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Not really relevant but perhaps of passing interest - On 9th October 1941 Mrs Helen Millar Robb Dickson of 30 South Tay Street,Dundee was fined 10/- (Ten shillings) for an offence against the Blackout Regulations. As regards Millar's death in Hong Kong,an examination of the newspapers published around the time of the event might produce some further information as to the cause,but you would need a researcher there to accomplish this.

A little more. As Miller Robb DICKSON he arrived at London per Macedonia on the 4th June 1925,single,2nd class,occupation 'police officer ' and giving his UK address as 361 Strathmartin Street,Dundee,Scotland.His first,and only leave and you will note this lasted until Jan 1926,longer than usual.Extended due to illness ?

Millar Robb DICKSON Born 1898,enlisted 1920 at age 22 Any previous UK Police service,most recruits from Scotland did have previous ?. Left London on the 24.1.1920 per P & O Khiva,2nd Class,described as ' Male - Government ' for Hong Kong.Single. Would have been taken on strength,and half pay,from date of embarkation,to full pay on attestation on arrival in HK.Ranked as Constable whilst under training,usually 4 months,advanced to Lance Sergeant on satisfactory completion of training.Usual tour was 5 years (therefore to 1925) followed by 3 months UK leave with passages paid. Left London on 29.1.1926 for HK per P & O Morea. Again 2nd class,still single.Would then have been advanced to Sergeant,in which rank he died. Autopsies were performed in cases of sudden and unnatural deaths,though not necessarily in cases where deceased had been seen by a doctor in the preceding 14 days.

It appears that this officer completed a total of 20 years service,the usual criteria for the retirement for junior officers at this time.I suggest you contact the Curator,Force Museum,Coombe Road,Hong Kong (see Google) and ask him to search the Blue Books - Police - Pensions sections for the post retirement years.If your man can be located you should have the following information - Date from which pension was paid, Amount of pension in HK$ Service prior to retirement (HKP) Amount of salary pre-retirement in HK$ Age,and Cause of retirement ( completion of agreement,medical,disciplinary or whatever ). Further search should reveal year in which pension ceased ie year of death. 1314

Mervyn Should refer to African Pioneer Corps,originally the African Auxilliary Pioneer Corps, a Regiment of The Royal Pioneer Corps. Raised to provide manpower for construction,dock labour and transport duties. The APC took men from all three High Commission Territories,post war serving in Egypt and Palestine. Please see the following - www.wartimememoriesproject.com www.thuto.org/ubh/bw/ww/wwp2.htm

Emma The best reference is ' The History of The Northern Rhodesia Police ' by Tim Wright BECM Press 2001 ISBN 0-9530174-4-3 which can be obtained,if not in a major library,through the major Internet Book providers.You will find many other references through Google.. As regards your father,I have sent you a P.M. Dave

Rather rare due to it's short life,rather than the numbers issued. This QE2 Badge was only worn from 1953 until Independance in November 1964,only 11 years and only by members of the NRP Rank and File and the Inspectorate. The NRP Reserve had a similar badge with an R inserted above the Fish Eagle's head. .At it's height the NRP numbered some 600 officers (irreverently known as Superior,Senior and Subordinate Officers (ACPs and above,Superintendants of all grades and Inspectors ditto,plus almost 5000 Rank and File (Junior Officers ) All explained,with badges of rank ( which are regretably described rather than illustrated),in The History of The Northern Rhodesia Police by Tim Wright ISBN 0 9530174 4 3 pub. by British Empire and Commonwealth Museum Press 2001.

The short baton illustrated in the first post in this series looks suspiciously like the standard issue to the Hong Kong Police from the post-war period to the present day.Much of the ancilliary equipment of the Force was sourced locally or from Asia/South East Asia.Most interestingly the bagpipes issued to the Pipe Band were of Pakistani origin.( Chinese playing scottish music on Pakistani made bagpipes marching on Indian leather in a British administered Territory of China ! ) The batons referred to were carried by Junior Officers in a leather frog attached to the right hand side of the revolver belt and fitted with either a leather strap and metal loop or more recently with a dark blue cord strap.An experiment to carry batons in a baton pocket was tried but was short lived. Batons for presentational purposes were often fitted with a cord in black,magenta and old gold,the original Force Colours and bore a silver plate denoting the event ie Best Recruit,Best Inspector,Retirement or what have you.The batons were not of a heavy teak or walnut and could be,and were,frequently broken when used with enthusiasm.They did however take and hold a fine polish !.

The Black Sam Browne was worn by officers ( Inspectors and above) of the Northern Rhodesia Police in both summer and winter uniform.

Greetings John Hierons enlisted 15.6.1891 as PC G Div with Warrant No 76851,awarded 1897,1902 and 1911 medals as PC V Div,1901 RHS Medal as PC V.500,resigned to Pension 10.11.1919 from V Div.. Unusual name,there was also a PC George Hierons Wt 2474 who rejoined for 1902 Coro service. Regards 1314

Interesting photograph at eBay 370492638370 (Shanghai/Collectables/Militaria) which depicts Chinese (1),Sikh (2) and European police (1) together with a Japanese in uniform.The SMP men wear the Shanghai 1937 Municipality medal ribbon on their summer uniform .

P.S. James GRAY Plenty on him on Ancestry Salient points - 188o - Married Elizabeth Willmott at Horncastle,Lincs 1881 - Living with her at Moores Yard,Horncastle,occupation given as Railway Porter - must have joined the Force shortly thereafter,unusual as a married man 1901 - living at 5 May Crescent,Lincoln with Elizabeth,their two sons and one daughter,occupation Police Sergeant.

As regards the original use of this plate,on mature and sober reflection I think it may well have been " wrapped " around a presentation cane/staff or similar,and subsequently removed and ' flattened ".

The 1911 Census for Lincoln has - James GRAY b 1858 Watford,Hertfordshire,with wife Elizabeth b 1863 Horncastle,Lincolnshire - Police Sergeant,resident at Police Station,Church Lane,Lincoln ( later the HQ of the Lincolnshire (County ) Constabulary.

Cantonese,but it is not the dialect used but the meaning of characters which is relevant.

For what it is worth - The inscription should be read from right to left,thus ' Wan Ngoh Ho Shan ' literally ' Return the river and mountain to me ' meaning ' Give it all back '.Obviously some form of re- unification plea.

Vide WO 372/17 Edwin Claude ROSE 454 Pte Rhodesia Rgt,also A 220 Cpl British South African (sic) Police -

GlennC - Smart did not serve in either the Northern Rhodesia Police or the Hong Kong Police - Regards

Initial Thoughts - First medal would most likely be 1887,1897 Jubilee or 1902 Coronation.Can anything be made of the design on the bridle boss ? Incidentally,when were the Mounted Branch first established and how were they numbered (collar),were they a separate division or blistered on to the establishment of whichever station to which they were posted ? - Intrigued.

Police Constable Henry DEERING Warrant No 65432 enlisted 14.3.1881 as PC S Div awarded 1887 Jubilee Medal as PC S Div,awarded 1897 Jubilee clasp as PC X Div,awarded 1902 Coro Medal as PC X Div,retired to pension 19.3.1906 as PC X Div. (Blue eyes,walrus moustache and size 13 boots )-

Salaries for these ranks were paid,in cash,in Hong Kong dollars on a monthly basis at pay parades,similar to those conducted by the Military.These monthly parades continued until the early 1970s when direct payment to banks were adopted.The pay scales per rank,including allowances,were published in the Hong Kong Government Staff List,(Blue Book) published annually.Many of these Staff Lists are held in the Force Museum,Royal Hong Kong Police Force- see Google for the Curator's address.He should be able to help. Pre - war payments were pitifull,post war marginally better.Don't forget that pre- war there were several grades of Constable and Staff Sergeants,post war these reduced to a single Constable post with Staff Sgts Grades 1 and 2,replaced by a single grade of Station Sergeant in the reforms of the 1970s.- 1314

As regards the Hong Kong/Royal Hong Hong Police prior to 1997 - Commendations by H.E The Governor were denoted by the award of a Red Whistle lanyard,worn over the left shoulder together with a signed certificate from H.E.,Comendations by The Commissioner of Police were denoted by the award of a Whistle Lanyard in Force Colours (plaited black,red and yellow),ditto a signed certificate was given.All published in Force Orders with appropriate publicity.The insignia,where possible,were presented personally by HE/CP at a small ceremony at Government House or Police HQ as appropriate. I presume these awards and procedures were continued post 1997,with HE being replaced by The Chief Executive. - 1314

" The Metropolitan Police - The Men and their Medals " by JH Kemp,contains appendices detailing the breakdown of awards of 1887,1897 and 1902 by Division,Rank,UB and CID.He states there is no detailed breakdown by Divison for the 19,783 medals issued for the 1911 coro.

Correction - Warrant should read 73106 repeat 73106 - 1314

Kemp shows 73107 Alfred Ward, enl 27.12.1887, awarded 1897 as PC N,then 1902 as PS CO and 1911 as CIP - 1314