Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Singles

Lot 4520    Session 14 (4.30pm)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Singles

Estimate $2,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,000

MEDAL TO POLICE OFFICER ON JIMMY GOVERNOR CASE: Imperial Service Medal, (EVII) (type 1). John Saunders. Engraved. In Elkington, London case of issue, uncirculated.

With forwarding letter from Secretary of the Imperial Service Order, Whitehall, to Mr John Saunders; also three photographs in Police uniforms.

John Saunders, born 02Aug1858 at Uffington in Berkshire, England; migrated to Australia in 1879 as a slate layer but joined the New South Wales Police Force 26Feb1879 as Probationary Constable; 01Jun1880 Constable 1/c; 01Jun1882 Senior Constable; 01Apr1883 Sergeant 2/c; 01Feb1889 Sergeant 1/c; 01Dec1889 Acting Sub-Inspector; 01Sep1890 Sub-Inspector 2/c; 1891 presented with chiming gold watch; 03Aug1899 Sub-Inspector 1/c; 01Feb1901 Inspector; 1904 transferred to Mounted Section; 01Jan1904 Acting Superintendent; 01Sep1906 Superintendent 3/c; 01Feb1917 Superintendent 2/c; 01Jul1909 Superintendent 1/c; 02Aug1918 Discharged on pension; Certificate of Discharge issued 06Aug1918 and marked 'Most Exemplary'; died aged 72 on 12Jan1931 at his residence at Haberfield, Sydney and his funeral was conducted at the Crematorium at Rookwood Cemetery.

Areas served: Depot 26Feb1879; Metropolitan Police District until transferred to Wilcannia, South Western District 06Jan1881; Milparinka 1883; Broken Hill 1888, Newcastle 1895; Orange 1900; Deniliquin 1904 in charge of South West District; West Maitland 1907 in charge of North East District; Goulburn 1912 in charge of South District.

Saunders went from Constable to Superintendent in a matter of twenty years, a promotional rise with few parallels in the Force. As one Broken Hill newspaper reported, 'When the Mt Browne diggings 'broke out' in the far north-west he acted as gold escort; then, having made a small reputation for successfully handling diggers, he was shifted to the Barrrier when that rush started. There were Saunders and another to handle several thousand of mostly-excited men, and they did it somehow... Also, in order to establish himself in the personal respect of the crowd, he trained hard as an athlete, and was ready to 'put them on' in any boxing tournament.'

On his arrival to take up office at Orange, the local newspaper, The Western Advocate, Saturday, July 29, 1899 reported as follows, 'Mr. Sub-Inspector Saunders, who succeeds Inspector Ford, arrived in Orange on Friday morning and will take charge at once. Mr. Saunders is probably the youngest sub-inspector of the police in the colony. He has had a good experience with the criminal classes. He was in charge of the Broken Hill station during the exciting times of the strike, and also Newcastle, where he was very popular with the whole community, who accorded him a splendid send-off on the occasion of his leaving. We extend a hearty welcome to Mr Saunders.'

Another newspaper report printed in The Orange Leader praised him stating that the new chief-of-police, Sub-Inspector Saunders, was a tall, lithe active man of pleasant manners and an iron resolution. During the Broken Hill strikes he clearly demonstrated that he was a man not to be trifled with. It also goes into detail describing the magnificent illuminated address presented to him as the finest ever seen, standing over four feet high and two feet six inches wide in a massive gold frame.

In other articles it is revealed that Mr. Saunders was a smart, all-round athlete. Apparently he was best at Indian club swinging and sprinting but could also hold his own with single-sticks, in boxing and other muscular exercises.

In January 1898 Sub-Inspector Saunders, Detective James M'Hattie, Sergeant Thomas Hickey and First Class Constable David Border, of the Newcastle police force, who succeeded in clearing up the mystery of the Hunter Street fire, for which Simeon Joel was convicted of arson, were presented with gold medals suitably inscribed, the gifts of the Victoria Insurance Co in recognition of their special services. The presentations were made at the police station by Mr. Inspector W.C.Lynch.

Inspector Saunders was highly regarded and on numerous occasions was congratulated by the Court for the way in which he discharged his duties and the manner in which evidence was tendered to the court.

One of the highest profile cases he worked on was the one concerning Jimmy Governor. A case in which Sub-Inspector Saunders was involved in the transportation and prosecution of the outlaw, Jimmy Governor, one of the Governor brothers who committed a series of murders in the North Coast region of New South Wales in 1900. When Governor was captured by private citizens at the foot of the Bulga Mountain which divides the Manning and Hastings Rivers he was taken to the Wingham lockup. On 31 October 1900, Sub-Inspector Saunders arrived at Wingham where Jimmy Governor was taken before the local court and remanded to Sydney to stand trial for murder.

On 1 November, Governor left on the steamer Electra handcuffed between two policemen with an escort of five others all in the charge of Sub-Inspector Saunders. During the trial Sub-Inspector Saunders presented police evidence of his interview of Governor while he was in custody in Wingham. Subsequently, Jimmy Governor was found guilty and sentenced to death.

The Jimmy Governor saga was the basis for the novel, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith by Thomas Keneally written in the 1970s and later in 1978 made into a movie of the same name.

Together with photocopies of numerous newspaper articles featuring Inspector John Saunders during his long and illustrious police career.