Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Honours and Awards bestowed upon Sir David B. McNee, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police

Knight Bachelor’s Badge, 3rd type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, hallmarks for Birmingham 1977, with full and miniature width neck riband, in Garrard, London, case of issue; Knight Bachelor’s breast Star, silver-gilt and enamel, hallmarks for Birmingham 1978, in Garrard, London, case of issue; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knight of Justice’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles; Star, silver-gilt and enamel, without heraldic beasts in angles, with full neck riband, in case of issue; Knight of Grace’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles; Star, silver and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles, with full neck riband, in case of issue; Commander’s neck badge, silver and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles, some white enamel damage to the latter two neck badges, otherwise good very fine and better (lot) £600-£800

Sir David Blackstock McNee was born in Glasgow on 23 March 1925 and served as a Telegraphist in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, including in H.M.S. Empire Mace during Operation Overlord, the Normandy landings. Following the cessation of hostilities he joined the City of Glasgow Police in 1946 as a uniformed constable, before joining the force’s Marine Division as a Detective Constable in 1951. After spells with both the Flying Squad and Special Branch, he was appointed Assistant Chief Constable of Dunbartonshire County Constabulary, before returning to the City of Glasgow Police as Chief Constable in 1971. In May 1975 he became the first Chief Constable of the newly-created Strathclyde Police (which included the former City of Glasgow Police’s territory), which was on creation Britain’s second largest Police Force in terms of personnel.

In 1977 McNee succeeded Sir Robert Mark as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and was knighted in the 1978 New Year’s Honours’ List. He served as Commissioner of the Metropolis for the next five and a half years, his period in office seeing the Iranian Embassy Siege in 1980; the Brixton Riots in 1981; and the break-in at Buckingham Palace by Michael Fagan in July 1982. During his term as Commissioner, McNee implemented several reforms to the Metropolitan Police, including those which improved the working conditions of beat constables, something with which, after five years on the beat in Glasgow, he could relate to a greater extent than any of his predecessors.

A committed Christian an a leading figure in the Scottish evangelical movement, who saw the police service as akin to Christian duty, McNee enjoyed the support of the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, although he felt that the police were fen unfairly blamed for the failings of politicians. He retired in October 1982, and published his Memoirs, McNee’s Law, the following year. He died in Glasgow in April 2019.

Sold with the recipient’s Metropolitan Police Warrant Card; two silver Metropolitan Police identity discs, named ‘D. B. McNee, Q.P.M., Commissioner’, and ‘Sir David McNee, Q.P.M., Commissioner’ respectively; various Presentation Shields; three photographs of the recipient, including one of him being presented to H.M Queen Elizabeth II, and one of him with the Prime Minister, Mrs. Thatcher; and other ephemera.