__NOTOC__ The Indian General Service Medal (1936 IGSM) was a campaign

medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be in ...

approved on 3 August 1938, for issue to officers and men of the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

and Indian armies, and of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

. The 1936 IGSM was awarded for minor military campaigns on the North-West Frontier of India between 1936 and 1939. Each campaign covered by the medal was represented by a clasp on the ribbon; two were sanctioned, both relating to operations in Waziristan: *North West Frontier 1936–37 *North West Frontier 1937–39 The second clasp was only struck and distributed after the Second World War. Recipients of a

Mention in Despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

were entitled to wear an oak leaf emblem on the ribbon. Following the grant of Indian Independence in 1947 the medal became obsolete, although it could still to be worn in uniform by British, Indian and Pakistani servicemen.

Description

The medal is silver, in diameter, and has the following design:
The obverse shows the crowned head of King George VI facing left with the inscription ''.
The reverse depicts a side view of a tiger standing astride a mountain range with the word '' above.
The wide ribbon is grey flanked by narrow red stripes, with broad green stripes at the edges Medals were impressed on the edge with the name and details of the recipient. The medal was struck at both the

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

and

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

mints, for Indian and British forces respectively. The claw mount attaching the medal disc to the suspension differs between the two, the Calcutta Mint version being of a plain curved style, while London made medals are of a more elaborate raised scroll type: File: India General Service Medal (1936-39), Culcutta Mint version.jpg, Calcutta Mint File: India General Service Medal (1936-39), Royal Mint version.png, Royal Mint

Notes

Bibliography

* * * {{British campaign medals British campaign medals