Police Long Service & Good Conduct Medal. EIIR 1st type (Sub.Inspr Horace C. Dursley)

Important: The recipient was Sub-Inspector Horace Claude Dursley, Admiralty Constabulary, late Royal Marine Police & Royal Marine Artillery

Horace Claude Dursley, son of Thomas Dursley (Edge Tool Maker) and Ann Dursley (nee Millard) was a native of Walsall, Staffordshire, England, where he was born on, 30 April 1894 (baptism records indicate birth date of 27 April 1894). Described as having been formerly employed as a 'Blacksmith', Horace was 17 years & 8 months of age when he enlisted for service with the Royal Marine Artillery at Birmingham, England, on, 20 February 1911. Horace, subsequently served throughout the Great War, including service in 1919 as part of the North Russia Expeditionary Force, qualifying and receiving the British War and Interallied Victory Medals for his 'War Services' and which medals he received on 5 September 1922 (his extant 'Service Sheet' refers). Horace took his discharge from the Royal Marine Artillery on 29 May 1932, at which time he held the rank of 'Sergeant'. Throughout his service with the Royal Marine Artillery he was returned as character rating 'Very Good', except for a single year in 1924, when the rating was just 'Good', and hence never qualified or received any Naval Long Service & Good Conduct Medal. Horace joined the Royal Marine Police on 26 March 1934, at which time he was assigned R.M.P. No. PO X 260. By the time of the compilation of the 1939 National Register for England & Wales, Horace, was recorded as living together with his wife Olga (his wife, Olga Hensler, was a German national from Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who he had married at, Gosport, Hampshire, England, in 1931) at their residence located at, 91 Ranelagh Road, Portsmouth, England, here he is shown as employed as a Constable with the Royal Marine Police, By the time of qualifying for the award of the Police Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, Horace Dursley, was holding the rank of Sub-Inspector and serving with the Admiralty Constabulary. Horace is recorded as having died at Gosport, Hampshire, England, sometime during the last quarter of 1968.

Note: The Royal Marine Police existed between 1922-1949. Formally established on, 1 August 1922, the force was intended - gradually - to replace the duties, hitherto performed by the Metropolitan Police at various naval establishments, armament depots etc., across the country. The Royal Marine Police were recruited from retired officers and long service pensioners of the Royal Marines. Initially the RMP force numbered 320 all-ranks that mustered at Portsmouth, Plymouth, Devonport, the Nore, and later Chatham. By 1932, the RMP mustered 865 'All-Ranks'. By April 1934, the Royal Marine Police had replaced the Metropolitan Police at all Naval establishments that had hitherto come under the scope of the Metropolitan Police, with members of the RMP deployed across the country, including but not restricted to; Portsmouth, Plymouth, Devonport, the Nore, Chatham, Sheerness and even included a RMP detachment that had been present at The Tower of London since 1924. In October 1949, the Royal Marine Police, Royal Marine Police Special Reserve () & the Admiralty Civil Police, were amalgamated to establish the new Admiralty Constabulary().

A scarce seen Police Long Service Medal to an officer of the Admiralty Constabulary, who had prior served in the Royal Marine Police and before that the Royal Marine Artillery

The medal fitted with its original long length of silk medal riband as issued

Condition: EF

Code: 20922