§ Captain MURRAYasked the Under-Secretary for India whether he is aware that when the decision was taken to dispatch the Abor expedition a composite battalion of military police, some 700 strong, was detailed to go; that it was also decided that simultaneously with the Abor expedition missions should be sent into the Mishmi country, to the west of Aborland, and into the Miri country, east of it, for survey and other purposes, and that to supply the escorts for these missions some 350 officers and men were withdrawn from the composite battalion; whether he is aware that these missions were in the field, the Mishmi mission from the beginning of November, 1911, to the latter end of February, 1912, and the Miri mission from November, 1911, to the end 2682W of March, 1912, during which time the latter mission had no less than three brushes with the enemy; whether he is aware that the General Service Medal granted to the officers and men serving with the Abor expeditionary force has not been extended to the officers and man who composed the Mishmi and Miri missions; and whether, in view of the fact that the men of the military police in Assam and Burma are out frequently on small operations involving much risk and hard work, of which no recognition in the shape of a medal or decoration is ever given, the Secretary of State will consider the advisability of taking such steps as will extend the General Service Medal for operations on the North-East Frontier, 1911–12, to the officers and men employed with the Mishmi and Miri missions?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe Missions sent to the Mishmi and Miri countries in 1911 were in charge of civil officers each with an escort of military police and a few technical troops for surveying purposes. They were not military operations nor did they form part of the operations against the Abors. The Secretary of State fully considered the question whether the medal could be granted for service with the Missions, but decided in the negative as such service could not be brought within terms of Article 577 of the Royal "Warrant for the Pay, etc., of the Army, which regulates the grant of war medals.