Liverpool City Police

This page brings together all the posts which contain information about the Liverpool Police in the First World War.

I've started off with newspaper cuttings, it was often mentioned when casualties were former police officers, and there are also articles about how many members of the Liverpool City Police had enlisted or been killed, plus some points of interest such as pay rates, recruitment and special events.

I have included cuttings where the soldier/casualty is identified as the son of a member of the police, as it all adds to the impact the war was having on the Liverpool City Police. There are also stories about policemen dying on duty in Liverpool, sometimes having stayed on past retirement to allow younger men to enlist.

This section of interest was inspired by my husband's grandfather, Ivor Hughes, who served in the First World War with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, then moved to Liverpool and joined the Police.

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World War I – Liverpool City Police

Struck Lady Officer

Liverpool Echo 10th April 1917 STRUCK LADY OFFICER Policewoman's adventure in Bold Street. The adventure of a Birkenhead policewoman was told at the Liverpool City Police Court today, before Mr J. Kinghorn, Deputy Stipendiary Magistrate. Nora Carberry, a well-spoken young woman, was charged with assaulting a Liverpool police constable and a Birkenhead policewoman. From the evidence of the police-constable, Police-Sergeant Phyllis Lovell, and Police-constable Violet Carr Owen,

Private William A Simpson, Liverpool Scottish

Liverpool Echo 12 July 1915 TUEBROOK CONSTABLE Official news has been received of the death of a Private William A Simpson who was killed during the charge of the Liverpool Scottish at Hooge on June 16. He was a member of the Liverpool Police Force, and had five years’ service. He was stationed at Tuebrook, where he was much esteemed by his comrades and the public. At the outbreak of war last August he rejoined the Scottish, to whom he belonged before joining the force and we

Liverpool Police - Private R Jones, 1st Welsh Fusiliers

Liverpool Echo 9 July 1915 FORMER LIVERPOOL CONSTABLE Private R Jones, 1st Welsh Fusiliers, who was formerly a member of the Liverpool police force and resided at 91 Vauxhall-road, Liverpool, was killed in action on May 16. He enlisted at the end of August and went to the front in November. He was a Liverpool police-constable for eleven years 1900-1911, leaving the force in the latter year to work as a labourer with the Dominion Line. He was a member of the L.P.A.S. and was i

Liverpool Police - Private William Davis, Scots Guard (son of D.I. Davis)

Liverpool Echo 3 July 1915 SEEN TO FALL Detective-inspector Davis of the Liverpool police is anxious as to the fate of his younger son, Private William A Davis of the 2nd Battalion of the Scots Guards who is reported by the War Office to be missing. Private Davis comes of a fighting stock. His father, three uncles and both grandfathers were all soldiers, whilst his elder brother is in the Canadians. Joining the Scots Guards in September last, Pte Davis, who is twenty years of

Liverpool Police - Private R Fisher, Scots Guards

Liverpool Echo 4 May 1915 EX-POLICEMAN “MISSING” R. Fisher, a private in the 1st Scots Guards, and late of the Liverpool Police force, has been missing since November 11. His parents reside at 26 Low-hill, Liverpool.

Liverpool Police - wedding of Bombardier George Stewart, Royal Field Artillery

Liverpool Weekly Courier 1 May 1915 FROM HILL 60 TO ALTAR MILITARY WEDDING AT WOOLTON The wedding too place at Woolton Wesleyan Churh this week, of Miss Emily Hesketh, youngest daughter of the late Mr J.H. Hesketh and Mrs Hesketh of High Street, and Bombadier George Stewart of the Royal Field Artillery, and a member of the Woolton section of the City Police. With another member of the section, constable Smith, he responded in August to the call to arms, both being reservists,

Liverpool Police - P.C. 76B Green

Liverpool Echo 12 March 1915 UNFINISHED LETTER TWENTIETH LIVERPOOL CONSTABLE TO FALL AT THE FRONT. The friends of Ex-police-constable 76B Green, who was a bombardier in the 41st battalion R.F.A. have received intimation of his death following operations. He was severely wounded in both knees and one arm on February 19 and was removed to the Military Hospital, Boulogne. He died on March 9. During his two years’ service in the Liverpool City police he had made himself highly re

Liverpool Police - Francis Byrne, 6 sons

Liverpool Daily Post 23rd Jan 1915 A FIGHTING FAMILY Mr and Mrs Francis Byrne, of 54 Belmont-road, Anfield, have six sons now serving with the troops, some of them at the front viz :- Gunner Francis Byrne R.F.A. Canadian contingent (formerly a sergeant in the Lancashire Fusiliers); Oswald Byrne, torpedo-gunner’s mate H.M.S. Bellona; Edward Byrne A.B. H.M.S. Duke of Edinburgh; Gunner Albert Byrne R.G.A.; Gunner Vincent Byrne R.G.A. and Alfred Paul Byrne, H.M.S. Tiger, Mr Byrne

Liverpool Police - Sergeant Charles Nicholson, King's Royal Rifles

Western Times 22 Jan 1915 LOCAL ITEMS The Chief Constable of Exeter (Mr A.F. Nicholson) has been notified of the death at the Front of his brother Sergt Charles Nicholson of the King’s Royal Rifles. When the war commenced the sergeant went out with the first Expeditionary Force, being a reservist. He was a member of the Liverpool Police Force.

Liverpool Police - Private James Beresford, 2nd Manchester Regiment

Liverpool Daily Post 11 Jan 1915 GARSTON CONSTABLE KILLED The last casualty lists issued by the Press Bureau contained the name of Private James Beresford, No49 of the 2nd Manchester Regiment, among those killed. Private Beresford was a member of the Liverpool Police Force, which he joined in 1907. Towards the end of that year he was appointed to the Garston sub-division, where he did street duty for six years before going into the fire station yard at the Garston Bridewell.

Liverpool Police - Gunner Rowland Darlington

Liverpool Echo 7 jan 1915 NIGHT DUTY- HOME AND ABROAD Gunner Rowland Darlington, of the 8th Division Ammunition Column of the 3rd section of the British Expeditionary Force, formery a member of the Liverpool Police Force, stationed at Garston, writes to Inspector Keelan at Garston, thanking his commander for “a most useful Christmas present,” and says:- “The weather is very bad indeed; an I dare say you who are experiencing it on night duty are experiencing it very bad also,

Liverpool Police - Herbert Gold, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards

Liverpool Daily Post 6 Jan 1915 FROM THE BEAT TO THE TRENCHES OPTIMISM OF POLICEMAN SOLDIERS GORDONS’ GLORIOUS CHARGE The Liverpool Police divisions have sent parcels of warm clothing to members of the force who are on service at the front. Cardigan jackets, woollen head helmets, woollen belts and warm gloves are amongst the presents that have been most acceptable to the men, and especially do they appreciate the gloves, which are made to go well up over the arms, of strong l

Liverpool Police - Corporal R Spencer, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Liverpool Police - Sergeant S.C.Wellings, 3rd Worcesters

Liverpool Daily Post 16 Dec 1914 KILLED WHILE HEADING A CHARGE Confirmation has been received of the reported death of Sergeant S C Wellings of 45, Three Shires Oak Road, Bearwood. He was last seen leading a charge of the 3rd Worcesters at Vailly, when he was shot in the head, and the War Office now report him having died in action. He was one of the tallest men in the Worcestershire Regiment, for he stood 6ft 4ins. Although a Birmingham man, he was a member of the Liverpool

Liverpool Police - P.C. 181B Thomas Travers

Liverpool Daily Post 10 Dec 1914 ANOTHER EX-P.C. FALLS The Liverpool police have just received information that Police-constable 181 B Thomas Travers has been killed in action in France. He was a constable attached to the B or Prescot-street division of the city force. He was a keen sportsman and a man of great promise as a constable, his duties always being performed in a fair yet fearless manner. This is the third constable who has been killed in action from the Prescot-str

Liverpool Police - Sergeant T Travers, Cornwall Light Infantry

Liverpool Echo 9 Dec 1914 KILLED IN ACTION TRAVERS – Sergeant T Travers, Cornwall Light Infantry, late of the Liverpool Police. – Ever remembered by Mr and Mrs Lodge and family, Prescot-street, Liverpool.

Liverpool Police - P.C. 167F Ernest Buckley

Liverpool Echo 1 Dec 1914 MESSAGE FROM A GARSTON CONSTABLE AT THE FRONT The Garston sub-division of the Liverpool City Police Force has sent five of its members to the fighting line, four to the land forces and one to the Navy. Inspector Keelan, who is in charge of the sub-division, last evening received a letter from Police-constable 167F (Ernest Buckley) who writes:- "We are getting cared for, plenty of food, and we need it to keep the cold out, as it is very trying in the

Liverpool Police - Private J.A. Cookson, Coldstream Guards

Liverpool Echo 26Nov 1914 KILLED IN ACTION COOKSON – November 2 died of wounds received in action at Rental, Belgium. Private J.A. Cookson of Coldstream Guards, late of Liverpool City Police. (111 Phythian-street, Liverpool)

Liverpool Police - F.V. Neal, Police Band

Liverpool Daily Post 23 Nov 1914 BRITONS AS WAR PRISONERS LETTERS FROM LIVERPOOL SOLDIERS Mr F.V. Neal, a member of the Liverpool Police Band, and a Reservist, writes to his comrades in Liverpool from Germany:- I am pleased to let you know that I am still in the land of the living. Don’t get strangled over my address, suffice to say that I am a prisoner of war. Not a spacy occupation I can assure you. I cannot go into full details. I daresay you know through the papers that I

Liverpool Police - P.C. Giles

Liverpool Daily Post 20 Oct 1914 A glimpse of the sort of heroic service which liverpool police officers are giving at the front was afforded to the Watch Committee yesterday. Police-constable Giles, who had been invalided home after receiving a bullet wound in the thigh and another in the arm, entered the committee room by invitation, and received congratulations on his heroism an progress towards recovery. He manifested a desire to return speedily to the war.

Liverpool Police -Benjamin Smith

Liverpool Echo 15 Oct 1914 ONE OF WARS VICTIMS Ec-constable Benjamin Smith, of the Liverpool Police, who was killed at Moissy on September 15, was 28 years of age. He was a reservist of the King’s Liverpool Regiment and rejoined the colours on the outbreak of hostilities, and had been in the thick of the fighting up to his death. Smith joined the Liverpool Police in 1908 and was stationed at Tuebrook, where he was greatly esteemed by his comrades and much sympathy is felt for

Liverpool Police - Private S.K. Hodgson

Liverpool Daily Post 13 October 1914 CAPTAIN’S TRIBUTE EX-LIVERPOOL CONSTABLE FALLS IN ACTION From a captain of the Coldstream Guards the following letter has been received by the father of ex-Liverpool Police-constable Hogson who was killed in action at Chaeonne, France:- “I wish to tell you how very much I sympathise with you in the loss of your son, No 8543, Private S K Hogson. I command his company, and I should like you to know that we all consiered him as one of the bes

Liverpool Police -Sergeant Pepper

Liverpool Echo 9 Oct 1914 BROTHERS MEET IN BATTLE EXPERIENCE OF LIVERPOOL CONSTABLE In the following letter, which has been sent to us, Bombardier William Harwood of the 2nd Dividion ammunition column R.F.A. who was a Liverpool police-constable before being called up with the reserve (August 4) describes how he met his brother, also a member of the Liverpool police until called up, in the firing line :- The other day I had been supplying ammunition. When returning I saw a bat

Liverpool Police - Bombardier William Harwood, Royal Field Artillery

Liverpool Police - Sgt Ernest Buckley, Royal Engineers

Northern Wales Weekly News 20 June 1918 ABERGELE MEN WOUNDED The following Abergele men are reported wounded in France:- Sergt Ernest Buckley, R.E., whose wife lives at Boderw, wounded in the leg and thigh. He has been previously wounded twice and gassed once. Prior to joining the colours he was a constable in the Liverpool Police Force.

Liverpool Police - Sgt Thomas Howcroft 1st Scots Guards

Northern Daily Telegraph 24 December 1914 BRINSCALL SOLDIER KILLED Official news has been received of the death of Sergeant Thomas Howcroft of the 1st Scots Guards, the youngest son of Mr Thomas Howcroft of New House Farm, Harbour-lan, Brinscall. He was killed in action at Ypres on October 31. Sergeant Howcroft was 32 years of age, and for some time had been in the Liverpool Police Force. He leaves a widow and six young children, for whom much sympathy is felt.

Liverpool Police - Private Percy Cook, Grenadier Guards

Northwich Guardian 25th December 1914 TWO LOCAN MEN REPORTED KILLED ... It has also been reported that Private Percy Cook, of Seddon-street, has been killed while on active service. He was in the Grenadier Guards and was formerly a member of the Liverpool Police Force. He was a single man, but an unfortunate circumstance is that his mother is lying seriously ill.

Liverpool Police - DC Archer

Liverpool Echo 26 Sept 1914 LOCAL DETECTIVE Detective-constable Archer, formerly of the A Division of the Liverpool Police who went out with a Scottish regiment and who (as reported in last night’s “Echo”) is now in hospital in France, suffering from wounds he received while fighting in the trenches.

23830 Guardsman Matthew Jones, Grenadier Guards.

Identification As you might expect, this is a common name, however, there were only 4 Mathew or Matthew Jones on the CWGC and of the 22...

FIRST WORLD WAR LIVERPOOL