Indian General Service Medal - Chin Lushai

Record of Service:

 

Thomas Lavelle was born about 1860 in Silkstone, York. He was working as a Labourer when he enlisted in the British Army on the 22nd of October 1884.

 

Upon enlistment Thomas stated that he had previous service with the 3rd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment. (His previous service was in the Sudan with the York and Lancs, serving as 1653 Lance Corporal Lavelle.) Thomas was allocated service number 1193 and joined the King’s Own Borders.

 

Thomas served at home from the 22nd of October 1884 to the 20th of February 1885; he then spent four years in East India until the 2nd of November 1889. From the 3rd of November 1889 until the 6th of February 1891 he served in Burma (Chin-Lushai expedition) and then returned to the UK where he served until the 21st of October 1896. Thomas transferred to the Army Reserve on the 21st of October 1896, after 12 years of service with the K.O.B.

 

For his service in the Sudan, Thomas was awarded the Egypt Medal clasps – El Teb and Tamaai and the Khedive’s Star. There are two T. Lavelle’s that served during the Boer War, it is not known if either of the two are the same man.

 

Notes:

 

Indian General Service Medal – CHIN-LUSHAI 1889-90 engraved in running script 1193 Pte.T.Lavelle 1st. Bn.K.O.Sco.Bord.