Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce campaign group of four awarded to Police Constable A. H. Chamberlain, Shanghai Police, late Private, King Edward’s Horse. He was wounded during the Great War, and taken prisoner of war by the Japanese at the Fall of Singapore, in February 1942

1914-15 Star (859 Pte. A. H. Chamberlain, K. Edw. H.); British War and Victory Medals (859 A. Cpl. A. H. Chamberlain. K. Edw. H.); Shanghai Municipal Council Emergency Medal 1937, bronze, unnamed as issued, mounted for wear, with riband bar, photograph of recipient in uniform on horse, damaged letter of reference from the Colonel Commanding King Edward’s Horse, dated 15 February 1922, and a typed resume of recipient’s service career, cleaned, generally very fine or better (4) £400-£500

A. H. Chamberlain joined the Shanghai Police, aged 18, in 1911. He enlisted in King Edward’s Horse, 15 December 1914, and served with ‘King Edward’s Horse in the Eastern Contingent in the Great War on active service in Europe, and was wounded in 1918; an arm wound proving so serious that I attended hospital on and off until 1924.’

Chamberlain was discharged ‘no longer physically fit for war service’, 21 November 1918. He was employed as an estate agent prior to rejoining the Shanghai Police in 1924. He continued to serve with the latter, and was taken prisoner of war by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore, February 1942. Chamberlain was a ‘prisoner of war in a Japanese concentration camp, which included a journey to the North of China in custody, until I was released in 1945 in Peking; from 1946 to present date, working with the Control Commission in Berlin.’