First Commissioner's military service medals in safe hands

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OffBeat readers might be interested to know that a medal awarded to William Caine, the founder and first Commissioner of the Hong Kong Police, was recently offered for sale by a London medal dealer. It was purchased by a Force member and is now back in Hong Kong.

The medal is the Army of India Medal, which was awarded for service in India between 1803 and 1826. The medal was not actually issued until 1851, by which time many of those who would have been entitled to it had died. Mr Caine's medal has clasps for Nepal and Bhurtpore, and the edge is imprinted with the inscription: "Ensign W. Caine, 17th Foot".

It is shown together with an unnamed specimen of the Second China War Medal with clasps "China 1842" (showing that Caine had also taken part in the First China War, 1839-42) and "Canton 1857".

Mr Caine's career in Hong Kong is fairly well documented but readers might be interested to learn something of his distinguished military service before he came to Hong Kong.

William Caine was born in Maynooth, near Dublin, on March 17, 1799. In 1813 he was attached to the 17th Foot (later the Leicestershire Regiment) as a Volunteer. The regiment was stationed in India and two years later was involved in the war against Nepal. On January 3, 1815 the regiment was advancing in dense jungle when it was ambushed by the Gurkhas. The 15-year-old Caine conducted himself creditably in what must have been a terrifying baptism of fire and was immediately promoted to Ensign.

Over the next 25 years Mr Caine was in battle several times, both in India and China.