A Rare ‘Freetown Riots’ BEM awarded to Gate Porter Joseph Philip Jusu, Connaught Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone, for ‘Courage, Loyalty and Devotion to Duty’ during the riots of February 1955, one of only 5 BEMs awarded for this incident, and the only example awarded to a local civilian recipient, comprising: British Empire Medal, Civil Division, E II R (Joseph Phillip Jusu); officially impressed. Attractive light tone, good extremely fine. BEM London Gazette 10.06.1955 - ‘For courage, loyalty and devotion to duty during the riots in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in February, 1955. The Freetown Riots of February 1955 were led by striking workers and unemployed local civilians who rose in opposition to increased food prices caused by the ‘Diamond Rush’ of that time, as well as by disenchantment with the ruling administration, their locally installed tribal chiefs, and widespread general corruption. In response to the riots, a strong army presence was deployed in the city, and as mentioned in ‘A Dirty War in West Africa: The RUF and the Destruction of Sierra Leone’ by L. Gberie: “…riots broke out in February 1955 in which workers and looters broke into shops and attacked the homes of politicians. The army was called in to quell the riots and according to the Shaw Commission set up to investigate, acted with extraordinary brutality: ‘There was wild indiscriminate shooting…including the promiscuous use of automatic weapons, a callous disregard for the lives of unarmed and innocent civilians and indifference to the sufferings of the wounded.’ In total eighteen people were killed and 121 wounded.” The Connaught Hospital in Freetown was the first hospital built in West Africa modelled on modern ‘western’ medical practice, and was built on the site of the colonial ‘King’s Yard’, and faces the historically politically significant ‘King’s Gate’ - a site worthy of its current placement on the UNESCO tentative list. Following the abolition of slavery, a huge number of slaves liberated by the Royal Navy were repatriated to Africa through Sierra Leone. After being received, processed and given medical treatment at the King’s Yard and hospital, former slaves were considered officially liberated upon passing through its stone gate, dated 1819, which is inscribed ‘any slave who passes through this gate is declared a free man’. Sold with London Gazette mention for this award, and several other awards for this incident, and some research, whilst still worth of more concerning the specific details of this award.
A Rare ‘Freetown Riots’ BEM awarded to Gate Porter Joseph Philip Jusu, Connaught Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone, for ‘Courage, Loyalty and Devotion to Duty’ during the riots of February 1955, one of only 5 BEMs awarded for this incident, and the only example awarded to a local civilian recipient, comprising: British Empire Medal, Civil Division, E II R (Joseph Phillip Jusu); officially impressed. Attractive light tone, good extremely fine. BEM London Gazette 10.06.1955 - ‘For courage, loyalty and devotion to duty during the riots in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in February, 1955. The Freetown Riots of February 1955 were led by striking workers and unemployed local civilians who rose in opposition to increased food prices caused by the ‘Diamond Rush’ of that time, as well as by disenchantment with the ruling administration, their locally installed tribal chiefs, and widespread general corruption. In response to the riots, a strong army presence was deployed in the city, and as mentioned in ‘A Dirty War in West Africa: The RUF and the Destruction of Sierra Leone’ by L. Gberie: “…riots broke out in February 1955 in which workers and looters broke into shops and attacked the homes of politicians. The army was called in to quell the riots and according to the Shaw Commission set up to investigate, acted with extraordinary brutality: ‘There was wild indiscriminate shooting…including the promiscuous use of automatic weapons, a callous disregard for the lives of unarmed and innocent civilians and indifference to the sufferings of the wounded.’ In total eighteen people were killed and 121 wounded.” The Connaught Hospital in Freetown was the first hospital built in West Africa modelled on modern ‘western’ medical practice, and was built on the site of the colonial ‘King’s Yard’, and faces the historically politically significant ‘King’s Gate’ - a site worthy of its current placement on the UNESCO tentative list. Following the abolition of slavery, a huge number of slaves liberated by the Royal Navy were repatriated to Africa through Sierra Leone. After being received, processed and given medical treatment at the King’s Yard and hospital, former slaves were considered officially liberated upon passing through its stone gate, dated 1819, which is inscribed ‘any slave who passes through this gate is declared a free man’. Sold with London Gazette mention for this award, and several other awards for this incident, and some research, whilst still worth of more concerning the specific details of this award.
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