Medal Rolls

The medals article has details of medals awarded for various military campaigns. Most of the nominal medal rolls for these awards are at the British Library. Many of the rolls are reprinted in books on the open access shelves. Details of the India Office Records' reference numbers can be found at Your Archives - Medal Rolls in the India Office Library.

FIBIS resources

• Medal roll transcriptions:
  • China Campaign, 1842 (Madras Artillery & Staff only) - 495 recipients of the medal for the 1st China War.
  • Indian Mutiny Medal Roll (British Forces) 1857-1859 Over 50,000 names of British Army soldiers awarded medals after the Indian Mutiny, transcribed by Kevin Asplin.
• Online books
  • Deeds of Valour Performed by Indian Officers and Soldiers during the period from 1860 to 1925 by P P Hypher, Army Department 1927 printed at Simla, is available on the FIBIS database as a series of many pdf files to download. Includes details of the actions which led to the awards. Available at the British Library IOR/L/MIL/17/5/4321. Also see Historical books online, below.

See also

• Medals
• Victoria Cross

The National Archives, Kew, England

Research Guides

• Medals, British armed services: campaign medals and other service medals. (Guide reference: Military Records Information 76)
• Medals, British armed services: gallantry medals. (Guide reference: Military Records Information 77)
• Medals, British armed services: gallantry medals, further information. (Guide reference: Military Records Information 78)
• Merchant seamen’s medals and honours
  • Merchant seamen’s campaign medal records 1914-1918. Contains a Search facility.

WO 100 Medal Rolls

The National Archives records WO 100 Medal Rolls are available to download free of charge as pdfs. These records are available on the pay site Ancestry, (refer below) but those who do not have access to Ancestry, (or if Ancestry has transcribed the name in the roll incorrectly, or omitted the record), may find the downloads useful. They are large pdfs, which require a broadband connection . For full details refer the National Archives advice page Digital microfilm

The records are mainly in respect of British Army regiments, although there are some in respect of the Indian Army. Some medals do not appear to have rolls in the WO 100 records, and appear to be only available in the India Office records at the British Library, refer above.

Some medals, whose rolls generally are part of WO 100, were issued by the Government in India to British Army soldiers still serving in India. It is unclear whether all these medal recipients are included in the WO 100 records, although some appear to be.

The catalogue entry is WO 100 Campaign Medal and Award Rolls (General Series) The following subseries have been noted , following the order of the National Archive’s Discovery catalogue

• WO 100/13. Includes India Medal, 1803-26 and Punjab, 1848-49 in the one download.
• WO 100/19 1845-1879 Includes India. Possibly Royal Artillery
• Punjab, 1848-49, see WO 100/13
• WO 100/20. India, N.W. Frontier 1849-1863
• WO 100/21A India 1849-1866 for "Staff, 7th Hussars"
• WO 100/21B India - Chin and Kachin Hills clasp 1892-1893
• WO 100/35-39 Indian Mutiny 1857-1858
• WO 100/40-41 China 1842-1860
• WO 100/43 Abyssinia 1867-1868
• WO 100/51-53 Afghanistan 1878-1880
• WO 100/54 Includes Afghanistan 1878-1890
• WO 100/69-70 Burma 1885-1887
• WO 100/73 Burma 1887-1889
• WO 100/74 Hazara 1888, Sikkim 1888, Chin-Lughai 1888-1890
• WO 100/75 India - Burma and Lushai 1889-92, Hazara 1891, Manpur 1891, Miranzai 1891, Waziristan 1894-1902
• India - Chin and Kachin Hills clasp 1892-1893, see WO 100/21B
• WO 100/78 Chitral 1895
• WO 100/84-89 India 1897-1898
• WO 100/94-99 China 1900
• WO 100/111 1897-1902 Includes Delhi Durbar
• WO 100/296-298 Queen's South Africa: Indian Army 1899-1902
• WO 100/369 King's South Africa: Indian Army 1899-1902
• WO 100/386 China 1900
• WO 100/395 Tibet 1903-1904
• WO 100/397 India General Service Medal Rolls 1909-1912 Clasp North West Frontier 1908 Clasp Abor 1911-1912
• WO 100/399 Delhi Durbar 1903
• WO 100/400 Delhi Durbar 1911
• WO 100/401 India General Service Medal with Clasp Waziristan 1921-1924. Medal roll for medals and clasps issued in India.
• General Service Medals 1920-1935. Should include include Clasps Iraq 1919-1920, Kurdistan 1919 and 1923, North West Persia 1920 and South Persia 1918-1919. Regarding the issue of medals, a post on the Great War Forum advises that for the General Service Medal, bars 'Kurdistan', 'Iraq', 'N.W. Persia' and the India General Service Medal particularly bar 'Waziristan 1919-21', the medal rolls reflect only those men who had previously applied for a medal, and if there had been no application by a soldier, his name does not appear on the medal roll.
  • WO 100/411-419 General Service Medals (British Units)
  • WO 100/420-421 General Service Medals (British Officers)
  • WO 100/422- 463 General Service Medals (Indian Army)
  • WO 100/ 464-466 General Service Medals (Indian And Iraq Units)
• WO 100/467-493 India General Service Medals 1920-1935, with advised subdivisions:
  • WO 100/476-483 Afghanistan/NWF 1919, Mahsud 1919-20 and Waziristan 1919-1921 to Other Ranks
  • WO 100/484-485 Same to Officers
  • WO 100/487 Malabar
  • WO 100/488-492 Waziristan 1921-1924 to British units. Additionally,
  • WO 100/483 Rolls received from India (with medals); issues in India
  • WO 100/486 Includes Indian Army Reserve of Officers and miscellaneous

See comment above, in respect of General Service Medals, that medal rolls only include the names of men who had previously applied for a medal.

• WO 100/494-497 India General Service Medal 1930-1935 Clasps NWF 1930-31, Burma 1930-32 Mohmand 1933, NWF 1935
• WO 100/498-499 India General Service Medal 1936-1939 Clasp NWF 1936-37 Clasp NWF 1937-39

WO 102 Medal Rolls

The majority of the National Archives records Long Service and Good Conduct Awards, Registers: WO 102 are available to download free of charge as pdfs. The records in WO 102/1-24 are available as downloads, while the records WO 102/25-35 have not been digitised. The records are Registers of candidates noted for, and recipients of, the Long Service and Good Conduct awards between 1831 and 1953. They are large pdfs, which require a broadband connection . For details about the connection, refer the National Archives advice page Digital microfilm

• Transcription of the Long Service & Good Conduct medal register for the Royal Artillery (including RA, RFA, RGA & RHA) for 1902-12 . The List includes name, year of issue, rank and regimental number. The Asplin Military History Resources, now an archived webpage. The source appears to be WO 102/19.

ADM 171 Naval Medal Rolls

The National Archives records ADM 171 Admiralty, and Ministry of Defence, Navy Department: Medal Rolls 1793-1995 are available to download free of charge as pdfs. These records are available on the pay site Ancestry, (refer below) but those who do not have access to Ancestry may find the downloads useful. They are large pdfs which require a broadband connection. For full details refer the National Archives advice page Digital microfilm

• These records include ADM 171/62 1915-1952. Naval General Service Medal: including clasp for Persian Gulf 1909-1914; clasp for Iraq 1919-1920; clasp for North West Persia 1920. The clasp for Persian Gulf is known to include Royal Indian Marine recipients.

First World War

Medal Index Cards

• The National Archives research guide British Army medal index cards 1914-1920. Includes a Search facility, information about the medals and how to read the cards, including links to two detailed lists of abbreviations in respect of rank and unit. There is also reference to the Indian Army Medal Index Cards, catalogue references WO 372/25 to WO 372/29, for the period to 31 December 1918. Note however, there are some Medal Index Cards relating to men in the Mesopotamian Railways, Indian Ordnance Department, Indian Mountain Artillery, and perhaps others, which are not specifically classified as Indian Army, and are catalogued outside this range.

• Images of the medal index cards are also available on the commercial site Ancestry. The Ancestry database also includes the back of the cards which sometimes contain information. Additionally the Ancestry cards are in colour, which may be easier to read, whereas the National Archives images are in black and white. TNA images are from microfiches scanned in 1985-86, whereas Ancestry images were scanned c 2008 from MOD original cards, which may have later notations, possibly up to c 2005.

The Ancestry website advises some records including Indian Army cards are not included. However some Mesopotamian Railways, and perhaps other entries which are not classified Indian Army may be included on the Ancestry database.

Note. There are known to be some accidental omissions from the Ancestry database, including one large batch.

• How to interpret a campaign medal index card The Long, Long Trail.

Note

• There are some Medal Index Cards for Indians belonging to the British Army. Lascars in the Royal Artillery (see Gun Lascar), and Inland Water Transport, Royal Engineers have been noted, together with some soldiers in Indian Artillery Mountain Batteries.
• The Medal Index Cards appear to only contain some of the medal entitlements for soldiers, (both European and Indian), in the Indian Army. Some medals, such as the War Medal and the Victory Medal were issued by the Government of India. Generally these are not included in the Medal Index Cards.

Medal Rolls

• WO 329. The Medal Rolls for some records may contain information additional to that in the Medal Index Cards.

Catalogue reference: WO 329 War Office and Air Ministry: Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War includes a free download Index and Key to War of 1914-1918 medal rolls. This guide was written prior to the current catalogue, and the relationship between the original index references and the modern WO 329 are described here

The medal rolls for the Indian Army in this series include British War Medal and Victory Medal: officers and other ranks WO 329/2384-2391, Officers WO 329/2303 - Described at item level, WO 329/2304,W0 329/2347-2352; 1914-15 Star: WO 329/2939 (part of) WO 329/2940, WO 329/2941; Territorial Force War Medal: Officers: WO 329/3272- Described at item level.

For soldiers who were in Volunteer regiments in India pre WW1, see Calcutta Volunteer Battery for more details of medals to this Battery which may be classified according to the original Volunteer regiment the soldier came from.

Note: The WO 329 medal rolls available at the National Archives appear to only contain some of the medal entitlements for soldiers in the Indian Army. It appears that some of the medals may have been issued in India but although the the British Library appears to have a medal roll for the 1914-1915 Star, it is unclear what rolls for other medals are available. Refer "British Library records" below.

The medal rolls are available on the pay site Ancestry. Transcriptions are available on the pay website Findmypast. Transcription of some/all of the WO 329 medal rolls are available on the pay site "Naval and Military Archive". See External links below.

• WO 388 War Office: Military Secretary's Honours and Awards Branch: Exchange of Army Decorations between Britain and the Allies Registers. This series of records contains medal rolls for awards from Allied foreign governments. Some of the records may be downloaded for free.

Details inscribed on the medals

The regimental particulars inscribed on British War and Victory Medals are those held on first disembarkation in a Theatre of War. The rank is highest attained provided it was held in a Theatre of War or overseas prior to 11-11-18.

For First World War Medals, millions of which were issued, there was plenty of potential for errors in the inscriptions, given the many different clerical steps involved.

Merchant seamen

Eligible Merchant seamen and officers were entitled to British War Medal and the Mercantile Marine Medal. There are Medal Index Cards available in the National Archives series BT 351/1/1, BT 351/1/2 and MT 9/1404. Refer Research Guides, above for a Search facility. Relevant records may be downloaded for a fee.

Members of the Indian Mercantile Marine were also eligible for the above medals, but it seems probable these medals were issued by the Government of India, and do not appear in the National Archives records.

British Library records

As stated above, many of the medal rolls are reprinted in books on the open access shelves at the British Library.

Note: Use the British Library Archives and Manuscripts Search to access the following links.

Catalogue references are

• Medal Rolls IOR/L/MIL/5/42-141 1799-1911 with links to the sub categories. (These records are those covered in the "Your Archives" link above, but the catalogue references are given again, as the accompanying information may be slightly different)

Additional to the catalogue references for Medal Rolls IOR/L/MIL/5/42-141 the following list contains both medal roll catalogue references and some catalogue references which do not specifically mention rolls but which may possibly contain medal rolls, listed (approximately) according to date of the military action.

• Collection 257/4 Medal rolls of men of Tennasserim or Suakin 1884 operations. IOR/L/MIL/7/11202 1888-1889
• Collection 274/25 Egyptian Medal granted by Khedive: medal rolls. IOR/L/MIL/7/12730 1897-1901
• Collection 274/31 Soudan Medal 1898: grant of to Indian contingent at Suakin 1896. IOR/L/MIL/7/12735 1899-1900
• Grant of medal for operations in British Central Africa 1894-1898, Army Order 135 of 1899. IOR/L/MIL/7/14412 1899
• Collection 132/101 Delhi Durbar 1911 medal rolls: replacement of lost medals, claims for issue of medal. IOR/L/MIL/7/5864 1911-1922
• First World War
  • Collection 425/1596 Medal rolls for 1914-1915 Star. IOR/L/MIL/7/18841 1919-1920
  • Collection 403/68 Minor operations on North West Frontier 1914-1915: operations on or beyond frontiers of India to be regarded as part of First World War for award of 1914-1915 Star. IOR/L/MIL/7/16888 1915-1919
  • IOR/L/MIL/17/5/2414: Roll of rewards and promotions to officers and men of the Indian Army and departments serving in the various expeditionary forces in France (A), Egypt (E), the Mediterranean (G), East Africa (B), Mesopotamia (D), and in operations in the Persian Gulf, at Muscat, Aden, Somaliland, in China, and on the north-west and north-east frontiers of India, notified in the London and India Gazettes. Marginally noted. 5th & 6th edns 1916. 2 vols.

IOR/L/PS/20/H143 1917. Roll of rewards and promotions of officers and men of the Indian Army and departments, and of Royal Artillery and Royal Engineer officers and men attached to Indian units, serving in the undermentioned forces:- France (A) East Africa, including Cameroons (B) Mesopotamia (D) Egypt, including Sudan (E) Gallipoli, including Salonica (G) Indian Frontier Indian area, including Aden, Perim, Somaliland, Gulf of Oman, and China Up to and including "London Gazette" dated 11th May 1917 and "Indian Gazette" dated 3rd February 1917 [?London: India Office, 8th edn, 1917].

IOR/L/MIL/14/237-238. War Rewards to the Indian Army, 1915-1921. Printed roll of rewards and promotions appearing in the London Gazette and Gazette of India.

IOR/L/MIL/17/5/2416. List of awards granted to Indian officers, non-commissioned officers & men & followers of the Indian Army & Imperial Service Troops etc, in all theatres during the Great War. Simla: AG's Branch, 1923 (478 pages)

IOR/L/MIL/17/5/2417. List of honours awarded to the Indian Army August 1914 to August 1921. Calcutta: AG in India for Indian War Memorial Committee, 1931. This List is available online (note spelling in actual title is List of Honors), and was also the basis for a reprint edition, (with some amendments), refer below.

• Records of the British Administration in Aden, 1839-1967: IOR/R/20/A/5014 - File 73 British War Medal & Mercantile Marine War Medal. It is not known whether this is general correspondence or includes a list of names.
• Report on operations of Bushire Field Force April 1918 to March 1919, and recommendations for rewards. IOR/L/MIL/7/18931 1919-1920
• Collection 425/1602 Honours and rewards for minor operations May 1919 to April 1920 (North West Frontier, Persia, Aden). IOR/L/MIL/7/18847 1919-1921
• Collection 89/97 Grant of India General Service Medal with Waziristan 1919-21 or Mahsud 1919-20 clasps to Royal Air Force personnel. IOR/L/MIL/7/4052 1922
• Collection 89/96 Rewards for services in connection with Malabar operations (Moplah) of 1921-1922. IOR/L/MIL/7/4051 1921-1927
• Collection 89/102 Grant of India General Service Medal with Waziristan 1921-24 clasp to Royal Air Force personnel. IOR/L/MIL/7/4056 1925-1926
• Collection 89/119 General Service Medal rolls. IOR/L/MIL/7/4074 1923-1928
• Collection 89/94 Part 1 Award of India General Service Medal for Afghan operations. IOR/L/MIL/7/4048 1920-1925
• Collection 89/94 Part 2 Award of India General Service Medal for Afghan operations. IOR/L/MIL/7/4049 1922-1927
• Collection 89/109 Grant of medal for operations ("disturbances") on North West Frontier 1930-31 and Burma 1930-31. IOR/L/MIL/7/4064 1930-1945
• Collection 89/112 Grant of war medal and clasp for Mohmand (Peshawar) operations of 1933. IOR/L/MIL/7/4067 1933-1935
• Collection 403/136 Recommendations for awards and "mentions" in despatches in connection with Burma rebellion. IOR/L/MIL/7/16963 1932-1933.
• Collection 403/146 Part 1 Waziristan operations 1936-1937: recommendations for awards. IOR/L/MIL/7/16974 1937-1938
• Collection 403/146 Part 2 Waziristan operations 1937-1938: recommendations for awards. IOR/L/MIL/7/16975 1939-1940
• File 201/40 Con. General Service Medal for operations in the Aden Protectorate IOR/R/20/C/953 Jan 1940-Feb 1940
• List of recipients in India of the Imperial Service Medal, 1924-1941. Calcutta, Delhi, 1925-41 IOR/V/25/72/2 1925-1941 Annual. Lacking 1936, 1940

The Gazette of India, 1864-1947, and other Government Gazettes IOR/V/11 may be a possible source of information. For some online editions, see Gazette of India online.

Medal Rolls for Indian Native Troops

The information in respect of Medal Rolls IOR/L/MIL/5/42-141 1799-1911 states that the names of Indian recipients rarely appear (except, however, in L/MIL/5/87-103). These latter records are detailed Your Archives - Medal Rolls in the India Office Library, which also lists a few entries such as L/MIL/5/60 Nominal rolls of Indian Army native troops. 1870-1878.

The National Archives, Kew medal roll WO 100/99 China, refer above, contains some Indian Officers of the 24th Punjabis, and even some Indian soldiers.

For details of some medals awarded to Indian troops in the Boer War, see External links below.

Publications containing Medal Rolls etc

• Published works: British & Commonwealth Orders Decorations and Medals northeastmedals.co.uk
• The Delhi Durbar 1903: A Complete Roll and Index of Recipients by Peter Duckers and Ian McInnes, was published in 2002 by Jade Publishing Ltd. ISBN-10: 190073401X ISBN-13: 9781900734011
• The Delhi Durbar Medal 1911 to the British Army compiled by Peter Duckers was published c 1999 and is available at the British Library UIN: BLL01008137354
• Honours and Awards Indian Army 1914 – 1921. Facsimile reprint JB Hayward & Son, London 1979 and 1986, (the latter is stated to include some amendments made by the publisher), originally published in 1931 in Calcutta as Roll of Honour Indian Army 1914-1921. The original publication is probably that available at the British Library under the title List of honors awarded to the Indian Army August 1914 to August 1921, published 1931. The latter 1931 publication is available online, refer Historical books online, below.
• Indian Order Of Merit Historical Records 1837 - 1947 Volume One 1837 – 1860 by Cliff Parrett and Sqn Ldr Rana TS Chhina (Retd) is published in India. "There are two substantial nominal indexes. The first lists 2,700 Indian officers and other ranks of the H.E.I.C. Army, the majority of these being recipients of the I.O.M. The second lists over 900 British officers and other ranks, and civilians, who were somehow or other involved in I.O.M. actions" This book is available at the British Library UIN: BLL01015684795
• Reward of Valor: The Indian Order of Merit, 1914-1918 by Peter Duckers was published in 2004 (first published 1999). The 1999 edition is available at the Imperial War Museum, London. However, see P P Hypher's 1927 book available online below, which includes content relating to the Indian Order of Merit, 1860-1925.
• The Indian Distinguished Service Medal by Rana Chhina. Details: Hardcover: 359 pages Publisher: InvictaIndia (2001) ISBN-10: 8187642009 ISBN-13: 978-8187642008 "The definitive study …which contains a detailed list of all those who were awarded the medal". Available at the British Library.
• Egypt 1882: dispatches, casualties, awards by Peter Duckers. Published by Spink, c 2001. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01012386029
• The Whitewash Brigade: The Hong Kong Plague of 1894 by J.J. Platt, M.E. Jones and A.K. Platt. Published by Dix Noonan Webb, 1998. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01011169014
• Taku Forts 1900 by Colin Narbeth. Also titled Admiral Seymour's expedition & Taku forts 1900. Chippenham : Picton Publishing, 1980. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01011656137
• North West Frontier 1908: The Zakka Khel and Mohmand Campaigns by Peter Duckers. Published by Spink & Son Ltd 2006. ISBN 10: 1902040716 ISBN 13: 9781902040714
• The Great War Medal Collectors Companion by Howard Williamson Volume I 2011. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01015997240. Volumes II and III, 2014. All three volumes are available at the Imperial War Museums, LBY 11/1123 (and also 11/1309); LBY 15/40 and 15/41. Contents of the Volumes. Volume IV, and other titles are approaching completion.

Books currently available

Books currently available (November 2020) which have been noted:

• Army Of The Sutlej 1845-6 Casualty Roll is published by Naval and Military Press. This Casualty Roll has been compiled from the Sutlej Medal Rolls held at the British Library.
• Three companion volumes by K.J. Asplin China Medal Roll 1856-60: British Army, China Medal Roll 1856-60: Royal Navy, Despatches of the China War 1856-60 These books are published by Savannah Publications
• Second Afghan War 1878-1880 Casualty Roll by Anthony Farrington is published by Naval and Military Press. A description of the 1986 original edition says "3,000 British and Indian officers and men, arranged by regiment and giving the precise nature of the casualty, where details available. Bibliography of sources, which are also indicated under each regimental section. Facsimiles of despatches for Ali Musjid, Peiwar Kotal, Charasiah, Kabul-Kandahar March and Battle of Kandahar. Full citations for gallantry awards (VC, DCM and IOM)." The 1986 edition is available at the British Library UIN: BLL01011838825
• India General Service Medal 1895 Casualty Roll compiled by Anthony Farrington is published by Naval and Military Press. A 1987 edition of this book is available at the British Library UIN: BLL01011846235
• China War Medal 1900: to the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines is published by Naval and Military Press. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01008804045
• Taming the Tiger: The Story of the India General Service Medal 1908–1935 by Richard G.M.L. Stiles is published by Savannah Publications. Includes Medal Rolls and Rolls of Honour. (Sample page 221) This 2012 edition (496 pages) appears to be an expanded edition of a book by Stiles published in 1992, The Story of the India General Service Medal 1908-1935 (158 pages).
• India General Service Medal Roll 1908-1935 to the RAF is published by Naval and Military Press
• Naval General Service Medal Roll 1793-1840 is published by Naval and Military Press
• Naval General Service Medal 1915-1962 To The Royal Navy And Royal Marines For The Bars Persian Gulf 1909-1914, Iraq 1919-1920, NW Persia 1920 compiled and edited by WH Fevyer and JW Wilson is published by Naval and Military Press. The description of the book includes a reference to the Royal Indian Marine Service.

External links

• Iain Stewart’s The Victoria Cross has the following pages in relation to India:

• Honorable East India Company and Indian Army Holders of the Victoria Cross
• Burial Locations in India of Victoria Cross holders

• Kevin Asplin’s excellent The Asplin Military History Resources, now archived contains transcriptions including the following Medal Rolls

• Army of India – Royal Scots Medal Roll
• Sutlej Medal Roll for the 50th Foot
• Punjab Medal Roll - 9th Lancers 1849
• Nominal Roll for the Indian Mutiny Medal and Indian Mutiny Medal Roll 1857-59 (British Forces) Corrections and amendments. The latter includes a partial list of some of the HEIC men who fought in the Mutiny. It is stated "This is not a confirmed or full list". Medal Provenance contains a link to an excel spreadsheet created by David Doorn which lists Indian Mutiny medals known in private collections or museums, which does not work in its archived form but which is Database of Recorded Indian Mutiny Medals 1857-1859 omsa.org
• 9th Lancers Afghan Medal Roll 1879-1881
• Burma 1887-1889 - Transcribed from WO 100/73 series at The National Archives. Unfortunately only the top line Staff and Royal Munster Fusiliers appear to have been archived.
• India General Service Medal Rolls Punjab Campaigns 1895-1902 and 1897-1898. 2nd Bn. Highland Light Infantry is the only archived link.
• 9th Lancers Afghan Medal Roll 1879-1881

• Medals of the Regiments from northeastmedals.co.uk contains a number of medal rolls for particular regiments including
  • Medal Roll 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders: Relief of Chitral 1895
• Army of India Medal Roll 1799-1826 for the 1st Regiment of Foot from the archived website YesterYears
• Sutlej Medal 1845/6 Roll for the 10th Regiment of Foot, with clasp "Sobraon" from the archived website YesterYears
• Dix Noonan Webb Medals have a (free) Medal Rolls search facility for

• Army of India Medal Roll (1799-1826) compiled by Colin Message
• Indian Mutiny Medal Roll - (1857-1859) compiled by Kevin Asplin. Includes East India Company Army regiments. Browse the (drop down) 'Units' which are listed by initials only such as 1 Be EF (1st Bengal European Fusiliers)

• The Fee Paying Website "Ancestry" (allows a free search) now hosts
  • UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949, based on the National Archives records WO 100 "This database contains lists of more than 2.3 million officers, enlisted personnel and other individuals entitled to medals and awards commemorating their service in campaigns and battles for the British Army between 1793 and 1949". Note there are some known omissions, or names may be transcribed incorrectly. Campaigns in India are included - but not WWI or WWII medal and award rolls. WWI medal information is available in the following collections.
  • British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 Based on records from the Army Medal Office WWI Medal Index Cards. "The Medal Index Cards collection is the most complete listing of individuals who fought in the British Army in WWI, containing approximately 90% of soldiers’ names". Note. It is advised "Indian Army cards are not presently included in this database". It is believe the excluded cards may be restricted to those in the National Archives record series WO 372/25 to WO 372/29, and that Medal Index Cards for a limited number of Indian Army personnel are available ion Ancestry. However, an overriding factor is that some/most Indian Army personnel are not included in the National Archives records. There are also some accidental omissions.
  • UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920. Based on the National Archives records WO 329. "The volumes in this series record the entitlement to medals and awards of men and women serving in some capacity during the First World War. Most pieces concern those serving in the Army". However there are other categories. Note: Silver War Badge records are in a separate dataset, following.
  • UK, Silver War Badge Records, 1914-1920 WO 329, 2958–3255. Awarded to military personnel who had been discharged because of wounds or illness. Available as both transcribed records and images. Also on Findmypast as transcribed records only.
  • UK, Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Based on the National Archives records ADM 171. "The rolls include medals awarded for British campaigns and service in Europe, India, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere during the height of the British Empire and into the 20th century. This database also includes medal rolls from the First and Second World Wars".
  • See later entry for the London Gazette.
• Findmypast. Fee paying website.
  • "Britain, First World War Campaign Medals" located in the category Military, armed forces & conflict/First World War. Transcriptions only which were produced by Naval and Military Press Ltd, no images. Images are available on Ancestry. The National Archives, Kew record series WO 329.
  • "Silver War Badge Roll 1914-1920", located under Military, armed forces & conflict/First World War. Transcriptions only. Images are available on Ancestry.
  • "Britain, Campaign, Gallantry & Long Service Medals & Awards" located under Armed forces & conflict/Medal rolls and honours. A subcategory in this database is
    • "India Efficiency Medal Awards, 1930-1939 and India Volunteer Force Medal Awards, 1915-1939". The information for each transcript was extracted from the Indian Army Orders by Kevin Asplin. Although in a database titled Britain, these awards actually appear to be for the Indian Army.
    • Added c 2021/05/14, Indian General Service Medals 1854-1895, 1908-1935 and 1936-1939; China War Medal 1900; Second China War Medal 1857-60; General Service Medal 1918-1962; India Medal 1895-1902.
  • See later entry for the London Gazette.
• Anglo Boer War.com Select Forum- Main Forum- Medals and awards- Indian Contingent, for information about some of the Indian troops sent to South Africa, and the medals awarded.
• Naval and Military Archive. A pay website associated with Naval and Military Press. Includes "Campaign Medal Rolls of the Great War", transcribed from National Archives Medal Rolls, for 1914 Star, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal 1914-19, Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19. These transcriptions are also available on Findmypast. Silver War Badge records are also available.
• Medal Roll for India General Service Medal with clasps 1919-1935: RAF personnel. Surnames A-Brymer only. Includes the Squadrons present. Pdf link naval-military-press.com, archived page.
• The [London] Gazette Official Public Record for the U.K. Free Search for gallantry awards for both officers and other soldiers. Search tips: include full stops after initials, and if the name includes an apostrophe, follow this by a space.

Some data from the London Gazette is available online elsewhere, where the Search facilities may be easier to use (Free Search, pay to view) :

Ancestry includes the database "The London Gazette (London, England), 1825-1962" (located under Newspapers & Periodicals), but notes there are random gaps in this collection.

findmypast includes the database "The London Gazette, Supplements August 1914 - January 1920" (Located under Armed forces & conflict/Medal rolls and honours), which also includes promotions and Battle Despatches

• Geoff Sullivan’s Geoff's WO 373 Lists: Recommendations for Honours and Awards, Second World War includes
  • Burma and India
  • Malaya And Singapore, Java, Hong Kong

Historical books online

• Deeds of Valour Performed by Indian Officers and Soldiers during the period from 1860 to 1925 by P P Hypher, Army Department 1927 printed at Simla, is available on the FIBIS database as a series of many pdf files to download. Depending on your browser, you may need to locate the files in your downloads folder. Contents: The Indian Order of Merit 1860-1913 pages 1-178; IOM 1914-1925 p 230-491; The Victoria Cross p 179; The Military Cross p 187; Foreign Decorations p 210. Includes details of the actions which led to the awards.

There is a previous book Deeds of Valour of the Indian Soldier which won the Indian Order of Merit, during the period from 1837 to 1859 by PP Hypher 1925 (of which only 500 copies were printed.) Available at the British Library, BLL01012490851 and the National Army Museum.

• "Indian Army: List of individuals granted Meritorious Service Medals with annuity, Long Service and Good Conduct Medals, with or without gratuity for the year ending 31 December 1916" (but probably should be 1915) page 2 India Army Orders 1916 Archive.org

Also see Indian Army-Historical books online for online editions of India Army Orders which may contain additional listings of medal recipients.

• Collection 425/95 Operations in East Africa: reports of engagements, honours and rewards IOR/L/MIL/7/17250 1914-1919 British Library Digitised Manuscripts. Awards to both British and Indian soldiers.
• List of ‘Promotions and Rewards' page 347-382 With the Indians in France by Sir James Willcocks 1920 Archive.org
• List of Honors Awarded to the Indian Army August 1914 to August 1921 Published 1931. Issued 1930. Public Library of India Collection on Archive.org
• White Russian awards to British & Commonwealth servicemen during the Allied intervention in Russia 1918-1920 : with a roll of honour by Ray Brough 1991. Includes South Russia. British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.
• "East India (Troops and Police)" Correspondence relative to the grant of the Medal to the Troops and Police employed in Suppressing the Mutiny and Rebellion in the Bombay Presidency. Ordered to be printed 17 May 1865 by the House of Commons. With Medal Rolls. Google Books. This book is catalogued in Google Books as Parliamentary Papers, House of Commons and Command, Volume 38