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Auction: 19002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 201

Five: Superintendent P. Bosley, British South Africa Police, late Lieutenant, Middlesex Home Guard, a recipient of the Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellowship

Zimbabwe Independence Medal 1980, officially numbered '53836'; Rhodesia, Police Meritorious Service Medal (Supt. P. Bosley); Rhodesia, General Service Medal (Supt P. Bosley); Rhodesia, Police L.S. & G.C. (Supt. P. Bosley); Defence Medal 1939-45, mounted for display, good very fine (5)

M.S.M. Rhodesia Notice 12 July 1971.

Peter Bosley was born on 21 December 1920 at Heston, Middlesex, the son of a butcher. Educated in Brentford, Essex, he excelled on the athletics field and was apprenticed to the Sperry Gyroscope Company in 1934. By the time of the Second World War, his occupation was confirmed as 'reserved' due to the precise naval and aeronautical equipment that his company was producing. Bosley nonetheless served in the 6th Battalion, Middlesex Home Guard, being promoted Lieutenant in August 1943.

He emigrated to Southern Rhodesia in January 1947 and swiftly enlisted in the British South Africa Police, and married Margaret Tysoe - daughter of Major W. Tysoe D.S.O., O.B.E., M.C. (see Lot 373) - in 1950 at Salisbury Cathedral. He spent 20 happy and active years in the Police, being promoted Superintendent and rising to be Officer in Charge of the Traffic Section in Salisbury before his retirement in 1967. A keen member of the local Rotary Club, he was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship in June 1985 '...in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world.'

An active and popular amateur baratone singer and actor, Bosley died on 3 September 2007; sold together with a large original archive including eight athletics medals, seven of these named to the recipient, Paul Harris Fellowship Medal, in case of issue, with bestowal certificate in folder, the related miniature medals mounted as worn, and a file of original paperwork and certificates, related to the Military and Civil career.

An article on the recipient, with the title 'An Instrument Engineer, a Police Officer, a Singer, an Entertainer and above all, a Gentleman' was published in Journal of the Zimbabwe Medal Society, No. 61, March 2008.

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Sold for
£180