Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Q.G.M. awarded to Constable J. R. Young, Metropolitan Police, for tackling armed and violent persons in London and Swanley, Kent, in November 1973

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (John Raymond Young) nearly extremely fine £1,800-£2,200

Q.G.M. London Gazette 17 December 1974:

‘John Raymond Young, Constable, Metropolitan Police.

In the early hours of the morning Constable Young, with another officer [Constable Anthony Roy Beer], was on duty in plain clothes in an unmarked police van when they saw three men in a car who were acting suspiciously.

The two policemen decided to follow the car which accelerated away quickly when the occupants realised they were being followed. The officers continued the pursuit for some distance until the men abandoned their car and ran off. Constable Young chased one of the men into a school playground; he shone his torch on the man and shouted “Stop, Police”. The man stopped, turned round and the Constable saw that he was armed with a double-barrelled sawn-off shotgun. The man fired at the officer from a distance of 15 yards and wounded him in the left leg. Constable Young took cover behind a nearby pile of sand and the man ran away once more. In spite of his wound, the officer took up the chase again, shining his torch on the offender. While still running, the gunman turned and fired another shot but fortunately missed Constable Young. The officer switched off his torch and continued to follow the man until he lost sight of him. All three men escaped but the gunman was subsequently caught and arrested.

In his determined pursuit of a man who had already shot and wounded him Constable Young displayed devotion to duty and courage of a very high order.’

Constable A. R. Beer was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct: ‘For services leading to the arrest of an armed criminal who had fired his weapon at two police officers.

This incident occurred in November 1973. In January 1996, John Raymond Young QGM, who had left the police and was working as a private detective, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for jury tampering in a case of armed robbery and kidnapping.

Sold with copied London Gazette entry and citation, together with two original contemporary news cuttings and another copied cutting, and copied Downing Street and Whitehall letters advising of the award of the Q.G.M.