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Auction: 5005 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 60

An Extremely Rare Colonial Police Gallantry Medal with Bar Group of Five to Sergeant P.R. Adams, Palestine Police Force Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry, G.VI.R., first type (Sgt. Phillip R. Adams. Palestine Police Force), with Second Award Bar; General Service Medal, G.VI.R., two clasps, Palestine, Palestine 1945-48 (748 Sgt. P.R. Adams. Pal. Police.); Defence and War Medals; Colonial Police Long Service, G.VI.R. (Brit. Insp.Philip R. Adams, Palestine Police), good very fine, very rare, mounted as worn, with related group of five miniature awards (10) Estimate £ 2,000-2,500 Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry London Gazette 18.8.1939, Phillip Robert Adams, Sergeant, Palestine Police Force Bar to Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry London Gazette 28.1.1944 Inspector, Palestine Police Force Inspector Phillip Robert Adams, from Norfolk, served as a regular soldier with R.A. Mountain Battery (India). For seven years he was attached to the North West Frontier Police before joining the Palestinian Police as British Constable, 20.6.1930. He had a thorough and detailed knowledge of the Judean desert and the Bedouin tribes, and the Arabs themselves nicknamed him ´Abu korbaj´ (Father of the Whip). An experienced horseman after his years in India, Adams was posted to the newly formed British Mounted Branch. He also knew the Lower Jordan Valley and in particular the town or oasis of Jericho. During the Arab Rebellion 1936-39, insurgents took over Jericho and burned down the police station. For a long time the area was a ´no-go area´. In 1939 Adams rode alone down the main street on a perfectly turned out horse. There was silence from the population looking out from their houses, but nobody challenged him. He took over the ruins of the police station and hoisted the Union Flag and placed a notice at the entrance announcing in English and Arabic ´Business as usual´. For this the Arabs further nicknamed him ´The Uncrowned King of Jericho´, and government rule was returned to the area. He was the last British Policeman to leave Jericho in 1948. After the ´Stand Down´ Adams went on to serve in Aden, Nigeria, Gold Coast and the Canal Zone. A brilliant horseman, he became an authority on various breeds of Arab bred horses. Inspector Adams retired 15.5.1948 and returned to Swanton Abbot, near Norwich, where he died in 1986. Only nine second award bars to the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry have been awarded. The bar to Inspector Adams was the first bar to be awarded, and is the only bar for Palestine.

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£4,200