Auxiliary Regiments

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Auxiliary or volunteer regiments were originally local civilian volunteer corps tasked with local security. In 1917 compulsory service was introduced. When the corps became the Auxiliary Force, India in 1920 volunteer service was resumed, however there was a minimum term of service.

History

  • Post-1858 - volunteer corps formed over subsequent decades
  • 1917 - Formation of Indian Defence Force (IDF), disbanded at the end of the war
  • 1920 - Formation of Auxiliary Force (India) (AFI)

Indian volunteer force

After the Indian Mutiny local volunteer infantry forces began to be set up. Cavalry corps started in the 1860s and the first volunteer artillery brigade was constituted in 1879. Railway companies also formed infantry corps from their staff beginning in 1869, more on which can be found in the Railway Regiments article.

The volunteer corps were open to Europeans and 'Eurasians' and, with the exception of an adjutant,and others such as sergeant instructors, consisted mainly of volunteers.

However, in railway employment, it was virtually compulsory for all employees, both European and Eurasian, to enlist in the Railway Volunteer Regiments.

For men who were employed by the Army, it may be possible to find them in the Army records. This India List post advises that an Sergeant Instructor in the GIPR Volunteers was found in the Unattached List [1] at the British Library

Indian Defence Force

During the First World War compulsory service was deemed necessary and the Indian Defence Force Act was passed in 1917. The volunteer corps became units of the IDF and were redesignated. European British men between the ages of 18 and 41 were subject to compulsory service within India. Some corps allowed Indians to join as volunteers.

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. Indian Volunteers in the Great War East African Campaign 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. This India List post indicates that the North Western Railway Volunteers served in Mesopotamia

After the War the IDF as an official organization was disbanded.

Auxiliary Force India

A further reorganization of the units occured in 1920 when the Auxiliary Force (India) replaced the IDF. Volunteers enrolled for an indefinite period but could be discharged after four years (or upon reaching the age of 45). The AFI was disbanded upon Partition.

Medals

In 1894 the grant of the Volunteer Officers’ Decoration was extended to India and the Colonies, followed in 1896 by the Volunteer Long Service Medal for Indian and Colonial Forces.[2] The qualifying period for the former was eighteen years[3] and recipients were entitled to use the initials V.D. after their name.[4]

The latter medal was for men who were not officers.

It seems likely that the names of the recipients were gazetted in the Gazette of India, as they do not appear to be in the London Gazette.

British Library holdings


India Office records

  • Collection 108 Volunteer Corps in India IOR/L/MIL/7/4876-4945 1863-1919
    • Collection 108/15 Volunteer officers' decoration. IOR/L/MIL/7/4891 1892-1894
    • Collection 108/20 Volunteer officers' decoration: supply of and publication of rules. IOR/L/MIL/7/4896 1894-1908
    • Collection 108/27 Volunteers' Long Service Medal: rules. IOR/L/MIL/7/4903 1896-1913
  • Government Gazettes IOR/V/11 1831-1947



Notes

  1. ↑ British Library guide European NCOs and Private Soldiers
  2. ↑ Medals and Decorations of the British Army and Navy - Vol. I, page 37 by John Horsley Mayo
  3. ↑ Volunteer Officer’s Decoration from The Guide to British War Medals from North East Medals.
  4. ↑ Volunteer Decoration Wikipedia

Cavalry

This list is currently being reorganized

1917 redesignations

Corps redesignated as numbered battalions on the 1st April 1917 on formation of the IDF:

1920 redesignations

Battalions and regiments redesignated on the 1st October 1920 on formation of the AFI:

Infantry

This list is currently being reorganized

1917 redesignations

Corps redesignated as numbered battalions on the 1st April 1917 on formation of the Indian Defence Force:

1918:

1920 redesignations

Battalions and regiments redesignated on the 1st October 1920 on formation of the AFI:

1926

Artillery

This list is currently being reorganized

Volunteer units of the Royal Artillery in India.

1917 redesignations

Batteries and brigades redesignated on the 1st April 1917 on formation of the IDF:

1920 redesignations

Batteries and brigades redesignated on the 1st October 1920 on formation of the AFI:

1925

1933 redesignations

Batteries and brigades redesignated in 1933:

Engineers

Corps Of Signals

Machine Gun Corps

External links

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