Orders, Decorations and Medals

A rare Rhodesia Police Decoration for Gallantry (P.D.G.) pair awarded to Detective Sergeant-Major A. E. Katsiru, British South Africa Police - the only such decoration awarded for a civilian incident

Rhodesia Police Decoration for Gallantry (20792 D./Const. A. E. Katsiru), with investiture pin for wearing, in its case of issue; Rhodesia General Service Medal (20792 D./Cst. Katsiru A.E.), this stamped ‘(R)’ for official replacement issue, lacquered, good very fine and better (2) £700-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Keith Holshausen Collection.

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One of only 24 Rhodesia Police Decorations for Gallantry.

Katsiru was presented with his Police Decoration for Gallantry (P.D.G.) by the Acting President, Colonel H. B. Everard, at Government House, Salisbury on 24 July 1975 (authority Rhodesia Government Notice 300 of 1975), the citation stating:

‘In recognition of the gallantry displayed by him in the Odzi area on 29 July 1974, when, unarmed and with complete disregard for his own safety and displaying a high degree of determination to duty, he approached and attempted to arrest an armed and dangerous criminal, narrowly escaping death or serious injury when, during the course of the ensuing struggle, the criminal drew a revolver and fired at him at point blank range. Detective Constable Katsiru continued to grapple with the criminal until, with the help of a colleague who had come to his assistance, he was eventually overcome.’

Alfred Katsiru was born in Sinoia, in the district of Sipolilo, Rhodesia in 1958, a member of the M’Korekore Tribe, and joined the British South Africa Police as a Cadet. Having then served in that capacity for about two years, he was appointed a Constable in January 1971, after having come top of his squad. He subsequently served at Marandellas (Enquiries & Investigations), Karoi, on attachment to Special Branch in Salisbury, C.I.D. Umtali and S.B. Umtali (Special Branch & Operational), and gained advancement to Detective Sergeant-Major with Special Branch (Salisbury) in Counter Intelligence - an annual report of the time stating that he ‘thrives in circumstances where an element of risk or danger exists’. Katsiru served for 10 years in the Force, afterwards joining the Prime Minister’s Department and Central Intelligence Organisation (C.I.O.).

Of the incident that led to the award of his P.D.G., a more detailed account emerged at a subsequent inquest, details of which appeared in The Rhodesia Herald of 20 September 1974:

‘Two Detective Constables in the B.S.A.P. were commended by an Umtali magistrate for their brave conduct in confronting an armed and dangerous man. The two men, D./C. Katsiru and D./C. Tondi, had given evidence at an inquest on the death of Jonathan Simango at a store on Leigh Ranch, Odzi. The magistrate, Mr G. J. Geddes, returned a verdict that Simango died as a result of two gunshot wounds sustained whilst resisting arrest by two policemen. D./C. Katsiru told the court he was on patrol with D./C. Tondi in the Odzi area. They were searching for Simango who was known to be involved in about six house-breakings in the area. Simango had recently been released from jail and he was known to be armed and dangerous, having stolen guns from farms in the area, he told the court. At Leigh Ranch store D./C. Katsiru accosted Simango and asked to search him. D./C. Katsiru was unarmed. Simango stepped back and drew a revolver from his left hip. “He fired at me from about one step away and the bullet went under my right arm. I shouted at him to put the gun down and called to D./C. Tondi, who had waited outside with a gun, for help,” he said. D./C. Tondi told the court he saw D./C. Katsiru struggling with Simango who was violently trying to resist arrest.
“I shouted at him to drop the gun but he continued to ignore me and he pointed his gun at me,” he said. D./C. Tondi then fired at Simango’s chest but he continued to struggle. A second shot was fired into his groin and he dropped unconscious to the floor. He died about 15 minutes later, the court heard. When Simango was searched it was found that he had a second gun. The court heard that the first shot fired by Simango narrowly missed an African tailor sitting near the wall. Mr. Geddes said he felt the inquest should not be closed without commenting on the two C.I.D. Constables. “Evidence was that Simango was known to be armed and there was every possibility that they were going to confront him. They attempted to secure his arrest at grave risk to themselves, especially so in the case of D./C. Katsiru who approached him first, unarmed and without regard to his personal safety. D./C. Tondi had every justification in using his firearm,” Mr. Geddes found.’

Sold with a quantity of research, including a copied memorandum from the Honours and Awards Board, written by Superintendent T. K. Allen, Staff Officer to the Commissioner of Police, in which he sets out in great detail the background to the criminal activities of Simango and the subsequent search and attempted arrest made by Katsiru.