Colonial Police Medal 'For Meritorious Service. EIIR first issue legend issue (Sub-Insp. Dambarbahadur Gurung, Fed Malaya Police)

The 1st type EIIR issues of the Colonial Police Medal, including 'Br: Omn:' in the legend continued to be awarded through to circa 1957

Award verification: The Colonial Police Medal for 'Meritorious Service' was published in the London Gazette issue of 9 June 1955

The recipient was of 'Emigrant' Gurkha ethnicity with origins in British Burma, who later served a Sub-Inspector in the Federation of Malaya Police

Note: While the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police was raised in Singapore Colony in 1948 - and continues to thrive today as a Singapore 'Special Forces' police unit, by contrast the experience & history of Gurkhas service in the neighbouring Federation of Malay Police Force, was considerably shorter lived, and did not extend beyond the period of the 'Emergency'. In Malaya (now Malaysia), the origins of Gurkhas serving in the Federation of Malaya Police date to 1952, when Burma domiciled Gurkhas (including ex service personnel of the Burma Military Police battalions, Burma Rifles and Gurkha Rifles regiments of the former British Indian Army) were recruited for service with the Federation of Malaya Police. The 'Second' Police Field Force, of the FOMP, in particular was the unit to which most, if not all, of the Burmese Gurkhas were destined to serve. While serving with the Federation of Malaya Police, the Gurkhas were entitled to be awarded, where recommended, and or eligible, for the entire gambit of British colonial police and civilian gallantry awards

Only 2 x Gurkhas serving with the Federation of Malaya Police were decorated with the award of the Colonial Police Medal (For Meritorious Service) during the 'Emergency' viz:

- Sergeant Dhanbahadur Gurung LG 01/01/1954 (published in the New Year Honours). He had killed 2 x Insurgents with a 'single bullet'

- Sub-Inspector Dambarbahadur Gurung LG 09/06/1955. The only Gurkha 'Officer' of the FOMP to be decorated

At the time of the award Sub-Inspector Gurung was serving at Fort Iskander, Negri Sembilan (The Straits Times issue of 9 June 1955 refers)

Reference 'British Gallantry Awards' (Abbott & Tamplin, 1981), a total of only 3136 x CPM's (including 169 awards to Colonial Fire Brigades) were awarded in the period 1938-1979, throughout the police and fire brigades of the British Empire, including Mandated Territories (Palestine) and colonies. The broad breakdown of awards through to 1979, by different reigns / eras comprised:

- 1938-1948: 462
- 1949-1952: 437
- 1953-1979: 2406

An extremely rare instance of a Colonial Police Medal being awarded to a Gurkha, and the unique award to a Gurkha 'Junior Officer' of the Federation of Malaya Police

Condition: VF

Code: 21582