Auction Catalogue

23 September 2005

Starting at 11:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part III)

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 1252

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23 September 2005

Hammer Price:
£430

An M.B.E. and Indian Police Medal group of three to Hon. Deputy Superintendent F. Morgan, Bihar and Orissa Police

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 2nd type; Indian Police Medal, G.V.R., for Distinguished Conduct (Frank Morgan, Sergt. Major, Bihar and Orissa Police); War Medal 1939-45 (Maj. F. Morgan, M.B.E., I.A.) good very fine and better (3) £350-400

M.B.E. London Gazette 8 June 1939. ‘Honorary Deputy Superintendent of Police and Principal, Constables Training School, Angul, Cuttack District, Orissa.’

Indian Police Medal
Gazette of India 2 January 1933. ‘This officer joined the Police from the British Army as a Sergeant on 4 June 1910. During the Bakd-Id of 1911, he was posted at Fatwa in Patna District with a small force of armed police. Throughout the kurbani day he was engaged in controlling a riotous mob of about 2,000 who threatened to burn houses and destroy property. After several critical incidents he was eventually able to disperse the mob without firing. His calm control and determined attitude were instrumental in preventing a serious riot. In 1911 he received the Durbar Medal for duties in connection with the Royal visit. On this occasion he was placed on special duty to guard Their Majesties’ train at Patna during their visit to Nepal. During the War he served with distinction in Mesopotamia and elsewhere and was mentioned in despatches and gazetted from the I.A.R.O. with the rank of Lieutenant.

In 1922 he received the thanks of His Excellency the Governor for good work done during the visit to Patna of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. In the same year, while with the Mounted Military Police, he did excellent work during the Jamshedpur strike.

In 1923 he was awarded a gold watch by the Government for the following services during the serious Arrah floods: “Sergeant-Major F. Morgan of the Mounted Military Police was on duty from dawn of the 19th August. In spite of the complete loss of his personal property through the collapse of his house while he himself was saving the lives and property of others, he stuck to his work assisting in the rescue of the Mission, the residents of Maulabagh and Pahrib by boat. Throughout the period he kept his command well under control and maintained a high standard of discipline which was rendered possible by the initiative and devotion to duty which he displayed in a marked degree.”

Although knowing that disaster had overtaken property which represented the savings earned by him during his long and faithful service to the Government, he worked whole-heartedly and cheerfully for the rescue and relief of the public.

Since April 1928, with an interval for the responsible post of Deputy Superintendent at the Patna Camp Jail, he has been employed as Instructor at the Police Training College, Hazaribagh. During this period he has been responsible for maintaining a very high standard of smartness and efficiency. He has been specially mentioned six times in the Annual Administration Report’.