Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Burma Police Medal group of three awarded to Sergeant J. E. Phillips, Burma Police, late Duke of Wellington’s Regiment

Burma Police Medal, G.VI.R. (Sgt. John E. Phillips, European Sgt. of Police); British War Medal 1914-20 (8976 A. Sjt. J. Phillips, W. Rid. R.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (8976 Sergt. J. Phillips, 1/Duke of Wellington’s Regt.), contact marks and somewhat polished, nearly very fine or better (3) £1600-1800

Burma Police Medal Burma Gazette 6 January 1940:

‘Sergeant John Edward Phillips, European Sergeant of Police, Yenangyaung. Sergeant Phillips rendered military service from 1907 to 1920 and has served in the Burma Police Department from 1921 in the oil fields. His work there, in which he has displayed keenness, intelligence and energy, has been of a high order. During the communal disturbances of 1938 he showed great presence of mind and devotion to duty and was instrumental in saving a number of lives.’

John Edward Phillips served in the Army in the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment from 1907 until 1920. Before the Great War the regiment was stationed in India, and Phillips served there during the war and later in Afghanistan. In 1921 he joined the Burma Police as a Sergeant, and served with that force for at least the next 20 years.

The Burma Police Medal was instituted in December 1937 and abolished in 1948. During that period some 141 awards have been traced in the Burma Gazette, although the records for 1945 have not been found. The same medal was awarded for Gallantry (53) or for Meritorious Service, and amongst the predominantly Burmese recipients there were approximately 32 Europeans, five of whom received medals for gallantry; sold with full research including a copy photograph of the recipient as a Burma Police Medallist.