Description
India General Service Medal, VR, bar Relief of Chitral 1895, Bhisti Phuman, 15th Bengal Infantry, known as the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs.
Officially engraved in fine running script: “Bhisti Phuman 15th Bl Infy”
Suspender slightly slack but a well taken care of Bronze example.
A Bhisti is the equivalent of a “Water Carrier”, a non-combatant issue stuck in Bronze.
The 15th Ludhiana Sikhs who at the time of the Chitral Expedition, for which they earned the Battle Honour of Chitral, were officially titled the 15th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (Ludhiana Sikhs) saw much action in the late 19th Century, being present in Afghanistan (1880) and at Suakin and Tofrek (1885) before taking part in the campaigns of this India General Service Medal including Chitral.
As their name suggests the regiment were primarily Sikhs, “Phuman” also likely being a Sikh, typically the full name of a “Phuman” would be “Phuman Singh”.
In the 1890s they were stationed on the North West Frontier first taking part in the Relief of Chitral Expedition before fighting in the Malakand and Tirah Operatiions.
