Medals, Honours and Awards
of former members of the
British South Africa Police
Pro Rege Pro Lege Pro Patria

Compiled by Andrew Field 8646

This page is dedicated to those members of the British South Africa Police who have been awarded medals or honours during their service in the force or subsequent to service in the force. The page has been split into two sections:

• British and Colonial Awards
• Rhodesian Awards

Information is generally ordered by surname and first names, followed by the life span of the person in brackets, or birth death years. Existing decorations at the time of the award are listed along with a force number and period of service in the BSA Police, in brackets, the rank at the time of the award, and the date of the award. If you believe you have found any errors in these listings, please report them to the , and where possible provide credible supporting documentation. Thank you.

British and Colonial Awards

The Victoria Cross


The following persons, who were members of either the Mashonaland Mounted Police or Bulawayo Field Force (forerunners of the British South Africa Police), and later BSA Police, are recipients of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces:

Nesbitt, Randolph Cosby - On 19 June 1896 at Mazoe, near Salisbury, Rhodesia, Captain Nesbitt led a patrol consisting of only 13 men to go to the rescue of the miners at the Alice Mine in Mazoe Valley, who were surrounded by hordes of rebels. Captain Nesbitt and his patrol fought their way through the enemy and succeeded in getting the beleaguered party (including three women) back to Salisbury, in spite of heavy fighting in which three of the small rescue party were killed and five wounded.  At the time, Nesbitt was 28 years old, and a Captain in the Mashonaland Mounted Police, British South Africa (predecessor of Southern Rhodesia) Forces during the Mashona Rebellion, Rhodesia when the deed took place.

Booth, Frederick Charles (1630) (1890 - 1960) was a 26 year old Sergeant in the British South Africa Police attached to the Rhodesian Native Infantry during the First World War, when on 12 February, 1917 (World War I) at Johannesbruck, in German East Africa (now Tanzania), during an attack in thick scrub on an enemy position, Sergeant Booth went forward alone to rescue an injured man. He then rallied the poorly organised native troops and brought them to the firing line. On many previous occasions this NCO had set a splendid example of pluck, and endurance. He was born in Holloway, North London, and educated at Cheltenham College served in the British South Africa Police, in Southern Rhodesia, from 1912 to 1917. Booth died on September 14, 1960, in Brighton, United Kingdom and is buried at Bear Road Cemetery, Brighton, Sussex, England, in the Red Cross Plot.

Henderson, Herbert Stephen was a 26 years old Trooper in the Bulawayo Field Force, British South African Forces during the Matabeleland Rebellion, Rhodesia when on 30 March 1896 at Campbell's Store, near Bulawayo, Rhodesia, a patrol which had been sent to the rescue of another beleaguered patrol, was surprised by rebels and Trooper Henderson and another trooper were cut off from the main party. The second trooper was shot through the knee and his horse killed, so Trooper Henderson put the wounded man on his own horse, and, walking beside it, made his way to Bulawayo, 35 miles away. They had to move principally by night, as the country was full of marauding rebels and they had no food for two days and one night.

Baxter, Frank William (1869 - 1896) was a 26 years old Trooper in the Bulawayo Field Force during the Matabeleland Rebellion, when on April 22, 1896 (Matabeleland Rebellion), near Umguza, Mashonaland, Rhodesia, he gave up his horse to a wounded comrade who was lagging behind, with an enemy force in hot pursuit. Baxter then tried to escape on foot, hanging on to the stirrup of another mounted scout of the Bulawayo Field Force, until he was hit in the side by enemy fire. He let go of the stirrup and died moments later. He was born on 29 December, 1869 in Woolwich, London.  Baxter is buried at Bulawayo Town Cemetery, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)

Recipient:
Pestell, Sir John Richard (1916-2005) - CPM (No. 3815 - served from Apr-1939 to Jun-1965) post BSAP Service on 9-Jul-1969. Sir John was Private Secretary and Comptroller to the Governor of Southern Rhodesia (1965-1969)

Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE)

Recipients:
Edwards, Sir Alfred Hamilton Mackenzie (1862-1944) - CB; MVO (served from Nov-1912 to Jan-1923) Major General - Commissioner of Police

Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Recipients:
Appleby, James (1899-1985) - KPM (No. 2123 - served from Oct-1919 to Jun-1954) Commissioner on 8-Jan-1954;
Barfoot, Frank Eric (1913-1971) - QPM; CPM (No. 3342 - served from Apr-1933 to Jan-1968) Commissioner on 6/13-Jun-1964;
Capell, Algernon Essex (1869-1952) - DSO (served from Jul-1913 to Feb-1926) Colonel on 3-Jun-1924;
de Quehen, Basil Maurice (d.1993) - MVO (No. 3136 - served from Nov-1929 to Oct-1949) Post service with BSAP on 1-Jan-1959;
Jackson, Harold (1903-1998) - KPM; CPM (No. 2853 - served from Feb-1927 to Mar-1958) Lieutenant-Colonel on 1-Jan-1958;
Morris, John Sidney (1890-1961) (No. 1119 - served from Oct-1909 to Apr-1945) Commissioner on 3-Jun-1935;
Parson, George (1879-1950) - DSO; MID (served from Aug-1906 to Feb-1929 in Southern Rhodesia Constabulary, a predecessor force of the BSAP) Post Service with the force on 4-Jun-1934;
Ross, John Ellis (1893-1965) - CVO; KPM (No. 1771 - served from Oct-1913 to Dec-1950) Commissioner on 8-Jun-1950;
Spurling, Basil Gordon (1908-1991) - QPM; CPM (No. 3100 - served from Apr-1929 to Apr-1963) Commissioner on 13-Jun-1959;
St. Quinton, Noel (d.1970) (No. 941 - served from Jan-1908 to Mar-1909) Post Service ;
Stops, George (1876-1940)(served from Oct-1896 to Feb-1933) Commissioner on 3-Jan-1933; and
Stubbs, William Frederick (d.1987) (No. 2434 - served from 14-Nov-1921 to 17-Apr-1924).

Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
(OBE)

Recipients:
Adams, Arthur Veysey (d.1972) (No. 1672 - served from Apr-1913 to Apr-1933) Post BSAP Service on 2-Jan-1942;
Black, JB - DFC (No. 3768V) Pre BSAP Reserve Service (Joined 1966) ;
Brundell, Joseph Cyril (d.1938) (No. 1142 - served from Jun-1901 to Oct-1935) on 1-Jan-1935;
Clemow, Hedley William (1890-1975) (No. 1701 - served from Aug-1913 to Oct-1945) Major on 18-Jun-1942;
Duncombe, Charles William (b.1907) MBE; CPM (No. 3102 - served from Apr-1929 to Jan-1962) Post BSAP Service on 1-Jan-1964;
Fitzwilliam, George Lionel Canard (b.1908) (No. 3089 - served from Mar-1929 to Nov-1963) S/A/Commissioner on 1-Jan-1964;
Fleming, Malcolm Granger - Lieutenant Colonel on 1-Jan-1954;
Hamilton, Richard (d.1962) (No. 671 - served from Jun-1905 to Feb-1939) Major on 11-May-1937;
Harries, George Mervyn (1912-2001) - QPM; CPM (No. 3369 - served from Feb-1934 to Oct-1967) Deputy Commissioner on 1-Jan-1965;
Harrison, Frederick William (b.1896) (No. 2323 - served from Jul-1920 to Jan-1951) Lieutenant Colonel on 9-Jun-1950;
Hickman, Arthur Selwyn (1900-1976) (No. 2622 - served from Aug-1924 to Nov-1955) Chief Superintendent on 9-Jun-1944;
Phillips, William James (d.1957) (No. 221 - served from Aug-1901 to Oct-1931) Major on 30-May-1919;
Shillingford, Norman Frederick (No. R524) Superintendent (Reserve) on 7-Jan-1949;
Stephens, Francis Trant (d.1946) (No. 560 - served from Oct-1903 to Jul-1920) Major on 30-May-1919;
Syratt, William James (No. 4129 - served from Jun-1946 to Oct-1949) ; and
Thornton, George James (d.1948) (No. 18 - served from Nov-1896 to Apr-1923) Major on 1-Jan-1919

Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry (CPMG)

 

Recipients:
Coutts, Alexander Cameron Sibbald "Sandy" (5234) - Inspector
Garikayi (possibly Varikayi) (17440) - Constable
Tichawona (12064) - Constable

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Recipients:
 

Queens Police Medal for Meritorious Service (QPM)

Recipients:
Bailey, Robert John Vivian - CPM (3703)  Deputy Commissioner on 18-Jun-1965;
Barfoot, Frank Eric - CBE; CPM (3342)  Commissioner on 16-Jun-1961;
Blowers, Harry Branton - CPM (3529)  S/A/Commissioner on 14-Jun-1933;
Borland, Robert Hugh - CPM (3306)  Lieutenant Colonel on 14-Jun-1957;
Botha, John Nicolas - CPLSM, CPM (3126)  Assistant Commissioner on 4-Jan-1963;
Bunce, Ernest Hope - CPLSM, CPM (2724)  Assistant Commissioner on 13-Jun-1958;
Duncombe, Charles William - CPM (3102)  S/A/Commissioner on 17-Jun-1970;
Edwards, Stanley - CPM (3749)  Captain on 8-Jan-1965;
Fitzwilliam, George Lionel - OBE, CPM (3089)  S/A/Commissioner on 1-Jan-1960;
Flower, Kenneth - MBE, CPM (3854)  Deputy Commissioner on 5-Jan-1962;
Harries, George Mervyn - OBE, CPM (3369)  Deputy Commissioner on 6-Jun-1962;
Harvey, Fgeorge McLean - CPLSM, CPM (3118)  S/A/Commissioner on 6-Jan-1961;
Hickman, Arthur Selwyn - CPM, OSJ (2622)  Commissioner on 1-Jan-1955;
Lennox, Ernest James - CPLSM, CPM (3119)  Assistant Commissioner on 2-Jan-1959;
Price, Basil Joseph - CPM (2844)  Major on 19-Jun-1959;
Redfers, Jack - CPM (3540)  Captain on 1-Jan-1964;
Rogers, Graham Cecil - CPM (2537)  Lieutenant Colonel on 8-Jan-1954;
Rolfe, Graham Sydney Ablitt - CPM, MID, 53 CORO (2934)  S/A/Commissioner on 10-Jun-1955;
Spink, James - CPM, MID, 53 CORO (3743)  Commissioner on 19-Jun-1964;
Spurling, Basil Gordon - CBE, CPM (3100)  Commissioner on 4-Jan-1957;
Streeter, Ernest Stanley - MBE, CPM (2807)  Major on 3-Jan-1958;
Thatcher, Charles William Howe - CPM, (3193)  Assistant Commissioner on 1-Jan-1956;
Walker, William Hampton Dawson - MBE (MIL), CPM (3088)  Lieutenant Colonel on 1-Jun-1958;

 

Rhodesian Awards

The Conspicuous Gallantry Decoration (CGD)

No members of the Defence Forces or Police were recipients of this medal.