Great War East Africa Indian Distinguished Service Medal awarded to Sowar, later Subadar Janak Singh, 25th Cavalry – Frontier Force, Sam Browne’s Cavalry and Indian Signal Corps who on 3rd June 1918 .was decorated with one of 254 India Distinguished Service Medal for East Africa. He would subsequently serve during the Third Afghanistan War and was still serving as a Subadar with the Indian Signal Corps at the outbreak of the Second World War.
Indian Distinguished Service Medal, GVR Kaiser-i-hind bust, named in engraved running script; (4122 SOWAR JANAK SINGH. 25TH CAV. F.F.)
Condition: Very Fine
Janak Singh saw service as a Subadar with the 25th Cavalry – Frontier Force, Indian Army in East Africa during the Great War. Disembaring at Kilwa Kissiwani on 30th August 1917, his unit proceeded to Mpara.
The Regiment fought at Nahungu and Chingwea, and assisted in the pursuit of von Lettow-Vorbeck to the Portuguese East African border until Tsetse Fly put an end to further operations.
Between 18-20th January 1918 the regiment left the Rovuma in two detachments en route for Lindi where it arrived on the south side of the harbour on 26th January 1918 and set up camp. On 1st February 1918 the regiment would embark at Lindi and set sail for India aboard H.M.T. Salamis.
Janak Singh would be awarded the Indian Distinguished Service Medal on 3rd June 1918, 1 of 254 Indian Distinguished Service Medals for East Africa.
25th Cavalry would subsequently take part in the Third Afghanistan War in 1919 where ‘A’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ Squadrons would take part in the capture of Spin Baldak Fort.
In 1921 22nd Sam Browne’s Cavalry (Frontier Force) and the 25th Cavalry (Frontier Force) would amalgamate becoming the 12th Cavalry (Frontier Force) in 1922 and being accorded Battle Honours for Kut-Al-Amara 1917, Baghdad, Mesopotamia 1916-1918, North West Frontier 1914-1915, East Africa 1917, Afghanistan 1919.
Promoted Lance Daffadar, 12th Cavalry in 1925 and commissioned as a Jemadar, Sam Browne’s Cavalry, 12th Frontier Force on 16th April 1930. Transferred to the Indian Signal Corps in 1937, posted to the Signal Training Centre at Jubbulpore and then promoted to Subadar, Indian Signal Corps on 25th June 1938.
Janak Singh was still listed as serving at the Signal Training Centre in the Indian Army list of July 1941, but by July 1942 his name no longer appeared in the Indian Army List.
