Charlie,
Many thanks for this and for your suggestions.
I have checked many of the names from the two band photographs and several men appear on the medal roll but none are shown as Bandsmen – they may of course have left the band by then or, more probably, the word “Bandsmen†is just not shown on the roll. I note that Band Sgt Waltonis just shown as Walton on the medal roll.
However, I have re-looked at Lightfoot’s service papers and, although he attended a first aid and stretcher bearer’s course in Maymyo in November 1929, he also attended a “1st Combined Cadre Course†in Trimulgherry, India which he completed on 24 May 1932.
So the question is: how long was this course?
When the 2nd Battalion moved from India to Burma in June 1931 did they leave L/Cpl behind in India so that he could go on this course?
As qualification for the “Burma 1930-32†clasp ended on 25 March 1932 I guess he just stayed in India during the qualifying period – it’s a shame to miss out on a medal just because you are on a course but I guess it happened quite a lot.
Thank you once again for taking the time to post your comments.
Best wishes.
Bob B