India Distinguished Service Medal.—This medal was instituted on June 28th, 1907, by an Army Order published in Simla as a reward for both commissioned and non-commissioned officers of the regular and other forces in India. It bears on the obverse the bust of King Edward VII, and on the reverse a laurel wreath encircling the words FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE. The medal, 1⅖ in. in diameter, is ordered to be worn immediately to the right of all war medals, suspended by a red ribbon 1¼ in. wide, with blue edges ⅜ in. wide. This medal may be conferred by the Viceroy of India.
Conspicuous Service Cross.—This cross was instituted by King Edward VII on June 28th, 1901, as a reward for "distinguished service before the enemy," for bestowal upon warrant officers and subordinate officers of the fleet who do not hold commissions in the navy. No person can be nominated for the cross unless his services shall have been marked by a special mention of his name in dispatches by the Admiral, or senior naval or military officer commanding the squadron or detached force.
The cross (facing page [208]) is of silver, patée in form, and convex. It bears on the obverse the monogram E.R.I. surrounded by a raised border, surmounted by the imperial crown, with ring for suspension from a blue ribbon with a white stripe down the centre like that used for the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. The reverse is plain. The recipient has the right to append the letters C.S.C. to his name.
Indian Order of Merit.—This reward of valour takes chronological precedence over those decorations already described. It was instituted by the H.E.I. Co. in 1837, to reward personal bravery without any reference to length of service or good conduct, and is the Sepoy's Victoria Cross (facing page [136].)
It is divided into three classes and is awarded to native officers and men for distinguished conduct in the field. On the advancement from one class to another the star is surrendered to the Government, and the superior class substituted, but in the event of the death of the recipient his relatives retain the decoration. The order carries with it an increase of one-third in the pay of the recipient, and in the event of his death the allowance is continued to his widow for three years. The First Class consists of a star of eight points, 1⅗ in. in diameter, having in the centre a ground of dark-blue enamel bearing crossed swords in gold, within a gold circle, and the inscription REWARD OF VALOUR, the whole being surmounted by two wreaths of laurel in gold. The Second Class star is of silver, with the wreaths of laurel in gold; and the Third Class entirely of silver. The decoration is suspended from a simple loop and bar from a dark-blue ribbon 1½ in. in width with red edges, bearing a gold or silver buckle according to class.
The Indian Order of Merit realises from £2 10s. to £8 8s. in the sale-room according to class and action for which it was awarded. It is noteworthy, however, that in June 1900 the following prices were paid in the auction-room: First Class, £58; Second Class, £40; and Third Class, £35. When the order is unnamed, as it was issued, and there is no record of the services for which it was earned, prices invariably range lower than these.
Order of British India.—This order was instituted at the same time as the Order of Merit, to reward native commissioned officers for long and faithful service in the Indian Army. Since 1878, however, any person, European or native, holding a commission in a native regiment, became eligible for admission to the Order without reference to creed or colour. The First Class consists of a gold eight-pointed radiated star 1½ in. in diameter. The centre is occupied by a lion statant gardant upon a ground of light-blue enamel, within a dark-blue band inscribed ORDER OF BRITISH INDIA, and encircled by two laurel wreaths of gold. A gold loop and ring are attached to the crown for suspension from a broad ornamental band 9∕10 in. in diameter, through which the ribbon, once blue, now red, is passed for suspension from the neck. The Second Class is 17∕10 in. in diameter with dark-blue enamelled centre; there is no crown on this class, and the suspender is formed of an ornamental gold loop. The reverse is plain in both classes. The First Class carries with it the title Sirdar Bahadur, and an additional allowance of two rupees a day; and the second the title of Bahadur, and an extra allowance of one rupee per day.
India Meritorious Service Medal.—This was instituted on July 27th, 1888, and on receipt of the medal the order states "a non-commissioned officer must surrender his Long Service and Good Conduct medal"; but on being promoted to a commission he may retain the M.S. medal, but the annuity attached to it will cease. On the obverse is the diademed bust of Queen Victoria facing left, with a veil falling over the crown behind, encircled by the legend VICTORIA KAISAR-I-HIND. On the reverse is a wreath of lotus leaves enclosing a wreath of palm tied at the base, having a star beneath; between the two wreaths is the inscription FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE. Within the palm wreath is the word INDIA. The medal, 1⅖ in. in diameter, is suspended from a scroll by means of a red ribbon 1¼ in. wide.
The medals issued during the reigns of Queen Victoria's successors bear on the obverse their bust in profile with the legend altered to EDWARDVS or GEORGIVS. The Victoria medals have realised from £3 3s. to £4 10s., and those of King Edward £4 to £5.
Egyptian Medal for Bravery.—As a means of rewarding N.C.O.'s and men of the Egyptian Army who distinguish themselves on the field of battle, the Khedive Abbas II instituted in May 1913 the silver medal illustrated. It is 1⅞ in. in diameter and depends from a pale-blue ribbed ribbon and a suspender of the same pattern as the British Distinguished Conduct Medal. It bears on the obverse the cypher of Abbas Hilmi El Thani (Abbas II) and on the reverse in the upper half of the field FOR BRAVERY, and in the lower half in Arabic characters EL SHAHAMA, which is the equivalent of the English lettering above it.