Lot 3950

Description

Group of Six: The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire Companion (CIE) neck badge; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) neck badge 1st type; King's Police Medal (GVR) coinage head; Delhi Durbar Medal (silver) 1911; Coronation Medal 1935; Coronation Medal 1937. David Alexander Smyth Indian Police Service engraved on third medal, all other medals unnamed. Very fine - extremely fine and rare.

David Alexander Smyth, District Superintendent of Police, Nagpur. KPM: Gazette of India 01Jan1925, 'This Officer has earned a distinguished record for efficiency and excellent work throughout his service and in particular for the discipline of his police force. He is always most popular with his men, who follow him implicitly and strive to attain the high ideals that he sets before them. In 1919 he was specially selected for the charge of the Saugor District, notorious for its numerous dacoities, carried out by bands working between the district and some adjoining Native States. During his two years in the district. he succeeded in breaking up and convicting several formidable bands of dacoits by instilling a new spirit of assistance among the villages by securing keen enthusiasm amongst both the district police and the special armed force, and by enlisting the co-operation of the authorities of the Native States. He left the district practically free from dacoity and there has been no recrudescence. On his transfer to Nagpur, he had to deal with two serious outbreaks of public disorder in 1923, the Flag Agitation and the Hindu-Moslem communal trouble. Both these difficult periods were overcome with the minimum of friction and trouble. Under most trying conditions, which involved heavy work and much irritation to the police employed, his personal example of strict discipline, good humour and tactful arrangements, resulted in the settlement of these difficult matters without resentment against the police organisation, and at the close reputation of the police never stood higher in public estimation'. CBE: Gazette of India 03Jun1935. CIE: LG 01Jan1941. Together with six photocopy pages of London Gazette and Gazette of India.