An interesting WW1 British Indian Victory Medal to 3244 Rest Allaud Din, 107th Pioneers

3244 Resvt Allaud Din, 107th Pioneers, Indian Army

A sound WW1 Indian Army VICTORY MEDAL to a Reservist (RESVT) in the 107th Pioneer Regiment (107-PNRS). Correctly engraved on rim to 3244  RESVT. ALLAUD  DIN.  107 PNRS.

Potted history of the regiment

Tracing its roots back to 1788, when raised as the 4th Battalion, Bombay Sepoys, the regiment was designated the 107th Pioneers in 1903, and a second battalion raised in 1917. It was then  reconstituted in 1922 as the 1st Battalion, 2nd Bombay Pioneers, continuing under this designation until disbanded in 1932.

WW1 service

During WW1 the 107th served with the 9th Sirhind Infantry Brigade, 3rd Lahore Division of the Indian Expeditionary Force in France then with the 7th Indian Division in Mesopotamia before returning to India in 1917.

Role of pioneer regiments in WW1

Pioneer regiments undertook many labouring tasks associated with the maintenance of lines of communications, and defensive positions including trenches, but could and did also operate as fighting troops as needed.

The service of the holder

The holder of this medal, Reservist (Resvt) Allaud Din, 107th Pioneers, could therefore possibly claim service on the Western Front between September and December 1914 (including at Festubert and Neuve Chapelle) and/or in Mesopotamia from January 1915 on. The regimental war diaries are available in digitised form from the National Archives at Kew.

Features of interest

Medals inscribed to this rank/appointment (Resvt) appear to be quite rare, and it is fairly unusual in my experience to find WW1 medals to Indian Army personnel still with their original silk ribbon. The degree of loss of finish is, unfortunately, fairly typical.