IGS Perak 3rd Foot

Description India General Service Medal 1854, bar Perak, 1560 Private Thomas McParland, 1st 3rd Foot aka The Buffs or East Kent Regiment, former British European Fusiliers and 107th Bengal Infantry.   Officially engraved: “1560 Pte T. McParland. 1/3rd Foot”   There is some scraping about 6 o’clock, not affecting the engraving.   Confirmed on the medal roll with copy service papers.   Thomas McParland was born during 1839 in Drumglass, Dungannon, County Tyrone, Ireland.   Originally he signed up for service with the Honourable East India Company’s Indian Army in the aftermath of the Indian Mutiny, joining the 5th British European Fusiliers on 4th June 1859. He transferred to the 3rd Fusiliers on 15th November 1860.   However at this time the HEIC’s Army was undergoing the “White Mutiny” of 1859-1861, as the British Government, following the Indian Mutiny, were in the process of disbanding the HEIC Army and amalgamating the units into the British Army, however they went about it in the most contentious way possible.   Following many thousands of soldiers electing to take a free return home rather than sign up for additional service, Thomas instead volunteered to join the British Army, joining the 107th Regiment, the Bengal Light Infantry which was the name of his old unit, the 3rd Bengal Light Infantry but having been renumbered for service under the British Army.   After seeing further service with the 107th, he transferred over to the 1st 3rd Foot aka the Buffs on 1st April 1867, and remained with them for the rest of his 21 year career.   By the end of his career, he had completed 21 years and 26 days of service, of which a remarkable 20 years and 5 months were spent overseas in the “East Indies” India.   Having spent half his life in India, on retirement he noted he would settle in Sheffield, although from what we can see shortly afterwards a Thomas McParland surfaces in the 1881 Census living in Liverpool with his wife Isabella and son.   He died in Liverpool on 25th March 1906 and was buried in Ford Cemetery.     The Perak War took place from 1875 and 1876, between the British and local forces in Perak, a state in North-western Malaysia   The Sultan of Lower Perak and other chiefs, attempted to end foreign influence in the region and remove the British Administrator, James W.W. Birch.    Birch was disliked by the locals having little respect for local customs leading to him being assassinated, he was taking a bath when a local tribal leader “Lela Pandak Lam” speared him.    Today the event of his death is popular in Malaysia and taught in schools, as an early attempt at of an anti-colonial uprising although it is widely debated.   Following the killing, the British Empire was obviously enraged, deploying reinforcements including Pte McParland from the 3rd Foot with them.   The Perak Malays put up a good fight in the 3 main battles at Bandar Tua, Pasir Salak and Kota Lama Kanan, claiming the life of some British officers and men.   The British forces wore them down and captured many of the leaders, including the assassin himself, who was soon after hanged, whilst 2 others were exiled to the Seychelles, including Sultan Abdullah II of Perak, the 26th Sultan, who was amongst those who agreed to the murder, those present at the discussion even ruled out poison as a means, preferring a spear.