Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Groups

Lot 3624    Session 12 (11.30am Thursday)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Groups

Estimate $8,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $8,500

GROUP OF SEVEN: The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, Companion (CSI); The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, Companion (CIE); The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Commander (CBE) Military (1st type Britannia); India General Service Medal 1854-1895, - clasp - Samana 1891; India Medal 1895-1902, - three clasps - Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897, Tirah 1897-98; India General Service Medal 1908-1935, - clasp - Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919; Delhi Durbar Medal 1911. The first three medals unnamed, Mr D.Donald on fourth medal, Mr. D.Donald. Comdr Border Mily Police on fifth medal, Asst-Comnr. D.Donald, Civil Deptt. on sixth medal, last medal unnamed. The first two named medals are engraved, the other is impressed. The first and third medals are in the cases of issue by Garrard & Co and the third has no ribbon, the last four medals are swing mounted, nicely toned, extremely fine.

CIE to Douglas Donald Esq., Commandant of the Border Military Police and Samana Rifles, Kohat: LG Supplement 30/12/1903, No.27511. CSI to Douglas Donald Esq., CIE, on special duty as Political Officer for Orakzais, North West Frontier: LG Supplement 1/1/1921, p5. CBE: Gazetted 5/4/1921 (dated 3/8/1920): ’Honours for operations in Afghanistan.’ Gazette of India 29/7/1919: ’Rendered valuable services in India in connection with the war.’ Together with various research papers including a complete transcript of service record, 1865-1922, and a copy of pages from the book ’The Life of General Dyer’ by Ian Colvin, published in 1929, in which Douglas Donald is mentioned throughout p121 - 124 and 158. Douglas Donald was born on 19 November 1865 at Hashiapore, Punjab, the son of A.J.S.Donald of the Punjab Provincial Civil Service. He was educated at Bishop Cotton School, Simla. He joined the Punjab Police Force at Amballa, Punjab in 1888 and in 1894 was appointed Political Assistant of the Border Military Police. In 1895 he married Miss Johnson. In 1899 he was appointed Commandant of the Border Military Police and Samana Rifles and then in 1906 he was appointed Superintendent of Police and by 1914 was Deputy Inspector General of Police. Douglas Donald gained valuable experience and understanding of the Pathan tribesmen during the tumultuous period of the 1890s which culminated in the Tirah Campaign. Thus, when times became calmer and as Commandant of the Border Military Police and the Samana Rifles, he was able to give long and notable service to the Indian Government by re-establishing and maintaining peaceful relations with many sections of the powerful Orakzai clan. He understood the Pathan nature which he used instinctively; he knew of their tribal feuds, their fierce vendettas, and he also knew the tribal language and lore as well as the tribesmen themselves. With these attributes he was able to succeed in maintaining a form of order because the tribesman and Government alike had confidence that Douglas Donald would do his best for them. In the Samana Campaign of 1891 Mr D.Donald was Political Officer on the Staff of Brigadier General Sir W.S.A. Lockhart, KCB, CSI, Commanding. He was mentioned in dispatches by Lockhart. In the London Gazette of 15 September 1891, p4892, the published account from Lockhart states as part of item 25, ’Messrs Spencer and Donald have also assisted Major Leigh, and have in all respects upheld the good opinion I formed of them during the operations at the beginning of the present year.’ Mr D.Donald was mentioned in dispatches again for the later Samana Campaign in 1897. In the London Gazette of 11 February 1898, p864, Major-General A.G.Yeatman-Biggs CB, Commanding the Kurrum-Kohat Force stated, ’The Commandant of the Border Militia Police, Mr D.Donald, informed me that a large number of the enemy were making for the Darband Kotal, and the officer commanding the 1-2nd Gurkhas reported to me (7p.m.) that seven standards and a considerable number were retracing their steps up the valley.’ He was also mentioned in the same Gazette entry on p865, ’The guns from Haugu were accompanied by Mr. D.Donald, who knows the country well, and he was able to show them a position from which they could fire a few rounds to encourage the garrison, and Major Middleton, commanding the 3rd Bengal Cavalry, sent through by helio., just before sunset, a message to assure the garrison that they would be relieved by mid-day on the 14th.’ Donald received a third mention as follows, ’On the 3rd September a bhisti from Dhar was murdered by the enemy, and his three mules stolen. Mr D.Donald, Commandant of the Border Police, proceeded to Dhar to make inquiries into the circumstances, and he and his escort were fired on.’ Douglas Donald retired in 1922 and he died on 21 October 1953.