A Scottish Railyman's Indian Volunteer Long Service medal pair: Honorary Captain James Miller Mushet, Bombay Baroda & Central India Railway Volunteer Rifle Corps

The pair comprising:

a). Indian Volunteer Forces Officers Decoration. EDVII issue  With integral top brooch bar (Hony. Captain & Qr. Mr. J. M. Mushet, Bo. B. & C.I. Ry. Volr. Rifles)

b). Volunteer Force Long Service Medal (India & the Colonies), EDVII issue (Lt. & Qr. Mr. J. M. Mushet, 2d Bo. B. & C.I. Ry. Vols.)

The IVD with English silver hallmarks for Birmingham 1902. Letter 'U' in surname and second letter 'B' of unit name have been corrected

Provenance: Collection of John M.A. Tamplin O.B.E. (London, June 2009)

Reference the standard reference book on the Indian Volunteer Officers Decoration, vide 'The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration. The Indian Volunteer Forces Officers' Decoration' (John M. A. Tamplin, Spink, London, 1981) only an estimated 270 +/- EDVII Indian Volunteer Officer's Decorations awarded 1902-1910 (a total of 285 x awards were gazetted & issued 1902-1910, but those awarded in the 1910 likely included both EDVII and GV issue medals)

Medals Verification: Both medal are confirmed as entitled per the official publications of awards cited below:

- Indian Volunteer Forces Officers Decoration. EDVII issue: Gazette of India 9 July 1904 
- Volunteer Force Long Service Medal (India & the Colonies), EDVII issue: (Indian Army Orders) General Order No. 801 of August 1902)

James Miller Mushet, son of John Mushet & Elizabeth Mushet (nee Miller) was a native of Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, where he was born on 14 March 1853. At the time of the compilation of the 1861 National Census for Scotland, James is recorded living with his mother (described as Head of Household), and residing together with his younger sibling sisters Isabella (6) & Ellen (1) and a parental uncle, at, 11 Rue End Street, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. By the time of the compilation of the 1871 National Census for Scotland, he was then described as employed as an Engineer (no doubt an apprenticeship) and then residing with relatives at, 11 Carnock Street, Greenock

After accepting an appointment to work on the Indian Railways, James spent decades in British India, where he was variously engaged firstly with the Rajpootana-Malwa State Railway Company, where he was stationed for many years at Ajmer, Rajputana, and latterly when that company was bought over, he was employed the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway. On 27 December 1882, James (described as a Locomotive Storekeeper with the Rajpootana-Malwa State Railway Company) married Grace Isabell Vanovy (daughter of Moritz Vanovy) at Christ Church, Byculla, Bombay, India. In his spare time, James was both a keen 'Freemason' as under the auspices of the United Grand Lodge of England, he was a registered member of the brethren of the 'Friendship Lodge, Ajmere (sp), Bombay Presidency. In addition to his spiritual and good fellowship interests, James was also a very keen - and long serving of the local volunteer corps. After serving in the ranks of the Bombay Baroda & Central India Railway Volunteer Rifle Corps, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on 11 December 1893. He served with the 2nd Battalion whose H.Q. was at Ajmer. In 1900 he was appointed Lieutenant and Quartermaster and two years later was awarded the Volunteer Force Long Service Medal, published in G.O. No. 801 of August 1902. Mushet was granted the honorary rank of Captain in 1903. As such he was awarded the Indian Volunteer Forces Officers’ Decoration, published in the Gazette of India of 9 July 1904

In retirement. James Miller Mushet, had returned to his native Scotland, where he had been living at, 122 Albert Road, Gourock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. In 1920, and now described as 'Widower', he travelled to Canada, where he arrived on 23 May 1920. At the time of his arrival he indicated that he was going to be living 'for some time' with his daughter Isabella and his son-in-law who lived in Canada. James is recorded to have subsequently died at Levis, Quebec, Canada on, 25 June 1923

Rajputana-Malwa Rifle Volunteer Corps / 2nd Battalion Bombay Baroda 7 Central India Railway Volunteer Corps: The origins of the Rajputana-Malwa Rifle Volunteer Corps, can be traced to the raising of the Rajputana Volunteer Rifle Corps in September 1882 - only 4 x months later, the unit was re-styled as the Rajputana-Malwa Rifle Volunteer Corps per GGO No.690 of 15 December 1882. In 1887, the Rajputana-Malwa Rifle Volunteer Corps was amalgamated with the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Volunteer Rifle Corps,  the new regiment being re-styled the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Volunteer Rifles, composed of 2 x battalions - the second battalion being the former Rajputana-Malwa Rifle Volunteer Corps - which battalion - in 1887 had its Headquarters located at Ajmere (sp), with detachments at; Abu Road; Jaypore (sp); Bandikui, Sirsa, Fategarh, Indore & Mhow

Notwithstanding the 1889 acquisition of the Rajputana-Malwa Railway by the, 'Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway' (B.B.C.I.), the Rajputana-Malwa Railway continued to operate under it's old name until circa 1918. Similarly affiliated the 2nd Battalion Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Volunteer Rifle Corps, continued to use the unit's subsidiary 'Rajputana-Malwa Rifle Volunteer Corps titles' through to the Edwardian era, and to wear the distinctive insignia of the Rajputana-Malwa Rifle Volunteer Corps for some years after the amalgamation  

Condition: GVF

Code: 25717