Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. To coincide with the OMRS Convention

The Burma campaign medal awarded to Inspector A. H. Gayer, Shwebo District Police

India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Burma 1885-7, Burma 1887-89 (Inspr. A. H. Gayer, Shwebo Dist. Police) second clasp loose on ribbon as issued, good very fine £200-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Awards to Civilians from the Collection of John Tamplin.

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Arthur Henry Gayer was born at Burisal, Bengal, on 17 May 1861, son of Surgeon-Major Edward John Gayer, Bengal Medical Staff. He was educated at the United Service College at Westward Ho! from September 1874 to July 1877, and then served in India and Burma for many years. He entered the Indian Civil Service as an Inspector of Police in August 1886, and shortly afterwards received the India medal with two clasps for his services as an Inspector with the Shwebo District Police, and as Assistant District Superintendent of Police at Madaya and Kyankse from January 1888.

In January 1891 Gayer became Personal Assistant to the Chief Commissioner of Burma, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, K.C.S.I., and was promoted to Assistant Commissioner, 4th Grade, in the Burma Commission at Rangoon in September 1891. For a short while he was Assistant Commissioner at Shwebo, but later was again Personal Assistant at Rangoon. When, in 1895, Mackenzie became Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, Gayer went there with him in February 1896 as his Personal Assistant. In 1898 he became Personal Assistant to Mackenzie’s successor, Sir John Woodburn, K.C.S.I.

In March 1899, Gayer became Superintendent of Stamps and Stationery at Calcutta, and held this appointment until March 1901, when he returned to Burma as an Assistant Commissioner, remaining in Burma until his retirement as a 1st Grade Deputy Commissioner in May 1916. Like most British subjects in India, Gayer served in the Volunteers whilst there, being appointed a Major in the Calcutta Volunteer Rifles in May 1899. Upon his retirement from the Burma Police in May 1916, he was appointed a Foreign Office Cable Censor by the War Office, and held that post for the duration of the war. In retirement he was a keen supporter of his old school, becoming President of the O.U.S.C. Society and first President of the O.U.S.C. Golfing Society in 1934. He presented a silver challenge cup for ‘Foursomes’ to be known as the Gayer Cup which, with the amalgamation of U.S.C. and Haileybury College, was handed over to the O.H. Golfing Society.