1314

Mr Cook

                  last line of above post

                            " illusion to my rank "

                                        or

                              " allusion to my rank " ?

Inspectors and above in the Northern Rhodesia Police Mobile Unit wore these although with a dark blue pugaree.Brim turned upon the left ( as worn) and secured by cap badge,patent leather chin-strap fitted.I believe they were sourced from the UK ( the hats that is - the Inspectors came from all over ).

Interesting. King's crowns for service 1971 - 1981 ? Did the NT Police not change insignia in 1953-4 ?

I would suggest this is to an Asian member of the Kenya Police Reserve.

    ........... 374 Assistant Inspector (Reserve) Abdul Raoof Khan.

The " A.S.' may refer to ' Asian Section ' but I am unsure on this.

Thank you for posting.Very interesting,did not know that they had released their own version.Might be an idea to let the Medals Yearbook know of this one ( if they don't have it already - my copy is 2012 ! ).

Some variation in the wearing of the whistle noted.

Reminiscent of the Shotguns donated to the LDV (Home Guard) in WW2.

Perhaps of marginal interest -

according to the passenger manifest for the Warwaick Castle on which your man went out to Capetown,prior to the 5 day rail trip up to Livingstone,there was only one other NR Policeman,one C H Lewis aged 28.He apparently resigned in 1954,reasons unknown.New recruits,if they went out by sea,usually went in drafts of anything up to a dozen although by the early 1950s air travel was becoming the norm.

From my sources I have been unable to locate anything further on the careers ( which could well have been short and eventfull) or movements of either Dodding or Lewis.

Alexander Dodding, born c 1931 sailed from London on the 17th June 1953 for Capetown en route to Northern Rhodesia in the service of whose Government he had been appointed an Assistant Inspector of Police.His UK address was recorded as 2 Union Street,Swansea.

Dave W.

My most gratefull thanks for your prompt and comprehensive reply.

Gratefull for information on the captioned white metal star badge,worn apparently on the sleeve.

Purpose ? Worn on one or both sleeves ? Duration of use ? and etc.....

My Thanks - Dave

I can confirm that a number of Indian Police ( badge prefix B including B 620 and B 623) were enlisted on the 26th November 1926 but can find no trace of B 613.He should have been entitled to the Colonial Police Long Service Medal wef 26.11.1944 but this would not have been processed until post war and,according to what you say about his activities,it is unlikely it was awarded.

If anything about him still exists I would expect notice of his resignation/dismissal to be contained in the immediate post-war Police Force Orders.You may find copies of these at the Police Museum,Coombe Road,on Hong Kong Island.You could also approach the Personnel Wing of Police HQ,Arsenal Street.But in either case don't expect too much.Good hunting !

Alfred Robert Brittain

born Coventry 4.5.1900

Enlisted in HKP 23.11.1923 as PC A 176,later promoted to L/Sgt, Police Sgt and on 3.3.1938 to Sub Inspector

During Japanese invasion of Hong Kong he served as the Police Liason Officer to the Kowloon Brigade.Interned in Stanley Civilian Internment Camp for the duration, awarded Colonial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal wef 23.11.1941.Shared accomodation there with Sub Insps Salter and White.Retired from the force wef 8.1.1947

According to my copy of The China War Medal 1900 to the R.N and Marines - Fevyer & Wilson;.

HMS Terrible A. B . F J Holland 179.145 was awarded the China 1900 Medal with Bar Relief of Pekin.

Discrepancy in first initial and service number.

If I remember correctly the C.O of this Unit was usually a seconded British Officer: similarly the C.O of the Singapore Police Gurkha Contingent ( in this case from the Brigade of Gurkhas).

Both very desirable postings.Those were the days !!

A few anomalies here;-

White metal cap badge appears to have the R above the fish eagle,therefore the badge of the NRP Reserve.

The badge on the cap bears the blue enamelling within the scroll,therefore a badge issued to Gazetted Officers ( Assistant Superintendents up to Senior Superintendents).The cap itself bears the two silver buttons retaining the patent leather chinstrap but the peak itself has none of the silver braid which would adorn a Gazetted Officer's cap..

The khaki tunic (although a little off-colour for summer service dress) should carry a black whistle lanyard and whistle on the left ( as worn) shoulder.The ribbon bar displays,from left as viewed, the ribbon of the Colonial Police Meritorious Medal,the Colonial Police Long Service Medal and the ribbon of the Colonial Police Special Constabulary Long Service Medal.Recipient would have to do 18 years in the regulars and presumably a further 9 yrs or more in the Specials.I have never come across this combination of awards before.

Tunic appears to have red backing to rank stars.Another new one.Insignia backing for all ranks was black felt,salvaged from discarded R and and File Fezzes !

Winter ( blue) tunic - has NRP regular collars,eagles should be inward facing.Again,a red backing to insignia on epaulettes.

Any Name inside the cap,tunics ?

Grant -

Service records ( personnel files) would have been retained in Police Headquarters,Lusaka for some years following an officer's departure from the Force.Thereafter the files would be subject to weeding and only the barest essentials retained.I do not know when your father left the Force but I have grave doubts that any tangible records would now remain;passage of time,new government and etc.

The best I can do is thus - David Appleton b 3.6.1930 Police Constable Metropolitan Police 1950 Assistant Inspector Northern Rhodesia Police 29.5.1952 Detective Inspector 29.5.1955. In January 1958 he was stationed at Mazabuka,in the Southern Province of Northern Rhodesia.

Cat

Ref my earlier I regret this is less than precise- The BMF data base in question covers the AGS generally, not the specific medal to Ridge.Apologies for any hopes raised and dashed !

You could also have a look at the British Medal Forum website on which there is a database for ths very medal.

A little more.

Married Nairobi 1945 to Louise J Feinauer

All three arrived UK (London) 20.5.1950 - UK address 1 Raeburn Avenue,East Kirby,Cheshire.

Peter L J Ridge b 17.1.1922

Accountant Kenya

wife Louise J b 24.7.1923

son Michael J b 17.9.1946

Subject with wife and son arrived UK ( London) 27.5.1955 on Vacation Leave;

Subject and son arrived UK (London) 7.8.1959,address 14 Wood Street.Hoylake.Cheshire.

Should give you something to work on.

S.S. Ranchi

A Peninsular and Orient liner - see Google.

A little more -

Outward ex London for Hong Kong on 19.1.1934 per Chitral 2nd Cl, unaccompanied,age not given.

J Dempsey Female

Inward to London from Hong Kong on 7.5.1937 per Ranchi

John J Walsh Police Inspector

Jeanette Walsh b.c. 1911

Thomas Walsh (1 1/2 ys)

Address in UK New Street,Macroom,Cork,IFS.

Presumably they were married in Hong Kong 1934 to say 1936

Can you give us a bit more to go on ?

Full name,Number,Time Frame,Context (service,casualty,medals,location), every little helps,you must have more on him.

Walsh is buried in the Stanley Military Cemetery, Reference 4 E 3,and recorded on the CWGC site as ' son of Thomas and Brigid and husband of Jeanette Monica of Macroom ".