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The IDF corps performed local security duties during the war and were not sent to the front. Some officers were transferred to regular [[Indian Army]] units.
However, a few units were formed comprising volunteers who wanted to fight the war. [https://web.archive.org/web/20170302195115/http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/the-great-war/great-war-on-land/other-war-theatres/1072-indian-volunteers-in-the-great-war-east-african-campaign.html "Indian Volunteers in the Great War East African Campaign"] by Harry Fecitt, now an archived webpage, gives details of The North-Western Railway Volunteers, the Calcutta Volunteer Battery and the Indian Volunteer Maxim Gun Company in East Africa, although the Commonwealth War Graves Commission classifies them as East African Protectorate units in its records. Elsewhere, there is a brief mention of the Nagpur Volunteer Machine Gun Company in German East Africa.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.105072/page/n16/mode/1up Page 4] ''Supplement To The Quarterly Civil List For The Central Provinces And Berar Up to 1st Jan 1938''. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the entry for E H Milner, Public Works Department. Archive.org</ref>, however this appears to be the Indian Volunteer Maxim Gun Company, whose membership included some from the Nagpur Volunteer Rifles.<ref>bushfighter. [https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/92267-graves-of-the-indian-volunteer-maxim-gun-company-in-kenya/ Graves of the Indian Volunteer Maxim Gun Company in Kenya] ''Great War Forum'' 16 February , 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2021.</ref> At least one member of the North Western Railway Volunteers also served in Mesopotamia,<ref>Wilton-Davies, Colin [https://web.archive.org/web/20200205041034/https://lists.rootsweb.com/hyperkitty/list/india.rootsweb.com/thread/12907264/ Railway Regiments] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 18 January 2000. Retrieved 5 February 2020, archived.</ref> but it is possible this may have been an individual appointment for an existing member of the Volunteers.
The [[Volunteer Artillery Battery]] in which the majority of the men came from Burma, served in Mesopotamia, and was captured at the fall of Kut.
It seems likely that the names of the medal recipients for the Indian Volunteer Forces Officers’ Decoration were gazetted in the ''Gazette of India'', as they do not appear to be in the ''London Gazette''. Some volumes of the ''Gazette of India'' are available online, refer [[Newspapers and journals online]]. At least some names of the Volunteer Force Long Service Medal recipients were published in Indian Army Orders, some of which are available online, refer [[Military periodicals online#Indian Army Orders/Instructions|Military periodicals online - Indian Army Orders/Instructions]].
In January 2016, [[findmypast]] introduced the dataset "British Army, Indian Volunteer Force Medal Awards 1915-1939", now incorporated into the larger dataset "Britain, Campaign, Gallantry & Long Service Medals & Awards", located under Armed forces & conflict/Medal rolls and honours. The information for each transcript was extracted from the ''Indian Army Orders'' by Kevin Asplin. This dataset appears to inaccurately titled, as it relates to the Indian Army.
*[http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/territorial_decoration/volunteer_officers_decoration.htm Volunteer Officers’ Decoration 1892 with VR Cypher] northeastmedals.co.uk
===Individuals===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170118102257/https://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/lot-archive/lot.php?department=Medals&lot_id=276599 Medals of Second Lieutenant J. E. Aird, Surma Valley Light Horse] 1867-1928. A Tea Planter and Manager of the Deundi Estate, Sylhet. dnw.co.uk, archived.*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170118104431/https://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/lot-archive/lot.php?department=Medals&lot_id=171543 Major Henry Francis Hallifax, Nagpur Volunteer Rifles] dnw.co.uk, archived.*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170118104000/https://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/lot-archive/lot.php?department=Medals&lot_id=185767 Surgeon Charles Arthur Owen, Indian Subordinate Medical Department and Punjab Volunteer Rifles] dnw.co.uk, archived.
==British Library holdings==
* Government Gazettes '''IOR/V/11''' 1831-1947
Books:
*''The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration ; The Indian Volunteer Forces Officers’ Decoration'' by J.M.A. Tamplin. ( Spink medal booklets ; no.6) c 1981. UIN: BLL01011834952 *:This volume is part of a [https://web.archive.org/web/20100406234037/http://www.trademe.co.nz/Antiques-collectables/Militaria/Other/auction-281955440.htm series of 12] by JMA Tamplin, published between 1978 and 1992 by the medal company Spink & Son of London. At least some of the books in this series appear to be sourced from records in The National Archives series WO 102. The series also includes ''Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal'' by J.M.A. Tamplin. (Spink medal booklets ; no.8) 1984. UIN: BLL01011188375. It seems likely, but has not been confirmed, that this book includes information about India. This book is available as a reprint from [http://www.savannahpublications.com/info.php?itemid=146 Savannah Publications]:These volumes are part of It seems likely, but has not been confirmed, that this book does not include information about India, as there was a [https://web.archive.org/web/20100406234037/http://www.trademe.co.nz/Antiques-collectables/Militaria/Other/auction-281955440.htm series of 12] by JMA Tamplin, published between 1978 separately named medal "Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and 1992 by the medal company Spink & Son of LondonColonies".
*Information about the volunteer movement and the Auxiliary Force (India) Cavalry are included in the book ''Izzat: Historical Records and Iconography of Indian Cavalry Regiments 1750-2007'' by Ashok Nath 2009, published by the United Service Institution of India. UIN: BLL01015325022 . Read about the book [https://usiofindia.org/publication/cafhr-books/izzat-historical-records-and-iconography-of-indian-cavalry-regiments-1750-2007/ here] usiofindia.org. It includes information about badges and emblems. These two reviews give further details about the book: [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090412/spectrum/book1.htm Tribune India review]. [https://web.archive.org/web/20091116180449/http://www.sasnet.lu.se/izzat.pdf SASNET review] Swedish South Asian Studies Network, now archived.
==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Defence_Force Indian Defence Force] Wikipedia
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_regiments_of_the_Indian_Army_(1922) List of regiments of the Indian Army (1922)] includes Auxiliary Force. Wikipedia.
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volunteer_Long_Service_Medal_for_India_and_the_Colonies Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies] Established 1896. Replaced in 1930 by
:[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efficiency_Medal Efficiency Medal] Wikipedia.
*[http://www.patriotfiles.com/index.php?name=Sections&req=viewarticle&artid=6700&page=1 The Auxiliary Force, India (AFI) on 3 September 1939] from Patriotfiles.com
*''Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research'', Volume 61.no 247, Autumn 1983 pages 160-185. "The Auxiliary Force (India)" by A. A. Mains. An article about the European Volunteer Movement in India. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/44227090 jstor.org]. Read online for free on the website Jstor.org, subject to registration with Jstor.org, and restrictions apply. For more details about Jstor, and the restrictions, see the page [[Miscellaneous tips]]. Alternatively you may be able to log in with a Library card.
