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

Tom - James Kemp claims to cover almost 33,000 men who joined 1879 to 1911, he admits there will be errors & ommisions which could be brought to his notice at contact@jhfk.com - 1314

Paul - Kemp is silent on Whybrew.The 1881 Census for 10 Horseferry Rd,Westminster,has William Whybrew b 1849 Essex as a Constable,married,with family- 1314

Paul - From Kemp Wagstaff John 80945 enl 20.1.1896 PC J 1897 as PC J 1902 PC J 1911 PC To pension 6.11.1922 from J Whybrew N/R Whybrow N/R Loftin Frederick 72861 enl 8.8.1887 PC L 1897 PC L 1902 PC L 1911 PC To pension 12.8.1912 from E Irvin Henry 75566 enl 14.4.1890 PC X 1897 PC G 1902 PS E 1911 PS To pension 4.11.1918 from E Regards - 1314

I don't wish to jump the gun but here's all I can find on Bernard Bowen Warrant 82609 enl 19.6.1897 as Police Constable in C.O (Commissioner's Office Scotland Yard). Apparently a rejoinee following earlier service,recalled for the 1897 Jubilee celebrations. - 1314

If you Google Cornelius Fairbrass you will find mention of him giving evidence in a 1884 Old Bailey Court Case (41229)described as " Policeman P R 5 ",vide www.oldbaileyonline.org.. - 1314

No " C" Fairbrass listed in ' The Metropolitan Police,the Men and their Medals " by J H F Kemp, Frederick 79170,Stephen 93471 and Robert 64928/03598. The 1897 bar could have been removed.Robert is in the 1902 Census,b Tipperary,Ireland,listed as Police Inspector. Can anyone check other sources to confirm ? - 1314

Probably not such a bad purchase after all.There were three Fairbrass at this time,I think your man is in fact Robert Fairbrass,Warrant 64928,elisted 20.09.1880 as PC in P Div (Camberwell).Awarded the following 1887 Jub as PC P Division,1897 Jub (clasp) as Inspector L Div (quick promotion),1902 as Inspector T Division,retired to pension on 1.11.1902 as Sub Div Inspector T Division,recalled to duty for 1911 Coronation on 16.6.1911 with warrant number 03598 and awarded 1911 Coronation medal as Inspector. - Regards 1314

Andrea - I have this evening sent two (2) PM's to you on this officer - 1314

Nick The best reference I can suggest is The Royal Irish Constabulary by Jim Herlihy, pub 1997 in Dublin by Four Courts Press, ISBN 1 -851182- 343-3,which has an extensive bibliography and should set you off on the right track - 1314

Addenda - Peter M McDonald Wife Marjorie, Sons Alistair & Ian In WW2 seconded for duties outside Rhodesia,served in East Africa and the Middle East attaining the rank of Captain. Awards - CPLSM 15.11.1946 CPLSM 1st Cl 29.1.54 CPM Meritorious 1.1.1955 (NYH) in Supp to LG 40366 P37 of 31.12.1954 CPLSM 2nd Cl 17.4.1959. CPLSM awards would appear in the Southern Rhodesia Gazettes. - 1314

Enlisting in 1928 he qualified for the CPLSM (after 18 yrs) in 1946,first clasp after 25 years (1953) and 2nd clasp (after 30 yrs) in 1958. The CPM Meritorious could be for an event not involving gallantry or bravery or for work over a long period.I will revisit my source and try to confirm.

Mervyn - I now have the following - McDonald, Peter McLaren aka ' Peter Mac', born Aberfoyle,Scotland,enlisted in BSAP 7.10.1928 in the Town Police Branch,in Salisbury S.R. with service number 3048.Completed 33 years service and retired on the 11.11.1961 as a Chief Inspector,holding the post of Town Inspector,Salisbury. Awarded CPM (Meritorious) wef 15.11.1946.,CPLSM wef 29.1.1954 and two clasps,1939-45 Star,Italy Star (interesting),War Medal and Defence Medal. Retired to become a beekeeper in Mazoe and died in Salisbury on 3.1.1976 1314

Mervyn, Try the BSAP Association website at - www.bsap.org 1314

Mervyn I have access to the impedimenta of G R Bass, MC WW1 with Machine Gun Corps,then rubber planting,then to Ku Lang Su (an island enclave in modern day Amoy ) where he was initially 2/i/c of The Ku Lang Su Municipal Police and later the I.C. although he seems to have spent the most of his time as Secretary of the KLS Club ! He was bundled out by the Japs(Japanese if we have to ) and served in WW2.Shanghaigirl has illiustrated a KLS MP cap badge,in base metal,the officers' (2) were in silver.I will prepare a potted history and post idc,regretably I do not have the facility to upload photographs,I am better at answering questions ! Time for a new thread - " Police Forces of the China Coast ? " - Regards 1314

Nick Sorry to do things piecemeal and moving from HK somewhat I note AEC also served in the Royal Irish Constabulary as a Sergeant No 70290 and was wounded in action at Tooreengarriv (?), County Cork on the 28.1.1921. He certainly saw his share of action in a variety of theatres ! - 1314

Nick Many thanks for your reply in the PM and the thoughts expressed in earlier messages,always pleased to help. Ref AEC and his appearance in the Anti - Piracy Guard photograph " The Empress of Canada " was a Canadian Pacific Mail steamer plying the China Coast and the West Coast of the USA and Canada.The APG had been formed in the 1920s with Indian police to protect merchant vessels plying the China Coast.The Royal Navy also provided men for these duties and all were busy as piracy was a major problem,quite a number of lives were lost.In the late 1920s the RN declined to undertake these duties any more and to fill this gap the White Russian Contingent was formed within the HKP Water Police,it's members were from Russian in Europe who fled the Revolution.Most had fetched up in Shanghai and many had service in the Shanghai Municipal Police or The Shanghai Volunteers.The Russians served loyally and effectively until WW2 but the APG was not reformed after the liberation of HK in Aug 1945.

Mevyn Usefull article on the early ethnic composition of the HKP at www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/777/eng/f03.htm or through Google Anti Piracy Guard - 1314

Nick - PM sent - 2010 01 22 2230hrs

Mervyn I served in the NRP and the HKP/RHKP. The Crown Sergeants referred to by Nick were principally Water Police ( Marine Police after 1947) and in charge of cruising launches and remote stations.All long in the tooth and mostly ex servicemen,they were not in the promotion stream and were generally hard cases.A post war re-organization did away with them and promoted all European Sergeants and Lance Sergeants to the Inspectorate and new entrants came in as Probationary Sub-Inspectors,(Probationery Inspectors post 1960) who sported one pip. Those officers to which you refer in your note to Nick were the Staff Sergeants,Grades 1 and Two,who wore a red sash over the right shoulder and either a plain crown or a wreathed crown dependant on grade.In the early 1970s these ranks were abolished and replaced by that of Station Sergeant,who wore the arms of HK surrounded by a wreath. Several of the Grade 1 Staff Sgts were promoted to the Inspectorate in a Captain/Quartermaster scheme until they retired. If Nick is fortunate he may have his fathers collar numerals, A 137,his cap badge - a white metal crown and shoulder titles w/m HKP, plus w/m buttons and crowned chevrons,regretably I cannot post illustrations. Nick I have certain amount of personal data AEC which you may be interested in.If you wish to read all about the Anti-Piracy Guards please see " Sui Geng The HK Marine Police 1841 - 1941" by Iain Ward,HKU press 1991 ISBN 962 - 209 286 1,in which his photo appears along with his 14 man squad of Russians,I have their details. Regards - 1314

Arthur Ernest CHARMAN Born 12.3.1892 Enlisted in Hong Kong Police on 3.5.1924 At this time expat entrants joined as Police Constables until they had satisfactorily completed their training whereupon they were advanced to Lance Sergeant,subject to satisfactory duty performance and passing examinations they were later promoted to Police Sergeant.Possible promotion to Crown Sergeant and th Inspectorate could follow. As AEC came direct from the RIC and was relatively old it is possible he enlisted as a Police Sergeant,particularly if he had specialist qualifications.He was allocated the Service Number A.137,the letter A denoting a member of the Expat contingent,Indians were B,Cantonese C,Northern Chinese (Shantung/Wei Hei Wei men) were D and the Russians E. A Crown Sergeant would be the officer in charge of a Marine Police (then known as Water Police) launch,or,as in the photo you quote,the Anti Piracy unit on board a China Coaster. He appears in a Photograph dated 1935 as a Sgt at No 2 Police Station (Wanchai) at the retirement on an Inspector McLellan and also in Correspondence in the series 5/104 held by the Curator,Force Museum.I believe he died in Hampshire on 24.3.1969 and would welcome confirmation. The best (only) book on the early history of the Force (tho it does not contain any reference to AEC) is " The RHKP - 1841-1945 " by Crisswell and Watson, Pub by MacMillan Publishing in 182, ISBN 962 - 03 -01977 -8,which should be available through your local library service,or thro Internet Book Sellers. If I can help further please let me have a PM .

I am able to provide the service details of a large number of men who served in the HKP from 1844 until 1969,and the RHKP from 1969 to 1997. 1314

Not so.Please let me know who you are interested in.There is a mass of information,it's just not centralized.- 1314

(a) As regards the Nigeria Police Button pre 1953,there is a similar item currently on eBay 200412061682,albeit of QE2 issue together with a post Independance issue. (b) I fully support the suggestion re the Colonial Police ( to include the odd balls ie Shanghai,Wei Hai Wei and Treaty Ports which,whilst not Colonial in it's strict sense,followed the British model. )

Pre 1953 Other Ranks Cap,Nigeria Police.Made by Hobsons and supplied through The Crown Agents.