Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. Including a superb collection of medals to the King’s German Legion, Police Medals from the Collection of John Tamplin and a small collection of medals to the Irish Guards

A scarce gallantry Indian Police Medal group of five awarded to Inspector H. C. Littlewood, Bombay City Police, late 7th Hussars

Indian Police Medal, G.V.R., For Distinguished Conduct (H. C. Littlewood, Deputy Inspr. Bombay City Police); British War and Victory Medals (11004 Pte., 7-Hrs.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, nearly extremely fine (5) £350-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Police Awards From the Collection of John Tamplin.

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Indian Police Medal Gazette of India 2 January 1933: ‘This officer showed great coolness, pluck and tact on several occasions in dealing with violent mobs of Hindus and Muhammadans during the last communal riots. One day during the disturbances he was in command of ten unarmed police; he had riotous crowds on each side of him and gad expended all his revolver ammunition. But he was not daunted and continued to charge the crowds and kept them from coming to grips with each other; when his Superintendent met him that night, he could hardly walk as his feet were blistered from chasing crowds all day over roads littered with broken bottles and brickbats. The Superintendent told him to go home and rest but he refused and stayed out on duty all night.

On another occasion he was confronted by an angry mob of Muhammadans who wanted to go and see a mosque which they had heard was set on fire by the Hindus. He told them that it was not true and he would not let them pass as, if he did, there was sure to be serious trouble with the Hindus. He eventually offered to take four of their number to see for themselves if the mosque was burnt and he warned the others that if they broke the police cordon he would have to fire on them. He took the four men to the mosque who satisfied themselves that it was not burnt and finally the crowd peacefully dispersed.’

Herbert Charles Littlewood was born at Bangalore on 23 January 1895. He served during the Great War in the 7th Hussars from 23 January 1915 until joining the Indian Police on 12 January 1922. He served with the Bombay City Police from that date and was promoted to Inspector on 8 March 1939. He was with the C.I.D. from July 1939 until April 1943, and was officiating Superintendent of Police from June 1943 until March 1945. Sold with research.

The Indian Police Medal was instituted in 1932 and could be awarded for gallantry or for meritorious service. Until 1945 the medal had a common reverse ‘For Distinguished Conduct’, so the gallantry awards can only be identified by the citations that accompany them in the Gazette of India. In the period 1932-36 approximately 380 awards were made for gallantry to the Indian Police but only 20 of these were to European recipients.