Lot 3958

Description

Pair: King's Police and Fire Services Medal (GVIR) for Gallantry (posthumous) 1st type 1937-1948; General Service Medal (GVIR) Ind Imp 1937-1949 - two clasps - Palestine; Palestine 1945-48. Denis J Flanagan (deceased) Asst.Supt. Palestine Police on first medal, 385 T.2 B.Sjt D.J.Flanagan Pal.Police on second medal. First medal engraved, second medal impressed. Very fine and rare.

Denis Joseph Flanagan, Assistant Superintendant of Police. KPFSM: LG 05Feb1946, No 37457, pg 817; Palestine Gazette 08Feb1946, No 1474. 'On Friday 27th December, 1946 a large number of Jewish terrorists armed with automatic weapons made an attack on Police Headquarters in Russian Compound, Jaffa Road, Jerusalem. In the course of the attack they destroyed an electricity distribution centre plunging the district around Police Headquarters 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 Headquarters 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 Denis 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 three hundred yards from the Police Headquarters. 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'. Both British Constables were also posthumously awarded the King's Police Medal for Gallantry.