Delinker at 15:04, 25 July 2023

2023-07-25T15:04:47Z

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{| class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"
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! colspan="2" style="background-color: #B0C4DE; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | India Service Medal
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;" | <br />
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;" | <div class="center">Obverse and reverse of medal</div>
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| colspan="2" style="background-color: #B0C4DE; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Awarded by the '''[[British Raj|Indian Empire]]'''
|-
| style="padding-right:1em; font-weight:bold" | Type||[[Campaign medal]]
|-
| style="padding-right:1em; font-weight:bold" | Eligibility||Indian Forces
|-
| style="padding-right:1em; font-weight:bold" | Awarded for||Campaign service
|-
| style="padding-right:1em; font-weight:bold" | Campaign||Second World War 1939–45
|-
| style="padding-right:1em; font-weight:bold" | Description||Cupro-nickel, 36mm diameter
|-
| style="padding-right:1em; font-weight:bold" | Clasps||None
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #B0C4DE; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Statistics
|-
| style="padding-right:1em; font-weight:bold" | Established||6 June 1946
|-
| style="padding-right:1em; font-weight:bold" | Total awarded||220,000
|-
| style="padding-right:1em; font-weight:bold" | Related||[[Defence Medal (United Kingdom)|Defence Medal]]
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;" | <div class="center">
<div class="floatnone">[[File:Ribbon India Service Medal.png|95px]]</div>Ribbon bar
|-
|}

The '''India Service Medal 1939–1945''' was a campaign medal of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]. It was awarded to [[British Indian Army|Indian Forces]] for three years of non-operational service in India during the [[India in World War II|Second World War]].

== Eligibility ==
The medal was instituted on 6 June 1946.<ref name=Joslin/>

It was awarded to [[British Indian Army|Indian Forces]], including Reserve, State and Women's forces, for at least three years of non-operational service in India between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.<ref>{{Cite book|author=D. W. Collett.|title=Medal Year Book 1981.|page=134. Published Medal Year Book, Chingford, Essex. 1981}}</ref> It was issued in addition to, and worn immediately after, British campaign World War II medals, although those eligible for the [[Defence Medal (United Kingdom)|Defence Medal]] could not receive the India Service Medal as well.<ref name=Dorling>{{Cite book|author=Captain H. Taprell Dorling.|title=Ribbons and Medals.|page=100. A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. 1956}}</ref>

Approximately 220,000 medals were issued.<ref name=Joslin/>

== Description ==
* It is a circular, cupro-nickel medal, 36mm diameter.<ref name=Joslin>{{Cite book|author=Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin.|title=British Battles and Medals.|page=254. Published Spink, London. 1988}}</ref>
* The obverse has the crowned effigy of [[King George VI]] facing left, with the legend <small>"GEORGIVS VI D:G:BR:OMN:REX ET INDIAE IMP."</small> (George VI by the grace of God King of Great Britain and Emperor of India).<ref name=Joslin/>
* The reverse shows a relief map of India and the words <small>"INDIA"</small> above and <small>"1939–45"</small> below.<ref name=Joslin/>
* The medal was awarded unnamed.<ref name=Joslin/>
* The ribbon represented the colours of the [[Order of the Star of India]] and the [[Order of the Indian Empire]].<ref name=Dorling/>

== Clasps ==
There are no clasps for this medal.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160124132311/http://users.skynet.be/hendrik/eng/39india.html India's World War II Medals]

{{British campaign medals}}

[[Category:Military awards and decorations of India]]

India Service Medal - Revision history

Delinker at 15:04, 25 July 2023