Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare ‘Posthumous’ post-War K.P.F.S.M. pair awarded to Assistant Superintendent D. J. Flanagan, Palestine Police, who displayed outstanding courage and devotion to duty on the occasion of an attack by armed terrorists on Police Headquarters, Jerusalem, on 27 December 1945

King’s Police and Fire Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, for Gallantry (Dennis J. Flanagan. (Deceased), Asst. Supt. Palestine Police.); General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Palestine, Palestine 1945-48, unofficial rivets between clasps (385 T.2 B.Sjt. D. J. Flanagan. Pal. Police.) nearly extremely fine (2) £800-£1,000

K.P.F.S.M. London Gazette 5 February 1946.
The joint citation, with British Constables Nicholson and Hyde, states: ‘On Friday 27th December, 1945, a large number of Jewish terrorists armed with automatic weapons made an attack on Police HQ in Russian Compound, Jaffa Road, Jerusalem. In the course of the attack they destroyed an electricity distribution centre plunging the district around Police HQ into darkness. An enormous exchange of gunfire then occurred between police and the terrorists as they planted several bombs for the purpose of destroying the Police HQ building and killing as many police personnel as possible. British Constable Noel Nicholson, whilst engaging the attacking terrorists was killed in one of the resultant explosions.

Assistant Superintendent Dennis Joseph Flanagan who was on his way to hospital in answer to an emergency call for a blood donor, hastened to the scene of action and armed with two revolvers entered the small lanes through which the attackers were likely to escape. After engaging a party of the terrorists he expended all ammunition from both revolvers and he was then shot and killed. As the terrorists escaped some ran into Zion Square located about 300 yards from the Police HQ. There British Constable Edward Hyde, who was off duty at the time, courageously engaged a group but was killed by overwhelming firepower of the offenders.’

Dennis Joseph Flanagan was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1912. Serving as Assistant Superintendent in the Palestine Police, he was killed in action when a joint Irgun-Lehi force, led by Shraga Alis, launched an assault on the British Intelligence Offices in Jerusalem. Despite the British having instituted special security arrangements in the Russian Compound following a preliminary attack in March 1944, the Jewish underground fighters proved adept at evading British patrols and managed to enter the building. Setting charges, the subsequent explosion resulted in the deaths of seven British policemen with large numbers of casualties trapped beneath the rubble or injured by the blast.

The enemy success was overshadowed by the death of Yvi Aharoni - fatally injured in the attack - and the wounding of Yaakov Granek, later known as ‘blond Dov’, both Lehi force members. It also corresponded with further attacks on British Intelligence offices in Jaffa and the army camp at the Exhibition Ground in north Tel Aviv; at the latter, a British soldier and Irgun fighter under the leadership of Amichai Paglin were killed during a particularly intense exchange of fire.

Sold with extensive copied research.