Volunteer Long Service Medal (India & Colonies). GV issue (Pte S. J. Reid, 29-S .I. Rly. Bn. I.D.F.)

Samuel James Reid (1876 - 1937), was a Locomotive Driver, with the South Indian Railway Company

The medal was awarded to Private Samuel James Reid, who held the rank of Private while serving in the 29th South India Railway Battalion Indian Defence Force

Medal Verification: Important: The award is verified as published in India Army Order No 842 of 1920, on which date 5 x awards were issued to the regiment (Reference  'The Auxiliary Force India and its predecessors' (Alan Harfield, 2015))

A total of 67 x VLSM's were awarded to the regiment on its designation as 29th South Indian Railway Battalion, Indian Defence Force

Note: The Indian Defence Force Act of 1917 - which re-styled & numbered all of the hitherto Volunteer units under the Indian Defence Force - was extremely short lived, as in 1920 the I.D.F., was re-styled as the Auxiliary Force India (A.F.I.), with all units of the former short-lived I.D.F. being again re-styled, and all dropping their I.D.F. unit prefix numbers

The 29th South Indian Railway Battalion had it's origins in the raising of the South Indian Railway Volunteer Rifles Corps, that was established in 1884. On 1 April 1917, the South Indian Volunteer Railway Rifles was amalgamated with the Yercaid Rifle Volunteers to form the 29th South Indian Railway Battalion, with an establishment of; 5 x Reserve Companies; 1 x Combined Actie & Reserve Company and 2 x Machine Gun Detachments. The regiment was located as under:

- Negapatam: Regimental Headquarters
- Madras: Detachment
- Madura (Madurai): Detachment
- Podanur: Detachment
- Callicut: Detachment

In October 1920 the Indian Defence Force was reorganized as the Auxiliary Force India (or, A.F.I.), at which time the 29th South Indian Railway Battalion, was re-styled as South Indian Railway Battalion (A.F.I.). In this latter designation some - not all -personnel of the regiment served on active service during the Malabar Rebellion 1920-21, and became one of the very few 'Volunteer' units in India to have been awarded the Indian General Service Medal 1908-35 issue. In 1923 the Regimental Headquarters were transferred to Trinchinoply.  By the start of the Second World War in 1939, the regiment mustered 929 x 'All-Ranks', comprised of 539 x 'Active' members and 390 x 'Reservists'. By ethnicity, in September 1939, the regiment comprised 19 x 'Europeans' & 910 x 'Eurasians'. The regiment was disbanded, on 14 August 1947

Samuel James Reid, son of William Reid (an 'Engine Driver' with Madras Railway Company in 1876) & Amelia Reid (nee) was a true 'son of Empire' being the 4th generation in his family to have been born in British India. Samuel was born at, Black Town, Madras, Madras Presidency on 26 September 1876, at the time of his birth the Reid family were resident at Royapooram, Madras, (now Royapuram, Chennai). Samuel was baptized at Black Town India in 1876. Like his father before him, Samuel worked in the 'Railways' in South India and, like his father before him, eventually  became a 'Locomotive-Driver'. Samuel was twice married, firstly, on 10 August 1898, he wed  Ethel Adeline Forsyth (23, daughter of John Robert Forsyth), at St. Marks Church, North Black Town, Madras. At the time of his first marriage he was described as being 22 years of age, employed as a 'Fireman; with Madras Railway Company, and a resident at Podanur, Coimbatore, Madra Presidency. The couple were blessed with several  children, including their first born son, Eric Forsyth Reid (1898-1929), born at Madras on 21 December 1898 (at the time of Eric's birth, his father Samuel was recorded as a 'Shunter'. Other sons included Leslie Arthur Forsyth Reid (born at Madras in 1903, and where he died in the same year) and 1898.  Sadly, the marriage was not destined to be a long one, as Ethel Reid, is recorded as having  died of 'Fever' on 25 May 1905, and was buried the very same day at Purasawalkam General Cemetery in Madras (Chennai). Samuel married secondly, at St Matthias Church, Vepery, Madras, on 16 January 1907, Samuel (30 years of age) was described as a 'Widower'married and then employed as an 'Engine Man' with the Madras Railway Company, and was betrothed to the 'Spinster' Elizabeth Gertrude Marchant (20 years of age). The couple were subsequently blessed with several  children, including: Son, William Clifford Reid, born at Gooty, Anantapur District, Madras Presidency on 27 December 1907 (at the time his father Samuel is show as 'Driver  M & S. I. Railway'; Daughter Dulcie Maureen Reid, born at Suramangalam, Madras Presidency, 29 October 1912 (at which time Samuel is recorded as 'Engine Driver S.I.R.'; Son, Percy Dudley Reid, was born at Suramangalam, on 25 October 1913 & another daughter, Phyllis Joy Reid, was born at Calicut, Malabar District of the Madras Presidency, on, 18 May 1916. On 13 October 1912, Samuel - shown as an 'Engine-Driver' is recorded being initiated as a Free Mason, at which time he became a member of the Salem Lodge, located in Madras Presidency

Samuel James Reid died at Villapuram, Madurai City, Madras Presidency, 12 July 1937. At the time of his death from 'Heart Failure' Samuel was recorded as 'Ex-Driver', 61 years of age, and was buried  a t at Villapuram Cemtery, 13 July 1937

Villupuram (spelled Villuparam in older records) was a major junction in the historical South Indian Railway (SIR) network. It served as a critical node on the Metre Gauge (MG) Mainline connecting Madras to Dhanushkodi and was the junction for lines to Katpadi and Pondicherry

A most interesting award to a 'Railway Driver'

Condition: GVF

Code: 25925