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Auction: 9024 - The Property of a Gentleman Orders, Decorations and Campaign Medals
Lot: 718

A Scarce Colonial Police Medal For Gallantry to Constable Mohamed Yasin Bin Bujal, Singapore Police Force, For Apprehending a Robber, During an Armed Burglary in Geylang Serai, 25.7.1946 Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry, G.VI.R., ´Indiae Imp:´ type (Const. Mohamed Yasin Bin Bujal, Singapore Police Force), light scratches, otherwise good very fine Estimate £ 700-900 C.P.M. Colony of Singapore Government Gazette 17.12.1946, Vol. I No. 91 Constable Mohamed Yasin Bin Bujal, the following supplied by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, ´´His Majesty King George VI approved this award on 27 November 1946 for Constable Mohamed Yasin´´s part in the arrest of armed robbers in the Kampong of Geylang Serai, Singapore on the night of 25 July 1946. Following a report that something suspicious was going on, a Police Inspector, a Police Sergeant and two Police Constables (one of them Mohamed Yasin) went to investigate, and found a party of four armed Chinese robbing a shop. As the robbers emerged, the Police flashed a light on them, the robbers opened fire and the Police Sergeant fired back. No one was hit, however, as it was dark and the firing blind. (The Inspector´´s revolver had jammed, and the two PC´´s were unarmed). The robbers ran off, with the police in pursuit. PC Mohamed Yasin discovered one robber hiding and seized him, although he himself was unarmed and he did not at the time know that the robber had abandoned his revolver close by. This arrest led to the arrest of one more robber; two revolvers and ammunition were seized; and more than half of the stolen property was recovered.´´ An article entitled ´´Chinese Gunman to Hang´´ which appeared in the Singapore edition of the Straits Times (18.12.1946) adds further incite, ´´While robbers were ransacking a house in Geylang Serai, Singapore on the night of July 25 a police party under Inspector Henson arrived. Peeping through an aperture in a window, the Inspector saw a Chinese with a revolver in each hand standing guard at the door of a bedroom while his three confederates searched the premises..... Several shots were exchanged but neither side suffered any casualties. Following the shooting two men were arrested..... This was the story revealed at the assizes yesterday when the two men, Hong Ah Yan and Lee Ah Beng were tried on charges of ´´Carrying Arms´´ under the Public Order and Safety Proclamation. Found guilty by a Common Jury by a majority verdict of five to two, Hong Ah Yan was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment. Mr. Justice Brown remarked that Yan escaped the death penalty by the barest margin. He added he had observed Yan´´s demeanour throughout the case and believed he was repentant. Against the second accused Lee Ah Beng, the jury´´s verdict was unanimous. Passing sentence of death, the Judge said that he had no doubt that he was a very dangerous man. Mr. M. Buttrose conducted the prosecution.´´

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