Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce K.P.M. and Bar group of three awarded to Assistant Inspector-General M. F. Cleary, Indian Police, the first Bar awarded with the new laurel design

King’s Police Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue, with laurel design Second Award Bar (Michael FrancisCleary. Indian Police Service); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, these last two unnamed as issued, good very fine (3) £1,000-£1,400

K.P.M. London Gazette 1 January 1930: ‘Mr M. F. Cleary, Superintendent of Police, Intelligence Bureau, Home Department, Government of India. For valuable services.’

K.P.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 8 May 1934: ‘Michael Francis Cleary, Superintendent of Police, Chittagong, in recognition of his gallant conduct in frustrating an attempted outrage by terrorists on the 7th January last, by the foresight, courage and presence of mind which he displayed in apprehending two armed suspects.’

This was the first Bar awarded with the laurel design.

The following citation was published in The Gazette of India 8 May 1934:

‘On the 7th January, 1934 Mr. Cleary, who had just witnessed a cricket match, was returning in his car to his bungalow when, on arriving at a point behind a tent where some 40 or 50 spectators and players were gathered, he noticed two suspicious youths on the road. He ordered his guard Constable and driver to search them but, not satisfied that the search was being conducted efficiently, he himself left the car and ordered his driver to strip the youths to the waist. One youth thereupon hurled a bomb which exploded at Mr. Cleary's feet but did him no injury. He immediately tackled the youth and called upon his orderly to shoot. The orderly did so, but missed the youth and hit Mr. Cleary's hand. He however continued the struggle on the ground until the Constable shot the youth dead. Meanwhile the other youth ran away but was pursued and eventually wounded and captured; a bomb was found in his possession. The foresight, courage and presence of mind displayed by Mr. Cleary were the main factors in the frustration of an attempted outrage by terrorists which might otherwise have been disastrously successful.'

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