But the majority of visitors, including Police officers who regularly use the mess, would probably not have much time to browse and look closely at some of the memorabilia on display.

The memorabilia comprise a range of items, from Mess silver, which is usually locked safely in display cabinets, to swords and other ceremonial accoutrements from past times.

Probably most visible, but least studied, is the unique collection of police crests on display in the dining room, according to Senior Officers' Mess Committee Member, Mr John Breen.

"In 1953 the Mess Committee wrote to numerous police forces (predominantly British Commonwealth) asking for their crests for a collection to be assembled. Not every force responded, but many did and the outcome is on display," Mr Breen said.

"Most of the crests are made in Hong Kong - they are wood, hand carved and painted by Hong Kong craftsmen, from designs supplied by the respective forces.

"In addition to the national police force crests, there are also those of provincial forces or armed services, crests from police colleges, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Academy and the pre-1949 Shanghai Police.

"The collection presents an interesting 'snapshot' from the early 1950's and, needless to say, it is probably the only one of its kind in the world," he said.

A comparatively recent addition to the collection is the large wooden Force crest which is on the East wall of the dining room. This was presented to the Mess in 1997 by Mr Benny Ng Ching-kwok, now Commissioner of Correctional Services.

Elsewhere in the Mess can be found a crest presented to the then Commissioner of Police, Mr Brian Slevin, in 1978 to commemorate the approval for Police Pipes and Drums band to wear Macintosh Tartan.

Most of the memorabilia displayed have been presented to the Mess by members, with occasional items from visitors. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was a tradition to present inscribed, silver plated beer mugs and there are a total of 45 such beer mugs bearing names which only the longer-serving members of the Force will remember.

There are two pipe flags on display. The older of the two dates back to the 1950s, possibly the 1940s, and for many years it hung from the wall gathering dust and stained by tobacco smoke. In 1998 it was sent to a fabric restorer for treatment and is now displayed in a sealed perspex box.

The newer flag is from the pre-handover period and is mounted on a bass drone presented to the Mess in 1997 by Mac McLoughlin, the then DC Police Training School.

Mr Breen shows some memorabilia to Marine Regional Commander, Mr Cheung Chi-shum

One of the unique police crests on display