Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Sergeant D. J. Griffith, Malaya Police

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, G.VI.R. (393 Sjt. D. J. Griffith, Malaya Police), mounted as worn, number and rank officially corrected on the last, very fine and better (5) £180-220

At the start of the Malayan Emergency in 1948, a new rank of European Police Sergeant was established; prior to this the lowest rank was Cadet Assistant Superintendent. Initially these Sergeants were ex-British Army N.C.Os and a few serving N.C.Os who were given permission to transfer to the Police, in addition to ex-members of the Palestine Police. The rank was abolished in late 1949 when it was replaced by that of Police Lieutenant. Thus no more than 500 men served as European Police Sergeants and over half of them left the force as their contracts expired, their role having proved unpopular owing to poor pay, poor conditions and a high mortality rate.