The Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America

Variations on a Theme: The General Service Medals of the Republic of India

James E. Carlisle, OMSA No. 5577

Introduction December 1954. The medal, as finally approved, is described as follows: In October 1947, within a few months of their Independen.ce, India and Pakistan entered into armed Obverse: Bhavani (Divine Sword) surrounded conflict over the Muslim majority Princely State of by a halo of rays Jammu & Kashmir. At the time of Independence, the Reverse: Lotus flower with buds; GENERAL Maharajah of the State had not opted to integrate with SERVICE above INDIA below. either nation, hoping to maintain its independence Suspension: Non-swiveling straight bar. from both. By October 1947, incursions from Ribbon: Red with five equally spaced green Pakistan and internal unrest had made this position stripes. Some sources state that the untenable. Consequently, the Maharajah opted to red symbolizes valor and the green join India. The resulting conflict continued through auspiciousness while others state that 1948, with formal fighting ending on 1 January 1949. there is no symbolic meaning. Sadly, the conflict has continued to the present day. Metal: Cupro-Nickel Clasps: Seven The General Service Medal 1947 Naming: The medal is generally found named on the edge with the recipient’s service number, rank, name and unit.

The format utilized for the medal was derived from the various British-issued medals beginning with the medal awarded for service in the First Sikh War of 1845-46, the Sutlej Campaign Medal. While campaign medals had been previously issued, this was the first to use clasps to reward participation in specific battles within a campaign. The clasps for the medal are separated by rosettes in the form of roses, a format that would continue for the next century. This practice was later used for the India Medal issued in 1851 to commemorate earlier military actions from 1803 through 1826, although the actual dates in the exergue are 1799-1826. In effect, the format was used to commemorate military actions for nearly 150 years.

The format for the clasps was also to remain consistent for the various issues of the India General Service Medals as well as for medals commemorating other campaigns, such as the South Figure 1: Obverse of the General Service Medal 1947 Africa Medal for 1877-79 and the Tibet Medal for 1903-04. While the clasps differed, the same style The need to recognize service in this conflict was rosettes would be used for the Indian Mutiny and acknowledged and per the President’s Secretariat Second China War Medals. The clasps for the Notification No. 3 - Pres/50 dated June 5, 1950 the various India General Service Medals may be General Service Medal 1947 (Figure 1) was described as rectangular with cleft extremities. There authorized. The reverse design was altered by is a double line surrounding the inscription for the Presidential amendments of 26 June 1954 and 6 action being commemorated. The rose shaped rosette

17 Volume 53, Number 2 covers the attachment to the suspender or additional members of the 60th Para Field Ambulance Unit for clasps. The general format of the clasp would be one day of service between November 22, 1952 and used by both India and Pakistan following July 8, 1953. independence, although for each the rosette would be altered. In the case Qf India, each issue of the General Goa 1962 (Figure 3): Rosettes show a Palm Tree. Service Medal 1947 would also use a different Instituted on December 22, 1962 and awarded for symbolic device in place of the rosette. In effect, two days’ service during the Indian takeover of the while the general format of the medal was to remain Portuguese colonies of Goa, Daman and Diu, constant, each issue would also have its own unique December 18 to 22, 1961. feature.

For the various issues of this medal the eligibility criteria for the clasps and the symbolic devices used in lieu of the rosette are as follows:

Figure 4: Ladakh 1962 clasp

Ladakh 1962 (Figure 4): The rosettes show a Mountain Range. Instituted on June 231965. Awarded for 15 days active service of one day in combat in Ladakh against invading Chinese during the period October 20 -November 21, 1962. Figure 2: Jammu & Kashmir/1947-48 clasp. NEFA 1962: The rosettes show a Pipal tree. Jammu & Kashmir/1947-48 (Figure 2): The Instituted on June 23, 1965 Awarded for 15 days rosettes show a Chenar Leaf. Instituted on June 5, active service of 1 day in battle against invading 1950. Awarded for 180 days of active service in Chinese during the period September 21, 1962 Jammu & Kashmir or in one battle between October November 21, 1962. NEFA has been renamed 27, 1947 and January 1, 1949. Qualifying service for Arunachal Pradesh. this clasp could not also be used for qualification for the ’Jammu & Kashmir’ clasp of the Sainya Seva Naga Hills (Figure 1): The rosettes show a section Medal of Bamboo. Instituted in 1960. Awarded for 180 days service (90 for temporary inductees) against Nagas from April 27, 1955 to April 1, 1956.

Figure 3: Goa 1962. clasp. Figure 5: Mizo Hills clasp. Overseas Korea 1950-53: The rosettes show a caduceus ascending from a lotus flower. Instituted on Mizo Hills (Figure 5): This clasp has no rosettes. June 5, 1950. A very rare clasp awarded only to Instituted on July 16, 1970 with effect from 18 The Journal of the Orders and Medals Societv of America

February 28, 1966. For 180 days service (90 days for The Sainya Seva Medal (Figure 6) was instituted by temporary inductees) in the Miss Hills against Miss the President of India on January 26, 1960 and insurgents from February 28, 1966. revised on June 17, 1960. It was made retroactive to August 15, 1947. The medal is described as follows: This variation on the long-standing practice of the various British issued General Service Medals adds Obverse: Mandi Devi mountain peak with a a unique and symbolic meaning for each action clump of bamboo in front. commemorated. This practice has, in part, Reverse: The gate of an Indian fort, flanked by continued-with the currently issued Sair~ya Seva bastions, with the inscription; Medal (Military Service Medal) and Samanya Seva Military Service Medal in Hindi Medal 1965 (General Service Medal 1965) which above. have replaced the General Service Medal 1947 for Suspension: Non-swiveling straight bar. certain operations. The General Service Medal Ribbon: Saffron, divided into three equal 1947 was no longer issued after September 1975, parts by a thin white and a thin green being replaced by either the Sainya Seva Medal or stripe. the Samanya Seva Medal 1965. The former is Metal: Cupro-Nickel awarded for non-operational service under Clasps: Inscribed in Hindi, they may, conditions of special hardship and severe climate in however, be easily identified by the specified geographical areas while the latter is devices that appear on the majority awarded for active service. Each is awarded for of them. The clasps and their periods service in areas covered by the General Service of qualification are detailed below. Medal 1947, often causing some confusion due to Naming: The medal is generally found named overlapping periods of eligibility as well as the on the edge with the recipient’s retroactive periods of eligibility. service number, rank, name and unit.

The Sainya Seva Medal For the various issues of this medal the eligibility criteria for the clasps and the symbolic devices used in lieu of the rosette are as follows:

Figure 7: Jammu and Kashmir clasp (at top) and NEFA clasp (at bottom).

Jammu and Kashmir (Figure 7): A Chenar leaf in center medallion separates the inscription. Issued for one year of service on the strength of a unit in Jammu or Kashmir from October 27, 1947. For Air Force flight crew 10 sorties of 40 hours flight time. Service used for qualification for the General Service Medal Figure 6: Obverse of the Sainya Seva Medal 1947 could not be used.

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