Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An interesting ‘Colonial Service’ O.B.E. and Somaliland 1920 group of four awarded to Sir Douglas J. Jardine [K.C.M.G.], who held the posts of Governor of North Borneo, 1934-37; Sierra Leone, 1937-41 and the Leeward Islands, 1941-44. The recipient of the rare British North Borneo Company’s Medal 1937-41, he also authored The Mad Mullah of Somaliland, and went on to suggest a daring plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type, breast badge, hallmarks for London ‘1919’, in Garrard & Co. Ltd case of issue; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1920 (D. J. Jardine. O.B.E.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, last two mounted for wear, toned, generally good very fine (4) £800-£1,200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from an Africa Collection.

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Jardine’s K.C.M.G., British North Borneo Company’s General Service Medal 1937-1941, Ethiopian Insignia and miniature K.C.M.G., O.B.E. and A.G.S. appeared for sale with Dixons Medals in 2008.

Douglas James Jardine was born in 1888, and educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He joined the Colonial Service, and was appointed to the Chief Secretary’s Office, Cyprus in 1910. Jardine was appointed Assistant Secretary to the Government in 1912, and was employed there as Acting Chief Assistant on several occasions, 1912-1916. He was employed as Secretary to the Administration of Somaliland, 1916-1921 (O.B.E.), during which time he accompanied the mission to Abyssinia on the occasion of the coronation of Empress Zauditu (awarded Star of Ethiopia, 3rd Class, 1917). Jardine was employed as officer in charge H.Q. Services, Somaliland 1920 (A.G.S. and mentioned in despatches).

Jardine was next employed as Senior Assistant Secretary Nigerian Secretariat in 1921, and as Deputy Chief Secretary, Tanganyika Territory from May 1927 (various mentions in Governor’s despatches). He was employed as Acting Governor of Tanganyika Territory, 1929-1933 (C.M.G. 1932), and as Governor and Commander in Chief, North Borneo 1934-37 (K.C.M.G.; British North Borneo Company Medal 1937-41, of which only 44 were issued).

Jardine served as Governor and Commander in Chief, Sierra Leone, 1937-1941, and in the same capacity for the Leeward Islands, 1941-1944. An article written by the recipient’s daughter, that featured in The New Yorker, 28 July 1977, gives the following with regards to Jardine in Sierra Leone:

‘Amory Bradford’s letter regarding Clare Boothe Luce’s idea for the assassination of Hitler reminded me of an ingenious plan devised by my father, Sir Douglas Jardine, when he was the British Governor, in 1941.

The Germans were gaining ground in North Africa, and he was secretly approached by the German High Command with a proposal that he move his troops in Sierra Leone to the wrong border when the German Army invaded the country. For this help, my father was to receive “clement treatment” in the event of a German victory. My father wrote to Whitehall suggesting that he should agree to go to Berlin to discuss the moves he might make. In his pocket he would have a box of Swan Vesta matches with yellow-fever germs sealed inside. My father had been vaccinated against yellow-fever, a fatal disease, so while talking to Hitler he would be able to light his pipe or cigarette and crush the box of matches. Whitehall replied that on no account was he to do any such foolish thing; it would not be cricket to murder Hitler.’

Jardine was the joint editor of The Cyprus Handbook, 1913-1919, wrote an article about the coronation of Empress Zauditu which appeared in Blackwood’s Magazine of October 1917, and authored The Mad Mullah of Somaliland in 1923. After he returned to the UK, he resided at “The Quarries”, Bathurst Hill, Itchingfield, Sussex and died in December 1946.

Sold with copied research, including photographic image of recipient in uniform wearing his awards.