Scarce India General Service Medal to More Durham Vol RA Rocket Section.

An India General Service Medal 1895-1902, 2 Clasps: Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98, awarded to 46329 Gunner Joseph More of the 5th Company, Western Division, Royal Artillery. This regiment was previously the Durham Artillery Volunteers and later Durham Territorial Royal Garrison Artillery. by 1890 the regiment consisted of eight batteries and their HQ was in Sunderland
More was present during the operations on the Punjab Frontier including on the Samana Ridge and with the Tirah Field Force during 1897 to 1898.
The medal comes with a copy of his medal roll which confirms his entitlement to the award and bars but also it states that Gunner More was part of the Rocket section RA.
Rockets were used in battle, defiantly since the Napoleonic wars, when they used the Congrave rocket. During the 19th century the British army were firing the Hale rocket. An Englishman named William Hale was the first rocket designer to adopted a combination of tail fins and secondary nozzles through which exhaust could pass. Hale rockets became the first spin-stabilized rockets, and quickly became standard equipment for both the United States and British armies, the latter especially in British colonial wars. The rockets were carried in special sacks on the backs of mules and 24-pounder had an explosive warhead and could be useful for both anti-personnel use and bombardments of small structures. Their average range was about 1,200 yards, though depending upon firing angle and other factors could range up to 4,000 yards.
This medal is in lovely original condition, just showing light wear to the high points on the surface. It has the correct engraved naming and both bars or clasps are fixed in the correct manner. It comes suspended on a piece of replacement ribbon and as mentioned comes with a copy of his original medal roll.

Code: 24917