Tunic buttons: Commonwealth Peace Officer : G H Doxey

Group of three white metal buttons, two for a tunic and one smaller, for a cuff, pocket or shoulder strap. Each has the words 'COMMONWEALTH PEACE OFFICER' in raised letters surrounding a King's Crown. All three buttons have impressed 'Stokes & Sons' markings on the reverse.

Associated with the service of Peace Officer George Henry Doxey, who was born in Derbyshire, England, in October 1904. Doxey emigrated to South Australia in 1923 as part of the 'Barwell Boys Scheme' for young apprentices. Owing to poor eyesight, he was rejected for active service in the Second World War, and instead became a Peace Officer, providing night time security at the Islington Railway Workshops (SA) from about 1942 until the end of the war. George Doxey died in Adelaide in May 1969. Originally established in 1935, the Peace Officer Guard organization was set up as a section of the Commonwealth Investigation Branch (CIB), the first national (rather than State) police organisation. The Peace Officers provided personnel for the guarding of Commonwealth establishments, and were the first uniformed element of national law enforcement. In 1960, they combined with the plain clothed element, the Commonwealth Investigation Service, (CIS) to form the new Commonwealth Police, which in 1979 became the Australian Federal Police (AFP).