Constable 319″A” Dybal joined the Liverpool City Police in 1896 and was posted to “A” Division at Hatton Garden.

On New Years day 1900 Constable Dybal was on patrol in Victoria Street when a hue and cry went up as an unmanned horse and carriage careered along the Street. The Constable without regard to personal safety grabbed the reins as the horse galloped past and eventually brought it to a halt without loss of life.

Such was the level of Bravery that the officer was awarded the silver General Medal of the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society; unusually he was at the same time awarded a Clasp to the Medal because;

Just 17 days after the first incident, on the 18th of January 1900, the Constable took exactly the same action whilst on patrol in the Old Hay Market. (Now the Mouth of the First Mersey Tunnel)

On the 11th July 1905, Constable Dybal was on patrol in the Dale Street area when he was alerted to another out of control horse and wagon, which was in danger of seriously injuring the numerous members of the public who were scrambling from its path, again the officer without self regard brought the horse to a standstill without loss of life.
For this action he was awarded a further bar and 40/- that is forty shillings or put another way £2.00.

The Constables Odyssey is not yet finished, for on the 3rd of June 1909 a similar incident occurred in Lord Street and yet again the intrepid Constable Dybal was not found wanting and was later awarded a Third silver clasp to his medal.

At some stage Constable Dybal was awarded a Merit badge by the Watch Committee and on the 16th of October 1916 he was awarded the Bronze Good Conduct Medal by that same body. He later received a bar to the Good conduct medal for service of over 30 years.

The photograph in this article was taken circa 1920 or a little later. He is wearing the Good Conduct medal (On left breast) awarded in 1916 . His 3 Clasp Medal can be clearly seen ( On right breast). Also note the type of merit badge of the time depicting a large number 1 worn on right sleeve under the service stripes.

It is a sad fact that many silver medals over the years, have fallen into the hands of jewelers and been scrapped for the silver content and thereby lost forever but due to the intervention of a friend of mine, a fellow collector and Author of “Liverpool’s Finest” Mr. Gavin Bassie, a retired Firefighter, the medals of Constable Dybal were saved this fate and earlier this year returned to the Dybal Family who are now resident in Australia.

Peter Dellius, Sergeant Retired