Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War period K.P.M. awarded to Foot Constable (3rd Grade) Gul Mohammed, North-West Frontier Province Police, for gallantry in a close-run action with dacoits - his right knee shattered by a bullet, he nonetheless continued to engage his foe in the open

King’s Police Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (354 Gul Mohamed, Ex Foot Constable, Peshawar Dist.) on Gallantry riband, good very fine £280-£320

Provenance: Fred Rockwood Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, October 2014.

K.P.M. London Gazette 12 February 1917:
‘At 1.45 a.m. on 31 March 1916 the house of a Hindu in ‘B’ Division, Peshawar City was attacked by a party of from twenty to twenty-five dacoits, mostly Afridis. The alarm was raised and the main body of the dacoits was engaged by a party of police from the Police Station. Hearing the firing, a patrol consisting of a Head Constable and two Constables, set off in the direction of the disturbance. They however unexpectedly encountered a picket put out by the dacoits. The picket fired a volley at the police patrol with the result that Foot Constable Gul Mohammed had his right knee shattered by a bullet. He fell and lay in the open whilst his two companions proceeded to climb on to the roof of a house in order to obtain a better position. The dacoits endeavoured to seize the wounded Constable’s musket but in spite of his wound he kept firing as he lay and defended himself successfully. He not only saved his arms but wounded one of the dacoits. Foot Constable Gul Mohammed’s conduct was most gallant. His wound was so severe that his leg had to be amputated the next day and as he lay in the open he was fully exposed to the dacoits’ fire.’