Shoulder title, Anglo-Indian Force, 1917 circa (metal)

Shoulder title, Anglo-Indian Force, 1917 circa. Brass badge in the form of the unit’s initials, ‘AIF’. On 16 May 1916, Mr Austen Chamberlain, Secretary of State for India, in answer to a question in the House of Commons made the following statement, ‘Enlistment in the Regular British Army has now been opened to the domiciled Anglo-Indian community, for general service with British troops for the duration of the War. The conditions of pay, pensions, etc., of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men will be identical with those of British troops serving in India ... After completion of training a unit or any part of a unit will be liable to be sent to any British unit of the same arm of the Regulars or Territorials serving in India or on active service’ From the Field Marshal Sir John Chapple Indian Army Collection.