forces Decoration, G.V.R., the reverse officially engraved ‘Capt. A. R. Leishman, The A.B. Rly. Bn. (A.F.I.)’ with top suspension bar drilled for sewing to ribbon; Volunteer Force Long Service (India & the Colonies), G.V.R. (Lieutt. A. R. Leishman, Assam Bl. Ry. Vol. Rfls.) good very fine (5) £800-1000

C.I.E. London Gazette 3 June 1931.

Alan Ross Leishman was born in 1878, the younger son of James Matthew Leishman and Sarah Robina Boog. Educated at Aldenham School 1892-95, he left for India shortly thereafter, where he took up an appointment with James Finlay & Co. in Chittagong, most probably via the offices of his father, who had earlier been employed by Bulloch Brothers & Co. Ltd. in Burma. Be that as it may, young Alan excelled in his chosen career and was for 30 years Manager of Finlay’s branch in Chittagong, so too President of the local Chamber of Commerce on 23 occasions, a Port Commissioner (1907-29), and Chairman of the Port Commissioners (1929-34). He also served on the District Board and as a member of the Hospital Committee and, from 1911, served on occasion as the Vice-Consul for Chile - the same year in which he was awarded the Delhi Durbar Medal in a civil capacity.

A keen member of the Indian Volunteers, Leishman was originally commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Assam-Bengal Railway Volunteer Rifles in October 1908. Advanced to Lieutenant in September of the following year, he was awarded the Indian Volunteer Long Service Medal in 1915 (IAO 292 of 7 June that year refers), and the Indian Volunteer Forces Officer’s Decoration in 1923 (the Gazette of India 15 September of that year refers). In the interim, during the Great War, he had been advanced to Captain in July 1916 and was placed on the Supernumerary List of the Indian Defence Force in April 1917 (British War Medal 1914-20). Having then added the C.I.E. to his accolades in 1931, as Manager of James Finlay & Co., he retired to England, where he died at Bromley, Kent in December 1937, aged 59 years, after having been knocked down by a motor-cyclist - the latter being driven by an R.A.F. Sergeant. Leishman was buried at Chislehurst Cemetery; sold with related research.