A scarce inter-War K.P.M. pair awarded to Jamadar Raz Muhammad Khan, Manjhi Frontier Constab...

A scarce inter-War K.P.M. pair awarded to Jamadar Raz Muhammad Khan, Manjhi Frontier Constabulary Post, North-West Frontier Province Constabulary, who effected a most gallant rescue of an elderly tribesman who was in danger of drowning in the Gomal River King’s Police Medal, G.V.R., 2nd issue (Raz Muhammad Khan. Jemadar, N.W.F. Constab.) on gallantry riband; India General Service 1936-39, 2 clasps, North West Frontier 1936-37, North West Frontier 1937-39 (Subdr. Raz Mohd., F.C.) good very fine (2) £600-£800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- K.P.M. London Gazette 1 January 1931. The official joint-citation with Naik Lal Din, published in the Gazette of India Extraordinaire, 1 January 1931, states: ‘On the 25th July 1929, an old man named Umar Khan went to the bed of the Gomal River to collect drift wood, and was cut off by the river which suddenly came down in spate. For two days and nights he remained marooned on a sand bank, just clear of the water. The local Police and villagers had made repeated and unsuccessful attempts to reach the man. None of the local people, themselves strong swimmers, knowing the currents and the treacherous nature of the river, dared attempt to swim the flood. The river at the joint when Umar Khan was cut off was some 200 yards in width and the water was over seven feet deep; the sand bank on which the man was stranded became equidistant from both banks. The chief obstacles were the treacherous nature of the river, which is full of quicksands and whirlpools, and the force of the current which is fierce and swift. On the third day as the old man was in danger of succumbing to hunger and exhaustion, the villagers came to Manjhi post for assistance. On hearing of Umar Khan’s plight, Jemadar Raz Muhammad and Naik Lal Din at once left for the river bank. Both are strong swimmers but realised full well the risks they ran of themselves drowning. Despite this, they swam out, with the aid of an inflated bullock skin, and with great difficulty managed to bring the old man back to safety. Both the rescuers displayed gallantry of the highest order. Neither of them belonged to this locality, so that they had no interest in the rescued man and might well have copied the example of his friends in declining to risk the passage. The Gomal river has claimed many victims, including men of the Frontier Constabulary, so that there were plenty of reasons to deter the rescuers. Apart from the bravery of their actions, the Jemadar and Naik are to be congratulated on what most people would have considered a humanely impossible feat. It is noteworthy that the Jemadar has previously been commended for saving life in the water.’ Sold with copied research.