Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce E.VII.R. ‘North West Frontier’ I.D.S.M. awarded Lance Naik Hira, 57th Wilde’s Rifles (Frontier Force), for his gallantry as part of an escort of 21 rifles, who repelled a raiding force of over 100 tribesmen during an ambush in Lower Tochi, 10 July 1909

Indian Distinguished Service Medal, E.VII.R. (1809 Lce. Naik Hira 57th Wildes Rifls) complete with replacement TD-style top riband bar, minor edge bruising, therefore very fine £800-£1,000

This lot is to be sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 57th Wilde’s Rifles (Frontier Force).

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I.D.S.M. G.G.O. 4 of 1910 (N.W.F. 1909). The following detail is provided in the Regimental History:

‘For some months a double company was employed in occupying posts in the Lower Tochi, and several times parties of the men turned out after raiders. On 10th July [1909] an escort of 21 rifles of the regiment under Hav. Gulzada, escorting fifty carts up the Tochi to bring down timber for the new lines, had an encounter with a gang of raiders near Khajuri post. The raiders had previously cut up a piquet of eight men of the N. Waziristan Militia, who were proceeding to piquet the heights for the convoy, killing seven and wounding the eighth, when the convoy and escort appeared round a bend in the road and heard firing ahead. The escort were then themselves fired on, two mules being hit. The men behaved with considerable coolness and skill, attacked and drove off the raiders, killing three and wounding several of them, and captured two M.H. rifles and ammunition. For their gallant conduct on this occasion, Hav. Gulzada and L. Naik Hira were subsequently rewarded with the Indian Distinguished Service Medal, and General Fasken expressed his high approval of the behaviour of the escort in driving off a gang of raiders six or eight times their own number.’

The top riband bar is not that for the I.D.S.M., but more instead that from a Territorial Decoration.