Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War O.B.E. and Q.P.M. group of eight awarded to Chief Constable Thomas Biesley Humphrey, South Shields Borough Police, late Military Foot Police

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer’s (Brother’s) breast badge, silver base metal and enamel; Queen’s Police Medal, for Distinguished Service (Thomas B. Humphrey, O.B.E., Ch. Const. South Shields Borough Police); British War Medal 1914-20 (P-10808 L-Cpl., M.F.P.); Defence Medal; Coronation 1937; Coronation 1953; Police Long Service, G.VI.R. (Thomas B. Humphrey Ch. Const.); mounted as worn together with a Victory Medal 1914-19 (T4-129287 Pte. R. Brereton, A.S.C.), in leather case, some contact marks, very fine and better (9) £700-800

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1943. ‘Chief Constable and Air Raid Precautions Controller, County Borough of South Shields, Co. Durham’.

Q.P.M. London Gazette 10 June 1954. ‘Chief Constable, South Shields Borough Police Force’.

Chief Constable Humphrey joined the County Borough of South Shields Police Force on 22 September 1913. He served continuously until his retirement on 15 April 1958, except for one break from 1 June 1917 to 27 January 1919, during the Great War, when he served in the Military Foot Police. Sold with copied photographs and research.