A Collection of Medals to the Indian Police

An O.B.E., I.P.M. group of nine awarded to Deputy Inspector-General of Police Vernon William Farquharson Hicks, Bengal Police - late Lieutenant, Royal Irish Fusilier, wounded and taken prisoner-of-war by the Germans
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt, on 1st type (civil) ribbon; Indian Police Medal, G.VI.R., for Distinguished Conduct (V. W. F. Hicks, O.B.E., I.P., Bengal); 1914-15 Star (Lt., Royal Irish Rgt.) renamed; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, G.VI.R. (Supt., O.B.E., F. of M. Pol.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, these unnamed; Efficiency Medal, G.V.R., India, with incorrect style Second Award Bar (Pte., N. Bengal M. Rif., A.F.I.) mounted as worn, very fine and better (9) £600-700

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Indian Police.

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O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1936. ‘Vernon William Farquharson Hicks, Esq., Additional Superintendent of Police, Chittagong, Bengal.’
I.P.M. Gazette of India 14 June 1945. ‘Vernon William Farquharson Hicks, O.B.E., I.P., Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Officiating), Bengal.’

Vernon William Farquharson Hicks was born on 30 January 1897. Prior to the war he served in the Punjab Volunteers. Commissioned into the Royal Irish Regiment on 5 December 1914, he entered into the France/Flanders theatre of war in June 1916. Promoted to Lieutenant in August 1916. Hicks was wounded and taken prisoner-of-war by the Germans at Ronssoy on 21 March 1918; he was repatriated in November 1918. He relinquished his commission whilst retaining his rank in September 1920. In December 1919 he joined the Indian Police as an Assistant Superintendent, being advanced to Additional Superintendent in March 1926 and Superintendent in August 1929. Awarded the O.B.E. in January 1936. Was Temporary Deputy Inspector-General of Prisons, February 1943-August 1944. Awarded the I.P.M. in 1945 as Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Bengal. Post Independence Hicks served in the Malaya Police before moving to Rhodesia where he died on 2 December 1966. At the time he was living at 11 Wavell Road, Salisbury and his occupation was given as Civil Servant. With copied research, including a report of the events leading up to his capture in March 1918. M.I.D. not confirmed.