MacGregor Medal

Last updated
MacGregor Medal
MacGregor Medal.jpg
Obverse and Reverse of the medal
TypeMilitary award
Awarded forFor military intelligence through reconnaissance, exploration and survey; later, for adventure
CountryFlag of India.svg India
Presented by United Service Institution
StatusActive
EstablishedMay 1887;138 years ago (May 1887) [1]
First award1889
Final award16 Apr 2025
Total125
MacGregor Medal Ribbon.jpg
Ribbon [2]

The MacGregor Medal (also referred to as the MacGregor Memorial Medal) is awarded for valuable military intelligence through reconnaissance, exploration, survey or other similar activities of national importance. [3] [4] [5] Awardees have included Survey of India personnel, military attaches, consuls, political officers and Indian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel (including British officers before Independence). [6] Post 1947 the medal has only been awarded to military personnel. A few medals have been awarded for escapes from enemy-occupied territory while some medals were awarded for successful operations inside enemy territory. [7] Sometimes the awardee would be conferred the medal years after the journey had been made. [8] Currently the domains incorporated are land, sea and air. Over the years the necessity and opportunities related to exploration have declined and this in turn has been coupled with a decline in recommendations. In this light the eligibility has been expanded to adventure activities mountain and desert expeditions, rafting, world circumnavigation, polar expedition and flights. [9] [10] [7]

Contents

History

The medal was instituted in May 1887 to honour the memory of United Service Institution of India founder, Major General Sir Charles MacGregor. [1] [11] The original criteria for award of the medal were enunciated out on 3 July 1888 at Shimla at a meeting in the presence of Commander-in-Chief General Sir FS Roberts and the Viceroy of India. [1] After the partition of British India into India and Pakistan, the award was adopted by India and continues to this day. 122 medals have been awarded: 7 gold medals to officers, 67 standard size silver medals to officers (including 5 VCOs and JCOs), and 48 reduced size silver medals to other ranks/soldiers. [1] [11] One British officer has been awarded the medal twice, A. S. Lancaster, as a major in 1938, and again as a colonel in 1946; [11] and one British Indian, Shahzad Mir, first as Daffadar, in 1897, then again as Risaldar in 1906. [12] For reconnaissance in 1891, Havildar Ramzan Khan, Punjab Frontier Force, was the first Indian to be awarded the medal.

Specifications

There are three versions of the medal. The standard silver medal 2+3⁄4 inches (70 mm) without any attachments, the reduced gold medal 1+1⁄4 inches (32 mm) without any attachments and the reduced silver medal 1+1⁄4 inches (32 mm) with attachments to suspend around neck. The obverse side contains an effigy of Major General Sir Charles MacGregor. Inscribed on the upper periphery is "Major General Sir Charles MacGregor KCB CSI CIE". Inscribed on the lower periphery is "In Memoriam 1887". The reserve side contains various figures of army personnel. Details of the awardee are inscribed on the outer rim. [13] The colours of the ribbon are (from left to right) — Red, Green, Red, Green, Black, White, Black, Green, Red, Green, Red. The colours are based on the 'MacGregor tartan'. [6]

Recent winners

Pre-1947 recipients

Key

Francis Younghusband 1905.jpg
1890: F. Younghusband
George K. Cockerill.jpg
1896: GK Cockerill
Stewart Blacker in flying gear 1933.jpg
1920: S Blacker
Ordecharleswingate.jpg
1943: OG Wingate

Only recipients with articles have been listed

No.NameRankYearRef/Notes
1 MS Bell Colonel1889 [11]
2 F Younghusband Captain1890 [11]
8 H Bower Captain1893 [11]
12 HR Davies Captain1895 [11]
14 GK Cockerill Lieutenant1896 [11]
16 EJE Swayne Captain1897 [11]
18 HB Walker Captain1898 [11]
41 KBS Jang Subedar1910 [11]
44 G Leachman Captain1911 [11]
52 FM Bailey Captain1914 [19]
53 HT Morshead Captain1914 [20]
60 EWC Noel Captain1918 [21]
61 EH Keeling Lieutenant Colonel1919 [11]
63 LVS Blacker Captain1920 [11]
65 AL Holt Major1921 [11]
69 JG Bruce Captain1923 [11]
76 CHGH Harvey–Kelly Major1926 [11]
99 OC Wingate Major General1943 [11]

Post-1947 recipients

Awards were accompanied with entries in the Register for MacGregor Medal. The entry for Captain S.L. Tugnait, awarded for 1958, reads: [22]

"Captain S.L. Tugnait... Air OP Squadron, Regiment of Artillery. Valuable Military Recce in Northern Ladakh. Covered the route from Leh over the 21,000 ft Chang La (Sic. 17,590 ft) into the Shyok River Valley to Ponyvang Lake (Sic. Pangong Tso). From there to Quazi-Haji Langer-Quaratag Pass, and back by the Karakuram Pass to Daulat Beg Oldi - Sasar Kangri over the Sasar La into the Nubra Valley and back to Leh over the 19,600 ft Kharding La"

This list is complete and up to date as of February 2021.
No.ServiceNameAwardee detailsYearNotes
RankOther details
104.Flag of Indian Army.svg ZC Bakshi MajorVrC, 2nd Bn, 5th Gorkha Rifles (F.F)1949 [11]
105.Flag of Indian Army.svgIC KatochColonelMBE, 6th Bn, 5th Gorkha Rifles (F.F)1951 [11]
106.Flag of Indian Army.svgMS JargCaptain3rd Bn, Jat Regiment1956 [11]
107.Flag of Indian Army.svgIB Goel2nd LieutenantBengal Engineers Group1956 [11]
108.Flag of Indian Army.svgVinod BadhwarCaptain5th Bn, 5th Gorkha Rifles (F.F)1957 [11]
109.Flag of Indian Army.svgSL TugnaitCaptainAir Op Squadron, Regiment of Artillery1958 [22]
110.Flag of Indian Army.svg ML Whig BrigadierMVC FRGS, 2nd Bn, 5th Gorkhas Rifles (F.F)1969 [11]
111.Flag of Indian Army.svgPrem ChandMajorVSM, 13th Bn, Dogra Regiment1970 [11]
112.Flag of Indian Army.svgCS NugyalColonel6th Bn, Sikh Regiment1971 [11]
113.Flag of Indian Army.svgRavindra MisraCaptain4th Bn, 3rd Gorkha Rifles1972 [11]
114.Flag of Indian Army.svgBel Bahadur PunSubedar4th Bn, 3rd Gorkha Rifles1972 [11]
115.Flag of Indian Army.svg Narender Kumar ColonelPVSM, KC, AVSM (Retd) Kumaon Regiment1978 to 1981 [11]
116.Air Force Ensign of India.svgRam Karan MakkarSquadron Leader127 HU, Indian Air Force1986 [23]
117.Air Force Ensign of India.svg Rana TS Chhina Flight Lieutenant127 HU, Indian Air Force1986 [23]
118.Flag of Indian Army.svgNJ KorgaokarLieutenant ColonelSM, Garhwal Regiment1997 [23]
119.Air Force Ensign of India.svgRahul MongaWing CommanderSC, Indian Air Force2007 [18]
120.Air Force Ensign of India.svgSoumik GhoshFlight LieutenantSC, Indian Air Force2010 [18]
121.Naval Ensign of India.svg Dilip Donde CommanderIndian Navy2010 [17]
122.Naval Ensign of India.svg Abhilash Tomy Lieutenant CommanderIndian Navy, KC, NM2013 [16]
123.Naval Ensign of India.svgSanjay KumarElectrical Artificer (P) 3Indian Navy2020 [15]
124.Naval Ensign of India.svgRahul Kumar PandeyChief Electrical Artificer (Radio)Indian Navy2023 [14]
125.Naval Ensign of India.svgRam Ratan JatChief Electrical Aircraft Artificer (Radio)Indian navy2024 [14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Chhina, Squadron Leader (Retd) Rana TS (October–December 2020). "The MacGregor Memorial Medal". United Service Institution of India. Journal of the United Service Institution of India, Vol. CL, No. 622. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  2. ↑ "Ever Observed Colorful Ribbons On Soldier's Uniform? Here's What They Mean". SSBCrack. 18 February 2017. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  3. ↑ Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 471.
  4. ↑ Executive Committee Meetings Minutes, USI & 1988-2002, p. 152.
  5. ↑ USI Journal (2020), p. 582.
  6. 1 2 Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 476.
  7. 1 2 Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 477.
  8. ↑ Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 472.
  9. ↑ Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 474.
  10. ↑ Sood, President's Report USI Journal (1991), p. 4-5.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Macgregor Medal. United Service Institution of India. Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine . Archived on 1 January 2021.
  12. ↑ Hamond 1994, p. 55.
  13. ↑ Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 474–475.
  14. 1 2 3 4 @HQ_IDS_India (April 16, 2025). "General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff felicitated the awardees of the prestigious MacGregor Memorial Medal for 2023 & 2024 at USI, New Delhi..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. 1 2 "Award of Mac Gregor Memorial Medal". Indian Navy. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  16. 1 2 "Who is Indian Navy Commander Abhilash Tomy?". India Today. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 2021-02-19. He was also awarded the MacGregor Medal in 2013 which is awarded to Indian Armed Forces personnel for valuable military reconnaissance.
  17. 1 2 Sinha, Cdr Rahul; Vispute, Narendra (September 2014). "Book Release: A Solo Circumnavigation". Sainik Samachar. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  18. 1 2 3 Upasani, Wg Cdr Mahesh (September 2017). "Fabulous Fliers". Sainik Samachar. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  19. ↑ Waller 1990, p. 240.
  20. ↑ Dalal 1985, p. 280.
  21. ↑ Hopkirk 1994, p. 276.
  22. 1 2 Singh, Lt-Gen (retd) Baljit (28 June 2020). "Enemy at the gates and a 910-km walk". Tribune India. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  23. 1 2 3 Executive Committee Meetings Minutes, USI & 1988-2002, p. 244.

Bibliography

USI Journals

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