Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine ‘North-West Frontier’ C.S.I, ‘1903 Durbar’ C.I.E. and ‘Afghanistan 1919’ C.B.E. group of seven awarded to Deputy Inspector General Douglas Donald, Indian Police

The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, C.S.I., Companion’s neck badge, gold and enamel, with central cameo of a youthful Queen Victoria, the motto of the Order set in rose diamonds, suspended from a five-pointed silver star and gold ring suspension, complete with neck cravat, in Garrard, London, case of issue; The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, C.I.E., Companion’s 3rd type neck badge, gold and enamels, with length of neck ribbon; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E., Commander’s 1st type, neck badge with 2nd type neck cravat; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Samana 1891 (Mr. D. Donald) naming officially engraved in running script; India General Service 1895-1902, 3 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897, Tirah 1897-98 (Mr. D. Donald, Comdt. Border Mily. Police) naming officially engraved in running script with correction to ‘Police’; India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Asst-Comnr. D. Donald Civil Deptt.) officially impressed naming; Delhi Durbar 1911, silver, unnamed as issued, the last four mounted as worn, toned, light contact marks, otherwise very fine or better (7) £4,000-£6,000

C.S.I. London Gazette 1 January 1921: ‘Douglas Donald, Esq., C.I.E., on special duty as Political Officer for Orakzais, North-West Frontier Province.’

C.I.E. London Gazette 30 December 1903: ‘On the occasion of the Durbar to be held this day at Delhi in His Majesty’s Indian Empire, in commemoration of His Majesty’s Coronation:- Douglas Donald, Esq., Commandant of the Border Military Police and Samana Rifles, Kohat.’

C.B.E. (Civil) London Gazette 5 April 1921: ‘For services during the Operations against Afghanistan:- Douglas Donald, Esq., C.S.I., C.I.E., Political Officer and Assistant Commissioner, Hangu and Samana.’

Brought to Notice Gazette of India 29 July 1919: ‘Rendered valuable services in India in connection with the War.’

Douglas Donald was born on 19 November 1865, at Hashiapore, Punjab, the son of A. J. S. Donald, of the Punjab Provincial Civil Service, and was educated at the Bishop Cotton School, Simla. He joined the Punjab Police Force at Amballa, Punjab in 1888 and in 1894 was appointed Political Assistant of the Border Military Police. In 1899 he was appointed Commandant of the Border Military Police and Samana Rifles. He was appointed Superintendent of Police in 1906 and by 1914 he was Deputy Inspector General of Police.

Donald gained valuable experience and understanding of the Pathan tribesmen during the tumultuous period of the 1890s which culminated in the Tirah Campaign. Thus, when times became calmer and as Commandant of the Border Military Police and the Samana Rifles, he was able to give long and notable service to the Indian Government by re-establishing and maintaining peaceful relations with many sections of the powerful Orakzai clan. He understood the Pathan nature which he used instinctively; he knew of their tribal feuds, their fierce vendettas, and he also knew the tribal language and lore as well as the tribesmen themselves. With these attributes he was able to succeed in maintaining a form of order because the tribesman and Government alike had confidence that Douglas Donald would do his best for them.

In the Samana Campaign of 1891 Donald was Political Officer on the Staff of Brigadier General Sir W. S. A. Lockhart, K.C.B., C.S.I., Commanding. He was mentioned in dispatches by Lockhart. In the London Gazette of 15 September 1891, the published account from Lockhart states as part of item 25, 'Messrs Spencer and Donald have also assisted Major Leigh, and have in all respects upheld the good opinion I formed of them during the operations at the beginning of the present year.'

Donald was mentioned in dispatches again for the later Samana Campaign in 1897. In the London Gazette of 11 February 1898, Major-General A. G. Yeatman-Biggs, C.B., Commanding the Kurrum-Kohat Force stated, 'The Commandant of the Border Militia Police, Mr D. Donald, informed me that a large number of the enemy were making for the Darband Kotal, and the officer commanding the 1-2nd Gurkhas reported to me (7p.m.) that seven standards and a considerable number were retracing their steps up the valley.' He was also mentioned in the same Gazette entry, 'The guns from Hangu were accompanied by Mr. D. Donald, who knows the country well, and he was able to show them a position from which they could fire a few rounds to encourage the garrison, and Major Middleton, commanding the 3rd Bengal Cavalry, sent through by helio., just before sunset, a message to assure the garrison that they would be relieved by mid-day on the 14th.' Donald received a third mention as follows, 'On the 3rd September a bhisti from Dhar was murdered by the enemy, and his three mules stolen. Mr D. Donald, Commandant of the Border Police, proceeded to Dhar to make inquiries into the circumstances, and he and his escort were fired on.' Douglas Donald retired in 1922 and died on 21 October 1953, aged 88. In his Obituary in the Times, Lord Rugby wrote:- ‘All of us who knew him, his eager sportsmanship, his bubbling good humour, and who saw how he could bring good out of evil are sure that there is a niche for him in the Frontier museum of fame.’

Sold with copied research including a transcript of his record of service and copied pages from The Life of General Dyer, by Ian Colvin, 1929, in which Donald is mentioned several times.