dpk

Many thanks to all, job now done, collection underway. Gratitude to all, David.

Hello All, Although i live in Western Australia, I recently acquired a 5-medal group from a Lewes UK auctioneer, and was under the impression they provided a pack-and-post service. Unfortunately, I have now discovered they do not provide that service so I need to somehow collect the group from the auction house and have it posted to me via Royal Mail International Tracked postage. If any of my fellow GMIC members live in or near Lewes I would be forever grateful if they could assist with this- which of course will be at my expense. Please let me know if you can help in this matter, at dpk@iinet.net.au or PM. Best regards David Picton-King

Hi Hugh, My father was a Captain in the Royal Engineers and was posted to Malaya in 1946. He had been brought up there by English parents and became an Engineer via Singapore University. At the time of the Japanese invasion in 1942 he was working in the Air Ministry as a 'camouflage engineer'. In the last few days before the fall of Singapore he was instructed to fly out to Java on one of the last surviving Brewster Buffalo aircraft. They got away but on reaching the Java airfield the Dutch anti aircraft gunners, obviously very twitchy because of the ever-present Japanes planes, opened fire on him. The plane was hit and crash landed, with father being quite badly injured. He was evacuated to Australia and slowly recovered, meeting my future mother in the process. After recovering, he joined the British Royal Engineers. Because he spoke Malay, Chinese and some native dialects he was assigned to finding and confiscating the many Japanese and Malay Communist partisan weapons and ammunition dumps throughout the country. Unfortunately he died in 1957 (in Australia), but mother who was newly married to him in 1946 often recalled one evening he had been invited to a northern town and decided to take her with him to meet with friends in that town. He was driving a jeep along a fairly basic road through dense junge, and had provided Mother with a sten gun as bandit activity was rife. His instruction was, 'I will be driving flat out, and if you see anything moving, just keep shooting at it until I get past. Except if it is an elephant, don't shoot at them!'. Wise words! They survived the trip, and several others like it. Interesting days indeed!

A very good authority on Police Forces in England & Wales, 'Illustrated Police History of England & Wales' 2023' by Peter B. Clark does not mention a Stonehouse police force at all, This is essential material for Police medal collectors, available as a down loadable book on the internet. Highly recommended.

NOW RECOVERED!! Despite Australi Post's detailed and thorough inqury find that this medal was lost and gone forever, their postman delivered it to me today!! It's hard to get help, apparently. Sorry to have cried wolf!!I am seeking return of the Wigan Police Long Service silver Medal named to Insp. LOTT. The medal was in the 'care' of Australia Post after being sent from the UK> It has gone missing in transit between Sydney and Perth, Western Australia. If anyone sights this on offer for sale or auction etc please let me know asap- dpk@iinet.net.au. Reward for info leading to safe return to me!! David

EIIR 'DEI. GRATIA', it does not have the Birmingham Mint suspender, so almost certainly manufactured by the Royal Mint either prior to 1995 or after 2007. Not sure whether very recent issues are still ex the Royal Mint or by another contracted maker (some say Worcester Medals took on the manufacturing for a period after 2007 but I don't have confirmation).

There seem to be occasional occurrences of the 'Det' rank on LSGC medal namings. Not sure if this a newer trend, or just that some forces specified that rank in the requisition for the medal for that detective officer. while other forces simply nominated the rank and not the position. Similarly, re the SC Faithful Service Medal, I had always thought that a plain 'Constable' level officer just had his name on the medal rim, while any rank senior to that did have the rank included in the naming. Recently I found one which had the rank of 'Const' impressed on the rim- the first I have seen with that rank. I don't know if more of these will now appear or if it is a rare exception to the normal naming standards? Look forward to hearing anything about changes in naming styles!

It seems that he had many of these made- presumably to hand out to his mates and acquainances at his retirement party or similar.

Hi Tony, Many thanks for the very interesting information. The badges were part of an odd group of objects listed together for sale recently which included a Liverpool police medal, plus a much later QEII Jubilee medal, and what seems to be an old shooting medal. I wondered if the badges were related to the Liverpool Police medal as they were roughly the same era. Clearly not, but interesting. Regards Dave

Thank you, Pete. I hope Gladys reciprocated... Dave P-K

Have seen these two badges recently, trying to identify what they are for. They may have (but not confirmed) a link to Liverpool Police. Crown shown may be EVII or GV. Any information most welcome!! David- dpk@iinet.net.au

In today's policing world, the recipient will wear the badge any where they like- depnding on the day, the mood, the atmosphere. Are there alternate badge colours for members to choose? Perhaps multicolours to express certain woke causes etc? If the Police authorities insist on the dull white and grey badges, will offended recipients go out in protest? Or demand compensation for the mental anguish this causes? Oh, the good old days.... The trouble with the that expression is that todays new officers will look back on today and say 'They were the good old days!'. Heaven help them.

Hi Dave, I tend to agree with your sentiments. Australia has a national awards system which includes two medals specific to the police of the nation (of any State) and each State in turn has various medals they issue to their own specific forces. Curiously, some States do wear their State medals on the right, whereas Western Australia sought and gained official approval from the Federal Government to wear their medals on the left breast, after national awards but before any foreign award. Australia does issue national Bravery awards, and any person is eligible but to police officers generally a bravery award specific to police is often more meaningful. The answer of course would be for the national government to create a specific police gallantry award such as the QPM. There is a QPM equivalent medal here (the Australian Police Medal) but it is only awarded for 'Distinguished Service' and not for 'Gallantry as the old KPM was.

This is not a new concept elsewhere, example the Western Australia Police Force created a medal for award to all officers who are killed on active duty or who become medically retired due to injury or illness to which police duties were a contributor. It also allowed payment by the force of continuing related medical costs after the injured officer's retirment. The medal has had two versions- the first, the round medal shown, was introduced in 2017. A year later the second 'Star' version replaced the first version, as it was discovered that an extremely similar medal had been created by the State of Victoria Police Force for a similar purpose. An example of two forces thinking on the same lines but not communicating- where have we heard that before?

I am seeking information regarding a quite scarce British Provincial Police medal, the Gravesend 1914-18 Special Police Medal issued in 1919 to Special Constables who served the Gravesend police during WW1. I have a hallmarked silver example (unnamed) but I have also seen images of a gilt version of the same medal, named to a 'C.B. Gilbert'. I am trying to find out any information re this award as information is virtually non-existent. Also keen to hear of anyone who has examples of either type. Hope you can help! David (dpk@iinet.net.au)