Tom Mahir
Encyclopedia
Thomas Edward Mahir CBE
GM
(1 March 1915 – 29 January 1970) was a British police officer in the London
Metropolitan Police
.
Mahir was the son of the Reverend Edward Mahir and his wife Dorothy. He was educated at Crewkerne School in Somerset
and taught at St Aubyn's Preparatory School in Tiverton, Devon
, from 1932 to 1935, when he entered Hendon Police College
as a direct entrant. He passed out in 1936, was confirmed as a Junior Station Inspector in 1937 and served in "G" and "H" Divisions
in the East End of London
. He was promoted Station Inspector
in 1939.
In April 1941, Mahir was awarded the George Medal
(GM) for his bravery following an air raid. His citation reads:
Mahir was promoted Sub-Divisional Inspector
in 1944, Chief Inspector
in 1949, Superintendent
in 1950, and Chief Superintendent
in 1954. In 1955 he was seconded as Deputy Commandant of the National Police College at Ryton-on-Dunsmore
, Warwickshire
, a post in which he served until 1957. He was promoted Deputy Commander
in 1956 and Commander in 1958, and in August 1959 was appointed Assistant Commissioner "D" (Personnel and Training)
. In this post he set up the Metropolitan Police Cadet Corps. He retired in 1967 and spent the rest of his life in Hove
, Sussex
.
Mahir was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1965 New Year Honours. He married Dione Finnis in 1938; they had no children. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, playing football for Exeter City, Corinthians and the Metropolitan Police and also cricket
for the Metropolitan Police (and was once a member of a British Empire XI). He also represented the Metropolitan Police at billiards
and snooker
and was a referee and judge for the Amateur Boxing Association.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
GM
George Medal
The George Medal is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.The GM was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI. At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage...
(1 March 1915 – 29 January 1970) was a British police officer in the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
.
Mahir was the son of the Reverend Edward Mahir and his wife Dorothy. He was educated at Crewkerne School in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
and taught at St Aubyn's Preparatory School in Tiverton, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, from 1932 to 1935, when he entered Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College is the principal training centre for London's Metropolitan Police Service. Founded with the official name of the Metropolitan Police College, the college is today officially called the Peel Centre, although its original name is still used frequently...
as a direct entrant. He passed out in 1936, was confirmed as a Junior Station Inspector in 1937 and served in "G" and "H" Divisions
Police division
A division was the usual term for the largest territorial subdivision of most British police forces. In major reforms of police organisation in the 1990s divisions of many forces were restructured and retitled Basic Command Units , although some forces continue to refer to them as divisions.The...
in the East End of London
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
. He was promoted Station Inspector
Station Inspector
Station Inspector is the third highest non-commissioned officer rank in the Singapore Police Force, below that of Senior Station Inspector....
in 1939.
In April 1941, Mahir was awarded the George Medal
George Medal
The George Medal is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.The GM was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI. At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage...
(GM) for his bravery following an air raid. His citation reads:
When a bomb demolished two houses, the roof and chimney stack of one house fell across the ruins of the other and the whole formed a heap of wreckage about fifteen feet high. Station Inspector Mahir and Junior Station Inspector [John] Gott [who also received the George Medal] tore away debris and found a hole down which Mahir crawled. A man, buried up to the chin, was pinned down by a rafter, in a cavity about seven feet deep and two feet wide. Gott had the mouth of the hole widened and then crawled down to joint Mahir. They reached the man who informed them that a friend was below him and Mahir crawled out to investigate while Gott took on his shoulders the weight of the debris above the man's head. At this point P.S. [Police Sergeant Alexander] Sneddon [who was awarded the British Empire MedalBritish Empire MedalThe Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
for Gallantry] arrived from another incident and Mahir showed him where the other man was thought to be whilst he himself returned to relieve Gott. Sneddon sent his men to collect buckets from nearby houses to carry away the rubble
and organised their work so well that the man was soon released. A lot of rubble had fallen and the strain on the two Inspectors was greatly increased. The whole of the pile was nearly brought down on to the three men when those outside tried to dig through to them. Mahir and Gott used the broken rafter to shore up the cavity and sawed through a bedstead and a sofa, eventually releasing the victim who was only slightly injured. Mahir, Gott and Sneddon were, throughout, subject to the risk of being crushed by shifting rubble and in danger from leaking gas. At one time water from the burst main in the crater outside threatened to overflow into the hole in which the two Inspectors were working. The Inspectors showed resourcefulness, courage and determination and were ably supported by P.S. Sneddon.
Mahir was promoted Sub-Divisional Inspector
Sub-Divisional Inspector
Sub-divisional inspector was a rank used in the London Metropolitan Police from the 1870s or 1880s until 1949. A sub-divisional inspector ranked above an inspector and below a chief inspector. As the title suggests, he or she commanded a sub-division or held an equivalent administrative position...
in 1944, Chief Inspector
Chief inspector
Chief inspector is a rank used in police forces which follow the British model. In countries outside Britain, it is sometimes referred to as chief inspector of police .-Australia:...
in 1949, Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
in 1950, and Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
in 1954. In 1955 he was seconded as Deputy Commandant of the National Police College at Ryton-on-Dunsmore
Ryton-on-Dunsmore
Ryton-on-Dunsmore is a village and civil parish in the Rugby district of Warwickshire, and is south-east of Coventry, England. The 2001 census recorded a population of 1,672 in the parish. The A45 dual carriageway passes through the village....
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, a post in which he served until 1957. He was promoted Deputy Commander
Deputy Commander
Deputy commander was a rank in the London Metropolitan Police which existed between 1946 and 1968.In 1946, the rank of chief constable, which was between superintendent and deputy assistant commissioner, was renamed deputy commander. At the same time, the rank of deputy assistant commissioner was...
in 1956 and Commander in 1958, and in August 1959 was appointed Assistant Commissioner "D" (Personnel and Training)
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, usually just Assistant Commissioner , is the third highest rank in London's Metropolitan Police, ranking below Deputy Commissioner and above Deputy Assistant Commissioner. There are usually four officers in the rank...
. In this post he set up the Metropolitan Police Cadet Corps. He retired in 1967 and spent the rest of his life in Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
.
Mahir was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1965 New Year Honours. He married Dione Finnis in 1938; they had no children. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, playing football for Exeter City, Corinthians and the Metropolitan Police and also cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for the Metropolitan Police (and was once a member of a British Empire XI). He also represented the Metropolitan Police at billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
and snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
and was a referee and judge for the Amateur Boxing Association.