There are three BTPHG Roll of Honour pages. This one, another covering the Officers lost in the Line of Duty, and a third page covering the Second World War and the Korean War.
THE GREAT WAR
Hundreds of railway and dock staff joined the colours during the Great War. The railways actively encouraged its staff to join up and “pals regiments” were created to allow staff from a particular company to join and serve together. A total of 186,475 railway workers joined the military services of these 18,957 lost their lives.
The Railway and Dock Police Forces played their part and hundreds of men joined up; their places taken by Special Constables including some women.
To give an example; of the 272 uniform staff of the Midland Railway Police no fewer than 152 (56%) joined the colours and it is fair to assume that many of those who did not were over military age. Sadly, 30 gave their lives and 38 were wounded. Eighteen decorations were gained, the Chief of Police, Major A HENDERSON alone receiving the DSO and the OBE in addition to being mentioned in despatches four times.
This list contains the names of 135 Railway, Dock and Canal Police Officers (and one Police Clerk) who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Great War. Where records show “Police Officer” it has been assumed that they were Constables but this may be incorrect. A list of the abbreviations used in the table can be found below, together with a breakdown of those lost from each Force.
The table lists the personnel by name in alphabetical order by default, but each column can be sorted by clicking on the column header to suit the users’ requirements. The table shows 75 entries by default, but this can be expanded up to 100. The search box can also be used to find any item required.
Sources
Kevin Gordon was responsible for compiling the original information contained on this Roll of Honour. During the War Years several railway companies published magazines which listed not only staff who had been killed in action but also those who were missing, wounded or taken prisoner. Kevin researched these magazines at the Reading Room of the National Railway Museum and obtained much of the information contained in this list. Further information has been obtained from the Commonwealth War Grave Commission website and other research.
Update January 2014: Further research has been conducted by Richard Stacpoole-Ryding and Viv Head, and this has yielded a substantial addition to the number of names on the list.
Update March 2015: Further research has been conducted by Richard Stacpoole-Ryding and Ed Thompson, and this has once again yielded a number of additions and changes to the names on the list.
Update October 2016: Further research has been conducted by Ed Thompson, and this has once again yielded a number of additions and changes to the names on the list.
Particular thanks go to Barry KITCHENER who has collated details of Railway Staff who fought and died in the Great War. Many details of Police Officers have been gleaned from his comprehensive research. There is also a list of those to be acknowledged below.
It is intended to update and add to this list when further information becomes available. Please send any additions, amendments or comments to: RoH@btphg.org.uk
More detailed information can be found in this document: BTPHG RoH (UpdatedMay 2020).
| Name | Rank | Force | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASTLEY G.E. | Detective | LNWR | Liverpool Lime Street |
| BARKER G.A | PC | NER | Newcastle |
| BARNES A.H. | PC | NER | York |
| BARTLE P.F. | PC | GCR | Grimsby |
| BAXTER A. | PC | MR | Tilbury |
| BEDDIS J.H. | PC | MR | Sheffield |
| BELL. G. | PC | NBR | Glasgow |
| BERRETT W.J. | PC | GWR | Hockley Goods, Birmingham. |
| BEWSEY F.V. (MM) | PC | GNR | Kings Cross |
| BILTON HARRY | PC | NER | Hull |
| BOURN S.G. | PC | GWR | Paddington |
| BOYLE D. | PC | GNR | Not Known |
| BRITT R. | PC | GNR | Not known |
| BROOKBANK W.A. | PC | GCR | Grimsby Docks |
| BROWN. A. | PC | NER | Gateshead |
| BRUNDISH R.V. | PC | GER | Stratford |
| BUTCHER F. | PC | MR | Bradford |
| BUTLER W.J. | PC | GNR | Kings Cross |
| CAMPBELL T. | PC | NBR | Not known |
| CANNELL S.J. | PC | MR | Birmingham |
| CARNALL H.E. | PC | MR | Birmingham |
| CARR A.N. | PC | NER | Middlesbrough |
| CASEY. J. | PC | NER | Consett |
| CHAFER H. J. | PC | GCR | Immingham Dock |
| CHUTER A. | PC | LNWR | Camden |
| CLARK W. | PC | GCR | Immingham Dock |
| CLARKE R.R. | PC | GER | Bishopsgate |
| COCKBURN J.S. | OC | NER | Blaydon (left the service of the NER prior to enlisting) |
| COE W.H. | PC | GWR | Paddington |
| CORMACK J. | PC | NBR | Not known |
| CREASE J. | PC | GNR | Kings Cross |
| DAVEY J. | PC | GNR | Kins Cross |
| DAVIS A.J. | PC | LNWR | Birmingham New Street (just before the outbreak of war he left the service of the LNWR) |
| DAVIS H. | PC | GWR | Hockley Goods, Birmingham. |
| DODD H. | Police Clerk | LNWR | Euston |
| DODDS J.T. | PC | GNR | Kings Cross |
| EADES H.J. (DCM) | PC | GWR | Plymouth |
| EATON H. | PC | GNR | Kings Cross |
| EBREY H.G. | Detective | LNWR | Birmingham New Street |
| ELLIS E. | PC | BDP | Cardiff Docks |
| FAIR D.H. | PC | MR | London |
| FISHER C. | PC | LSWR | Nine Elms |
| FITZWILLIAM J. | PC | LBSCR | Havant |
| FOOT E.J. | PC | LSWR | Nine Elms |
| FORRESTER H | PC | GER | Liverpool Street |
| GARVEY D. | PC | LSWR | Nine Elms |
| GEATER W.E. | PC | GER | Not known |
| GOODWIN F. | Detective | LNWR | St. Helens, Lancashire |
| GRANT A | PC | MR | Derby |
| GRISTWOOD J.H. | PC | MR | London |
| GUNDRY A J | PC | GER | Parkeston Quay & Stratford |
| HALL W. | PC | NBR | Not known |
| HAND T.A. | PC | LYR | Halifax (left the L&YR prior to the outbreak of war) |
| HARRISON F.H. | PC | MR | Birmingham |
| HARRISON J. | PC | LSWR | Southampton Docks |
| HARVEY J.H. | PC | MR | Sheffield |
| HAYWOOD H.J. | PC | LBSCR | London Bridge |
| HEWITT G. | PC | LSWR | Not known |
| HICKLIN T. | PC | MR | Burton |
| HICKS W. | PC | MR | Birmingham |
| HIND A.E. | PC | MR | London |
| HOGG A. | PC | NER | Tyne Dock |
| HOLBERT J. V. | PC | MR | Wolverhampton |
| HOLLIDAY W.J. | PC | GWR | Paddington Goods |
| HOWARD J. | PC | LBSCR | Willow Walk |
| HUTCHINGS G. | PC | GNR | Not known |
| IMBERT H.G. | PC | GER | Parkeston Quay |
| JAY G. (MM) | PC | GER | Canning Town |
| JERMYN S. | PC | MR | Manchester |
| JORDAN F. | PC | MR | Liverpool |
| KELLY B | PC | GNR | Kings Cross |
| KELLY J.E. | PC | GNR | Not known |
| KELLY W. | Sergeant | MR | Bradford |
| KING E | PC | GNR | Not known |
| LAUGHLIN H.J. | PC | GWR | Paddington |
| LAVIS F.W. | PC | GWR | Plymouth Millbay |
| LEARNER C.L. | PC | GNR | Not known |
| LEWIS C.G. | PC | GWR | Plymouth |
| LIGHT W E | PC | NER | Newcastle |
| LOVEDAY H.H. | PC | MR | Carlisle |
| LUTTMAN C. | PC | SECR | Not known |
| LYON L.H. | PC | NER | Hull |
| MACE S. | PC | GNR | Not known |
| MACHIN H. | Detective | LNWR | Stockport |
| MARTIN A.A. | PC | GER | London |
| MARTIN A.E. | PC | LNWR | Broad Street |
| MCKIMMIE C.S. | Sergeant | MR | Heysham |
| MEAKIN W. | PC | MR | Nottingham |
| MERRITT A. | PC | GNR | Not known |
| MILLER E | PC | L&Y | Wyre Dock |
| MILLER H.E.B. | Detective | GWR | Paddington |
| MILLER W.A. | PC | NER | Not Known (left the NER prior to the outbreak of war) |
| MULHERIN J. | PC | NER | Hull Docks |
| MUNSON W.J. | PC | MR | London |
| MURRAY J. | PC | MR | Toton Sidings, Derbyshire |
| NEWBOLD J. | PC | MR | Birmingham |
| OUNSWORTH F. | PC | NER | Gateshead |
| PAYNE S. | PC | LBSCR | Newhaven Harbour |
| RAPER J. | PC | NER | Hull Docks |
| RATTRAY P.A.S. | PC | GNSR | Aberdeen |
| REED W.H. | PC | NER | Hull |
| RIGBY N. | PC | GWR | Paddington |
| RILEY J. | PC | GSWR | Not known |
| ROBINS J. | PC | MR | Worcester |
| RUTLAND C.F. | PC | GCR | Aylesbury |
| SCALLY J. | Sergeant | LNWR | London Road, Manchester |
| SCOTT A. | PC | NER | Sunderland |
| SEAMAN H | PC | GER | London |
| SHEPLEY J.W. | PC | GNR | Kings Cross |
| SMITH C.J. | PC | GNR | Kings Cross |
| SMITH F. C. | PC | BDP | Cardiff Docks |
| SMITH T. | PC | LNWR | Birmingham New Street |
| SPARKES W.H. | PC | MR | Leeds |
| STEWART W. | PC | NBR | Methil |
| STIEBER F.R. | PC | GWR | Paddington Goods |
| STOKES B. | PC | GER | Not known |
| SULLIVAN P. | PC | LBSCR | London Victoria |
| SUMMERS A. H | PC | MR | Sheffield |
| TARGETT E. | PC | LSWR | Nine Elms |
| TAVENER P.A. | PC | NER | Newcastle |
| TAYLOR C. S. | PC | MR | Normanton Junction |
| TULEY A. | PC | NER | Middlesbrough |
| TUNGATE R. | PC | NER | Beverley Borough Police. See note [1] |
| VOYCE H.E. | Detective | LBSCR | Bermondsey |
| WALKER A.G. | PC | MR | Leicester |
| WALLEY F (MM) | PC | LNWR | Liverpool Lime Street |
| WARD H. | PC | GER | Not known |
| WATTS W.H. | PC | GWR | Cardiff |
| WEDGE A. | PC | LNWR | Manchester London Rd |
| WELLS W.M. | PC | MR | Poplar |
| WILLCOCKS F C | PC | LC | Not known |
| WILSON W.H. | PC | GER | Liverpool Street |
| WISE E.G. | PC | LBSCR | Not known |
| WITCHER T.H. | PC | MR | Sheffield |
| WORMALD S. | PC | L&Y | Manchester Victoria |
Notes
[1] Robert TUNGATE served with the NER Police before transferring to the Beverley Borough Police prior to enlistment.
| Railway Company | Abbreviation | Officers Killed |
|---|---|---|
| Bute Dock Police | BDP | 2 |
| Glasgow and South Western Railway | GSWR | 1 |
| Great Central Railway | GCR | 6 |
| Great Eastern Railway | GER | 12 |
| Great North of Scotland Railway | GNSR | 1 |
| Great Northern Railway | GNR | 16 |
| Great Western Railway | GWR | 13 |
| Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway | L&Y | 2 |
| Lee Conservancy | LC | 1 |
| London and North Western Railway | LNWR | 11 |
| London and South Western Railway | LSWR | 6 |
| London Brighton & South Coast Railway | LBSCR | 7 |
| Midland Railway | MR | 29 |
| North British Railway | NBR | 5 |
| North Eastern Railway | NER | 18 |
| South East and Chatham Railway | SECR | 1 |
Many thanks to the following people for supplying information to compile this Roll of Honour:
Barry KITCHENER (Railtrack Duty Station Manager & Western Front Association Member.)
PC Martin MACE (BTP Brighton)
PC Leigh SHACKLES (BTP Derby)
Lynn THURSTON (Librarian, National Railway Museum)
Alan WOODCOCK (Weatherall Green & Smith, York)
Mandy MURPHY-ASKEW (Western Front Association)