A positively attributed miniature medal group: Kenya Colony Senior Police Officer's Great War campaign medal group of 3: Senior Inspector Albert Finch Kenya Police, late British East Africa Police & 3rd Dragoons

- 1914-15 Star
- British War Medal. Silver issue
- Interallied Victory Medal

Sold together with replacement set of un-used 3 x silk moire long lengths of miniature medal ribands

The 3 x miniature medals mounted as-worn in the swing-style. The reverse of the white metal mounting bar with 'Spink and Son' makers marks. The mounting bar retianing its original hinged pin and clasp fittings

For the recipients full-size medals see item code 21311 on the website

Important: The lot being sold comprises the mounted 3 x miniature medals and replacement loose silk miniature ribbons. All other items illustrated are for reference / provenance purposes only, and are not part of the sale

Note: We will however send the buyer soft-copy images of some (pprtrait photo, naming of full size medals & group image with portrait miniatures and full size medals therein

All of the recipient full-size medals comprised:

- 1914-15 Star: Ref WO 329/2939
- BWM & Interallied Victory Medals: Ref WO 329/2343
- Transmital letter for award of the Special Constabulary Medal
- Transmital lettter for award of Defence Medal (medal not present in lot)

The recipient only ever wore the Great War miniatures, and never sourced miniature medals of those later awards

Reference 'The Kenya Police Review' issue Vol. .4. No. 8. August, 1935:

Quote,

Mr ALBERT FINCH, SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE

Mr. Finch joined the East African Police on the 14th August, 1913, as a 3rd Grade European Police Constable. On 1st April, 1914, he was promoted to 2nd Grade European Police Constable and to 1st Grade European Police Constable on 1st September of the same year. On 1st November, 1915, he was made an Assistant Inspector, an Inspector on 1st January, 1920, and attained the rank of Assistant Superintendent on the 24th December, 1922. On 15th November 1928 he was promoted to his present rank, Superintendent of Police.

Mr. Finch has during his service been posted at most of the stations in Kenya, which include, Molo, Londiani, Nairobi (twice), Nakuru, Kisumu, Mombasa (twice), Lumbwa, Fort Hall, Kitale,, and Kyambu.

He received the following decorations, 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory Medals.

He retires on pension in February next year after twenty-three years' loyal and untiring service in this force

Unquote.

Albert Finch, son of Alfred Finch (Goods Guard London & North West Railway) and Mary AnneFinch (nee Simner) was a native of Rugby, Warwickshire, England, where he was born on, 30 September 1885. Albert was the youngest of child of his parents, and gre up with 4 x older siblings, comprising, brothers, Joseph & Alfred, and sisters, Sarah & Dorcas. Extant military service records held at The National Archives record that Albert first enlisted in the British Army at the age of 16 yeas & 6 months of age, as a 'Boy' soldier, when on 23rd April 1902, at Rugby, Warwickshire, England, he joined-up for 12 Years 'With The Colours' for service with 'Dragoons of the Line'. At enlistment he was described as being a 'Musician' by trade. Albert was subsequently posted to the 3rd Dragoon Guards, which regiment he joined at Curragh, Ireland, on 26 April 1902. Albert's first period of military service was, in the vent, destined to be a short one, as only 49 days service he was discharged 'Not Likely to become an efficient soldier'. At enlistment Albert cited his father as his notifiabale next of kin, who was then resident at, 14 King Street, Rugby, Warwickshire,. His service papers also show that his elder brother Joseph Finch was already a serving soldier with the 3rd Dragoon Guards (later transferring to 5th Lancers). Evidently keen on uniformed service, Albert, then attested as a volunteer in his local Militia battalion, when on, 15 January 1904, at Warwick, England, he enlisted in the 6th (Militia) Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, at which time he was described as having been employed as a 'Labourer', and with prior service in 3rd Dragoon Guards.

Albert's elder brother Joseph, a military bandsman, served in the South African War with 3rd Dragoon Guards. After leaving the British Army, Joseph took up an appointment in British East Africa, where he served with the East African Police (later Kenya Police) and the Kenya Prisons service. Like his younger brother, Joseph had a long and distinguished service in Kenya Colony, in which place he served 21 years, including service in the East African Campaign during the Great War. Joseph retired to his hometown of Rugby, in which place he was a stalwart of the local Royal British Legion and other veterans associations (the Rugby Advertiser issue of 25 June 1937 refers)

While serving as Inspector in Charge of the Nairobi Police Station in 1922, Albert, found himself as the unenviable position of having to thwart - by use of considerable force - one of first, if not the very first, Kenyan nationalist protest during the 'Harry Thuku' riots. Harry Thuku, was the the father of 'Kenyan Nationalism', and founder of the 'East African Association' (established in 1921)

The colonial Kenyan government was heavily opposed to the association's aims, not least as the settler-dominated colony was not yet ready for any forceful representation of African economic, social and political views, and hence moved to ban national political movements. On 14 March 1922, Thuku was arrested in connection with his political activities. On the two following days, there were demonstrations initiated by Mary Muthoni Nyanjiru to protest his arrest. The first demonstration, on the 15th, passed off peacefully, dispersing after a public prayer for Thuku's safety. On the morning of the 16th, a crowd of 7-8,000 of his supporters gathered around the Nairobi police station - of which Albert Finch was in charge - to demand his release from detention. The police eventually opened fire on the demonstrators, killing at least 25 of them. White civilians joined in the shooting, and may have shot some of the protesters in the back. Thuku was exiled, without charge or trial, to Kismayu in the Northern Frontier Province of Kenya, in present-day Somalia

In 1921, while on home leave from the Kenya Police, Alfred married Winifred Simpson Black, a Scot, whose family hailed from, Mount Pleasant, West Newport, Fife, Scotland. Prior to leaving Kenya Colony, the couple were blessed with a daughter, Margaret Patricia Finch, who was born circa 1934 (she married Robert John Sutherland, in Scotland in 1974). After retiring from the Kenya Police in 1936 after 23 years service in Kenya Colony, Albert returned to the United Kingdom with his wife Winifred S Finch, and daughter Patricia Mary Finch. The 1939 National Register of England 7 Wales, records the family living at, 124 Ashlawn Road, Rugby, Warwickshire, at which time Albert is described as being a 'Retired Supt. Police Kenya' and with notation under the remarks column that he was then serving with the 'Police War Reserve'

Post 1945, Albert Finch is recorded as having returned with his family to Kenya Colony, where he died 'Suddenly' at, Kitale, Kenya on 20 February 1953, and where he was buried at Kitale Cemetery, the following day, 21 February 1953.

The campaign medals mounted as-worn in the swing style, suspended from, their original silk moire ribands. The mounting bar retaining its original long hinged pin and clasp fittings

An extremely scarce medal group to a colonial police officer, of considerable Kenyan historical interest basis his pivotal role during the repression of the 'Harry Thuku Riots'. in Nairobi in 1922

Condition: Medals about EF

Code: 21001