Glasgow Policeman's Second World War era Defence & Police long service medal pair: Constable Thomas Conchi, City of Glasgow Police Force

- Defence Medals
- Police LS&GC Medal GVI issue (Const. Thomas Conchi.)

Important: Police Constable was one of two Glasgow City Police constables who were both seriously injured and at the centre of a rather sensational 'Attempted Murder Charge' brought against a Scottish youth who had stolen a motor car in 1933. There are multiple reports of the incident and subsequent trial in both Scottish and English newspapers- some of which are exhaustive in detail, for example see the Scotsman issue of 9 May 1933. For brevity we are below quoting the article published in the Dundee Evening Telegraph issue of, 31 January 1933:

Quote,

ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO MURDER TWO CONSTABLES

GLASGOW YOUTH IN COURT

Motor Theft Charges

A charge of attempted murder was preferred against Gavin Scott Forrest when he appeared before Sheriff Boyd Berry at Glasgow Sheriff Court to-day.

The charge against him alleges that, on January 21, in Pollockshaws., near Shawlands Cross, having been ordered by Police Constable James Hadden to stop a motor car, he failed to obey the order, and Police Constables James Hadden and Thomas Conchie having boarded the running board of the motor car to make him comply with the order, he accelerated the speed of the car and did assault Police Constables Hadden and Conchie, and did strike them with a shoe and repeatedly opened the door of the motor car so as to throw them to the street and did drive the car against a Corporation tram car and so crushed the constables between the motor car and the tram car that the constables were each severely injured to the danger of their lives, and "you did attempt to murder them."

Other Charges.

Other charges alleged that on January 5, in Gibson Street, Hillhead, he stole a motor car, nine gallons of petrol, a motor driver's license, and various other articles; on January 21, in Hillhead, stole a motor car and four shoes; and, on January 21, in a garage at, 486 Alexandra Parade, pretended to a woman that he was going by motor car to Edinburgh, that he was temporarily short of ready cash and that he required two gallons of petrol, and delivered to the woman in evidence of good faith a motor car license that belonged to another person, and induced the woman to give him two gallons of petrol and defrauded her of same

An agent appeared on account of accused and intimated no plea and no declaration, and accused was committed to prison by Sheriff Berry for further examination.

When, on the motion of the procurator fiscal, Sheriff Berry committed him to prison, accused turned smartly in the dock and left the courtroom.

Unquote.

Thomas Conchie, only child of Thomas Conchie (Police Constable) & Agnes Jane Conchie (nee Rae) was a native of, the parish of Troqueer, Maxwelltown, Kirkudbrightshire, Scotland, where he was born on, 30 October 1900. At time of the 1901 National Census for Scotland, Thomas is recorded as a 5 month baby son, resident at the Police Buildings, Troqueer, Kirkcudbrightshire, where his father was quartered as a Police Constable. During the Great War,Thomas Conchie, at the age of 17 years and 11 months, enlisted in the newly formed Royal Air Force on, 4 September 1918, for 'Duration of the War'. At time of enlistment he was allocated to the official number 291945. Prior to joining the Royal Air Force, Thomas had been employed as a 'Telegraphist'. During his RAF service, Thomas held the rank of Private 2nd Class, and served on 'Home Service' in the United Kingdom. Thomas took his discharge from the Royal Air Force, on,14 March 1919, on which date he transferred to the Royal Air Force Reserve. Sometime after leaving the Royal Air Force, Thomas Conchie, like his father before him embarked on a career as a Policeman. He joined the City of Glasgow Police. Thomas is recorded as having married in Glasgow, during 1932, and is known to have died in Dumfries, Scotland, in, 1984

The medals mounted as-worn by the recipient in the swing style. The mounting bar retaining the original long hinged pin & clasp fittings

Condition: GVF

Code: 22502