Risaldar-Major Kesar Singh, I.O.M.

5th Cavalry, Punjab Frontier Force

Risaldar-Major Kesar Singh, along with other fellow soldiers, is considered to be the first Sikh immigrant to Canada. These senor Indian Army officers arrived in Vancouver on board Empress of India in 1897. In the picture/painting below, along with Indian Order of Merit (the 1st class was considered equivalent to Victoria Cross), he is wearing the India medal and clasp for the Jowaki Expedition of 1877–78 and the Afghanistan medal with two clasps for Afghanistan (1878–80) — Charasia Clasp and Kabul Clasp.

Risaldar-Major Kesar Singh was in the service of the Indian Army, specifically with the 5th Cavalry, Punjab Frontier Force which was raised in 1841. The regiment took part in the 2nd Anglo-Sikh Wars of 1849, during the battle of Multan and was part of the broader Punjab Campaign. It took part in the 2nd Anglo-Afghan war of 1878–80. The regiment also took part in the 1st World War and was deployed in Mesopotamia from 1917–18.

Risaldar-Major Kesar Singh attended Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in London in 1897, and was one of several Indian officers whose portraits were taken by photographic studios. He was also the subject of this painting by John Charlton, R.I., (1848–1917), an artist who had been commissioned in early years to paint Indian Army subjects and episodes.

Risaldar-Major Kesar Singh is wearing the following medals:

India Medal with Jowaki Expedition clasp of 1877–78. This expedition lasted from 9 November 1877–19 January 1878.

This clasp was authorized 1 March 1878. The Jowaki Afridis, who occupied the territory between Peshawar and the Kohat Pass, made continuous attacks on their neighbors. Two forces under the command of Brigadier Generals C.P. Keyes and C.C.G Ross were sent to suppress these incursions. Brigadier General Keyes with the main body attacked and captured Jummoo, the principal Jowaki stronghold, 1 December 1877.

Afghanistan Medal -1878–80

The medal was sanctioned on 19 March 1881 for the Afghanistan campaigns which took place between 22 November 1878–26 May 1879 and 3 September 1879–20 September 1880

Charasia Clasp — 6 October 1879

Kabul Clasp — 10–23 December 1879

This clasp was awarded to those who were engaged in the operations at or near Kabul from 10–23 December, including the column under Brigadier General C.J.S Gough VC, CB, which joined Sir Fredrick Roberts VC on 24 December.

Indian Order of Merit (IOM)

Charge against Kohistanis on the left bank of the Kabul River, 14th December 1879

On the 14th December the 5th Punjab Cavalry P.F.F., which had been acting as escort to the guns of G Battery, 3rd Brigade Royal Artillery, was quartered in the King’s Garden, a third of the way between the Sherpur cantonment and the city. At about 1 p.m., while piquet was retiring from the Conical Hill, Captain Vousden was out reconnoitring on the left bank of the Kabul river with a troop of the regiment when he observed a body of the enemy, estimated to number between three and four hundred Kohistanis, moving along the Bala Hissar road with the intention of crossing the bridge over the river. Although most of the troop was held up by a heavy fire opened up on them from behind some nearby walls, twelve determined men accompanied Vousden in charging straight into the middle of the enemy.

“It is a significant fact and one, which speaks of itself for the gallantry displayed in encountering such stupendous odds, and of the undaunted spirit with which the encounter was sustained that, in the charge which ensued, six men of Captain Vousden’s little band were wounded, of whom three subsequently died, and that when the enemy dispersed, they left no fewer than thirty of their number on the ground, all killed by sword.”

G.G.O. 252, 23rd April 1880

183 Dafadar Kesar Singh (was awarded I.O.M. 3rd Class)

Capt. William John Vousden was awarded the Victoria Cross for this action.

Source:

Indian Order of Merit – Volume Two – By Cliff Parrett and Rana Chhina

Sowars and Sepoys in the Great War 1914–1918 by Ashok Nath

British Battles and Medals by John Hayward and Diana Birch and Richard Bishop