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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 713

(x) An outstanding 1925 K.P.M. awarded to Inspector Said Akbar Khan, North-West Frontier Province Police, for his 'indefatigable' work in tracking and negotiation with Ajab's gang who had murdered Mrs Ellis and taken hostage young Molly Ellis, daughter of Major A. J. Ellis D.S.O., Border Regiment; Khan went up to Tirah to locate the kidnappers, which eventually led to her safe return to the arms of her father - the story was featured in the 1978 BBC production Tales of India - A Yesterdays Witness as 'Frontier Outrage'

King's Police Medal, G.V.R. (Said Akbar Khan, Inspector. N.W.F.P. Police), good very fine

K.P.M. London Gazette 1 January 1925. The following citation was published in the Gazette of India the same day:

'After Miss Ellis had been kidnapped from Kohat Cantonment in the early hours of 14th April 1923, there was for some days as to the girl's whereabouts or fate. From the moment when the tragedy was discovered Inspector Said Akbar was indefatigable in scouring the difficult country around Kohat, and when all searches proved unsuccessful he volunteered to go up to Tirah in the hopes of locating the kidnappers.

At very great personal risk he proceeded to Khanki Bazaar and had actually got into touch with Ajab's gang before the arrival of Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan and of Mrs Starr's mission. Inspector Said Akbar displayed the greatest tact and ability in his negotiations for the release of Miss Ellis and did much towards paving the way for Khan Bahadur Moghal Baz to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion.

After Sir John Maffey's jirga with the Afridis and Orakzais at Shinawari, Inpsector Said Akbar accompanied the Afridi lashkar which went in search of the culprits into remote and dangerous tribal country.'

It is understood that young Molly Ellis was just 17 at the time of her ordeal, when a band of Pathan tribesmen broke into the Military Cantonment. During the raid, her mother was stabbed to death whilst her father was out on patrol duty and smuggled to Khanki, outside British territory.

The good Inspector put in the hard yards on the ground before the arrival of the mission to save Molly. Mrs Lilian Agnes Starr was Matron in Charge of the Mission Hospital at Peshawar and she assisted Khan Bahadur Moghul Baz Khan I.O.M., I.D.S.M. (an Afridi officer of the Corps of Guides) and Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan (Assistant Political Officer at Kurram). For their part in saving Molly Ellis, Starr took a Gold Kaisar-i-Hind and Bar (Medal London Gazette 1 May 1923; Bar 2 June 1923) whilst the others each took a Gold Kaisar-i-Hind (London Gazette 25 May 1925, to be dated 14 May 1923). Starr would also take the Gold St John Lifesaving Medal and Baz Khan & Kuli Khan being in receipt of a Bronze Medal for their efforts (Indian Military Historical Society, Volume 20, Summer 2003 refers).

Sold together with copied research including a transcript of the television programme, in which Molly Ellis featured.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£1,200

Starting price
£550