Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to include a Fine Collection of Napoleonic Medals

‘Death has stared me straight in the face so many times that now that my police career is ended it is something of a relief to just sit back and recall the days when I chased - and shot - some of the most notorious criminals South Africa has seen. I reckon I’m pretty lucky - you need it in this tough game - and perhaps it was Dame Fortune coupled with my success in detective work that brought me together with Bill Joiner to form the Murder Squad as it is known today.’

Frik Le Grange reflects upon his long and distinguished career in the South African Police.

An exceptional Q.P.M. group of five awarded to Captain F. J. Le Grange, South African Police, a founder member of the famous Marshall Yard’s Murder and Robbery Squad and the first police officer to introduce convincing forensic evidence before the South African courts

South African Police Star for Distinguished Service (18211 S./A./Off. F. J. Le Grange); South Africa Police Star for Merit (18211 Luit. F. J. Le Grange; 20.10.67); South Africa Police Faithful Service Medal (18211 N. Kapt. F. J. Le Grange, 20.10.70); Queen’s Police Medal (South African issue) E.II.R., for Distinguished Service (18211 1/S./Serst. F. J. Le Grange); South African Police Service Faithful Service Medal (18211 (V.) 1/S./Sers. F. J. Le Grange, 20.10.55), mounted as worn, enamel damage to the second, otherwise generally very fine or better (5) £2500-3000

Frik Le Grange was born in Kuruman District, on the fringes of the Kalahari in April 1918, where ‘he lived in a hostel during school terms and herded his father’s sheep in the holidays’. Departing school at an early age, owing to the depth of the Depression, he worked as a shop assistant until joining the Police when aged about 18 years. His first posting was to the Kalahari Camel Patrol, in which capacity he carried out border patrols in search of smugglers. Three years having followed at several town postings in Western Province, he returned to the desert region - where he estimated he walked some 6,000 miles at night round the perimeter of the State diamond fields at Alexander Bay.

In 1943, Le Grange was posted to Marshall Square in Johannesburg and three years later joined the plain clothes staff. And it was here in October 1957 that he became a founder member of the famous Murder & Robbery Squad, a special unit charged with confronting payroll gangsters that were threatening the city and stealing thousands in cash each month in daring and brutal robberies. It was the commencement of a spectacular career, during which Le Grange was involved in numerous murder cases. Many of the cases were widely reported in the press at the time, and his pioneering forensic work in the Cyril Jones murder case led to the latter’s conviction and a commendation from the Assistant Attorney-General, who stated that Le Grange’s work ‘opened up a new field in criminal investigation in South Africa.’

Awarded his Queen’s Police Medal, ‘for services of special merit in investigating a series of serious crimes which included armed robberies and murders in 1957’, Le Grange added the South African Police Stars for Merit and Distinguished Service to his accolades in the 1960s, one newspaper report stating:

‘He was instrumental in smashing some of the most degenerate criminal gangs during the Rand’s 1956-58 ‘golden era’ of crime. Le Grange has been shot at 24 times by as many ruthless payroll robbers and murderers. He has played a part in the deaths of most of the 28 gangsters who have been shot by the Squad.’

One such gangster was “Boy” Faraday, who Le Grange shot dead in December 1964. A newspaper report takes up the story:

‘The man who shot dead one of Johannesburg’s most dangerous gangsters explained today how a hunch saved his life. As Detective Warrant Officer Frikkie Le Grange of Marshall Square came face-to-face with “Boy” Faraday both their guns jammed.

But the policeman instinctively whipped out his personal pistol and killed Faraday.

“I just don’t know what made me take my own pistol along. I don’t often do it,” said Mr. Le Grange. “But when I knew that we were after “Boy” Faraday I told my wife: ‘You will be without a gun tonight.’”

“I slipped it into my lumber jacket pocket and put my police revolver in another pocket. I have great faith in my own pistol.”

Anthony Myando, alias “Boy” Faraday, was cornered in Emdeni township early yesterday.

The man who killed him always wears a rose in his lapel. He was the recipient of the last police bravery medal before South Africa left the Commonwealth.

“Boy” Faraday was one of six desperate men who escaped from a prison van at The Fort on 7 December. He was a big man with numerous stab wound scars. Detectives described him as ‘strong as an ox’ and utterly ruthless.

As Mr. Le Grange and two other detectives arrived at Emdeni yesterday, Faraday ran towards their car, firing wildly. One bullet shattered the windscreen and missed Mr. Le Grange by about two inches.

“I was sitting in the back of the car,” he said. “It is the easiest place to jump from when you are in a hurry.”

Mr. Le Grange jumped out, followed by Sergeant N. Mostert. “I was on top of him and he kept saying ‘ek sal jou, ek sal jou’ while he gripped me by the throat,” said Mr. Le Grange. “His pistol jammed. He grabbed my gun and I let it fall. Then I pulled my own pistol and fired at him. I cannot recall how many shots I fired, but I remember aiming for his head.”

Those shots ended the career of a criminal who was involved in four murders, nine attempted murders and seven robberies this year alone.’

Having been advanced to Captain, Le Grange was invalided out of the force after breaking a hip in a fall from a ladder while chasing burglars in a Booysens warehouse, outside the call of duty, in 1971. But his reputation as ‘the terror of the underworld’ was secure, which description was coined by Brigadier A. J. Steytler, the Witwatersrand C.I.D. Chief, as he pinned Le Grange’s fifth and final award - the Long and Faithful Service Medal - to his chest at a special parade in Johannesburg.

Le Grange died in March 1991.

Sold with a large lacquer-bound scrapbook, containing a mass of career newspaper and magazine cuttings, together with forensic and crime-scene photographs, the latter often of a graphic nature, in addition to other memorabilia, including the Driver’s Licence of convicted murderer Cyril Jones; together with the recipient’s South African Police notebooks (48), covering the period 1957-70.

See lot 380 for the recipient’s miniature dress medals.