Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to coincide with the OMRS Convention

A K.P.M. pair awarded to Police Constable Sidney Ryall, Metropolitan Police, for gallantry in arresting a burglar

King’s Police Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (Sidney Ryall, Const. Met. Police); Coronation 1911, Metropolitan Police (P.C.) good very fine (2) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of R.W. Gould, MBE.

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K.P.M. London Gazette 2 January 1912.

Police Constable Ryall saw a man named French acting in a suspicious manner in Normanton Road, Croyden, at about 12.30 a.m. and arrested him in the garden of a house. The prisoner struggled violently and succeeded in escaping, but the Conatable chased him and catching him in a neighbouring field, promptly closed with him. French thereupon struck the Officer a violent blow on the left side of the head with a heavy iron case opener about 15 inches long, knocking down and partially stunning him. In spite of the fact that blood was streaming down his face Ryall again arose to his feet, pursued the prisoner and catching him a second time, took his weapon from him and overpowered him. He then with the aid of two other Constables, who had by this time arrived on the scene, took French to the Police Station and, after having been seen by the Police Surgeon, was placed on the sick list suffering from severe contusions and abrasions of the forehead, scalp and left ear.

Police Constable Ryall’s conduct was marked by great tenacity and devotion to duty, and but for the fact that its force was to some extent broken by the rim of his helmet, the blow struck him by the prisoner might well have proved fatal. The Constable was commended by the Justices, the Recorder and the Grand Jury, and was rewarded from the Bow Street Reward Fund.

Sidney Ryall was born at Taunton, Somerset, on 22 March 1886. He was a Cowman before joining the Metropolitan Police on 16 December 1907. He retired on pension on 19 December 1932. Sold with further research including a contemporary newspaper announcement with group photograph taken at his investiture.