The Collection of Medals Formed by Bill and Angela Strong

A rare Burma Police Medal group of three awarded for gallantry to Assistant Superintendent James Wynn Capel, Burma Police

Burma Police Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Asst. Superintendent James Wynn Capel, Armed Police) contained in its Royal Mint presentation case; Defence & War Medals, in their card box of issue addressed to ‘Lt. J. W. Capel, 51 Burnt Ash Lane, Bromley, Kent’, extremely fine and rare (3) £1400-1600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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Burma Police Medal (Gallantry) Burma Gazette 1 March 1947: ‘On the 15th July 1946 Mr. Capel while on patrol with other Police Officers and a section of Armed Police in Myaungmya District received information that three motor boats had just been dacoited in the vicinity. Mr. Capel and his party immediately gave chase and were fortunate in catching up with the dacoits about five miles away. The dacoits opened fire on the Police party and a battle ensued. The dacoits went into the bank and swam ashore but Mr. Capel led his party after them in spite of being exposed to fire from the dacoits then in cover in kaing jungle. Of ten dacoits, four were killed in the engagement and three were captured. The remaining three were arrested subsequently. Six rifles, over 300 rounds of ammunition and much loot was captured.

Again on the 27th January about 400 heavily armed rebels, including about 150 who had participated in the attack on Kyagan Police Station, were camped at Shwegon, Kyonmange Police Station. On the 28th January, Mr. Capel with a much inferior force set out to contact them and on the 29th engaged a fully armed detachment of 32 at Ngaybo Village, Kyagan Police Station. He routed this gang and pursued them and after a determined chase succeeded in capturing ten of their number and recovered one Sten gun and nine rifles and a quantity of ammunition and equipment.

In the above two engagements Mr. Capel showed great gallantry and leadership and set an excellent example to his men. His leadership and handling of his men has always been of the highest standard.’

A total of 141 awards of the Burma Police Medal have been traced in the Burma Gazette during the existence of this rare award (1938-48). 53 of these awards were made for gallantry, as opposed to meritorious service, and only five of these gallantry awards were made to Europeans. With copied gazette extracts.

This time their minimal defences were to tell against them. The planes attacked with machine-guns and bombs. A bomb close to the stern put one of the diesel engines out of action. Two further bombs ripped up the starboard side of the ship. An SOS was sent. The ship was now unnavigable and listing heavily, and Captain Monsen gave orders to abandon ship at 1.15 p.m. Two further German planes now arrived, one putting a torpedo into Rigmor admidships. Shortly afterwards no less than four British destroyers arrived and picked up the crew. Their guns were turned on the German planes and the destroyer Eskimo was narrowly missed by a torpedo. An attempt was now made to board Rigmor in the hope of towing her to safety but this proved impossible in the heavy swell. After consultation with Captain Monsen and Captain Gilling, the Naval Commander decided to sink Rigmor as she was drifting down on our minefields. She was consequently sunk by gunfire. Happily Captain Gilling has since recovered from his wounds. There were no other casualties and all on board were saved.’

Bradley was awarded the B.E.M. and confirmation of his award of King Haakon VII’s War Medal is contained in an accompanying letter from the Royal Norwegian Consulate General, which states that he was one of 52 British sailors so honoured for ‘their part in sailing Norwegian vessels from Gothenburg in Sweden to the United Kingdom in January 1941 and April 1942’; so, too in Board of Trade records, which state ‘in recognition of bringing ships from Sweden through the blockade’ (T.N.A. BT 261/8 refers). In total, Rigmor’s crew received two O.B.Es, two M.B.Es, three B.E.Ms and four commendations, several of them honorary awards to Norwegians; sold with three original wartime letters regarding Bradley’s B.E.M. and Finnish Medal, and the question of compensation for the loss of his kit in the Rigmor, together with copies of Brooke’s Volunteers and Ralph Barker’s The Blockade Runners.