Description
India General Service Medal, 1854, bar Burma 1885-7, 2789 Private Frederick Albert Smythe, 1st King’s Dragoon Guards. Extremely rare as 1 of 3 men attached to QM General Dept Calcutta.
Officially engraved in typical attractive running script: “2789 Pte F.A. Smythe. 1st Dragoon Guards.”
Excellent preserved condition due to death shortly after issue.
Confirmed on the medal roll, for which he has his own detailed page, noting he was “Attached to the Quarter Master Generals Department Calcutta”.
The medal roll recalls that he was entitled to the Medal and Clasp Burma 1885-7, and that he:
“Was employed from 18th November 1886 to 19th March 1888 at Pyinmana, Aylah & Sintherai Telegraph Offices in Upper Burma.”
The medal roll records only 2 others men from the unit being on attachment, 1492 L/Cpl C. Temeperley (Upper Burma Division Telegraph Signaller) and Pte George Fitzgerald (attached Burma Field Force as Telegraphist), totalling only about 3 awards of the clasp the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards.
A very rare “Odd Man” medal, the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards not being officially present in this campaign.
After the award of this unusual and rare clasp, Frederick sadly died on service.
On 17th October 1890, Private Frederick Albert Smythe, of the King’s Dragoon Guards died of Cholera, being buried on 18th October by Chaplain F.J. Clarke in Muttra, (aka Mathura, Uttar Pradesh)
