26:
396:
136:
was accepted as a WRC after authorities failed to check his background (he had an extensive criminal record). He later went on to be a notorious serial killer in London, and was hanged in 1953 for his crimes. However this was after
157:, ex-professional footballer, was killed in an air raid on Derby on 27 July 1942 while serving as a War Reserve Officer. He is commemorated at Chesterfield FC, and had also played for Derby, Manchester City, Reading and Coventry.
209:. At most, there were 5,000 full-time WAPCs, including 500 attested WAPC constables. This was the first step towards allowing women to join the UK's special constabularies, which they had still been unable to do in 1939.
106:
Uniform and equipment was the same as a regular constable, with the exception of uniform epaulettes which were detailed WRC above the collar number and divisional sign. During the war officers wore named
60:
in 1944 there were 17,000 war reserve constables. The rank was dissolved on 31 December 1948, causing 686 officers to be discharged from service, and the remainder being recruited for service as a
167:
98:
Regular police officers were supported by 39,500 male auxiliary officers on full-time service (War
Reserve Constables) as well as thousands of Special Constables.
453:
431:
355:
304:
37:
130:, a war reserve constable who was stabbed to death in Hyde Park in 1940. There is a plaque near this place to commemorate him.
223:
45:
194:
133:
244:
372:"Metropolitan Police, War Reserve Police Constable, Bennett Morgan, 'A' or Whitehall Division. 1939–1945"
205:
The WAPC was set up in 1939 and was similar to the WRC, except only some of its members were attested as
188:
218:
127:
78:
during wartime for protection from enemy action, enemy sabotage and to assist with the armed forces.
18:
182:
178:
21:, which was a voluntary British police officer, that existed alongside the War Reserve Constable.
269:
321:
25:
427:
384:
351:
300:
65:
112:
71:
Most officers were aged between 25–55 and undertook twelve hours of unpaid annual training.
41:
36:(or WRC, war reserve police constable, WRPC) was a voluntary role within the ranks of the
74:
Despite
British police traditionally being unarmed, officers were armed with Canadian
447:
371:
144:
138:
108:
154:
148:
141:
was hanged for two of the murders, possibly causing a major miscarriage of justice.
57:
118:
The traditional police whistle was worn, as well as the police duty cuff-band.
111:, with "W. R. Police" or "POLICE" marked on the front, instead of traditional
75:
206:
61:
270:"War Reserve Constables: Oral Answers to Questions in the House of Commons"
81:
Duties of a WRC included the usual activities of a constable, as well as:
56:
The War
Reserve Police was introduced in 1939 and at the height of
24:
171:
44:
during the war. War reserve constables were sworn in under the
385:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/8172128981
40:. As suggested by the title, the role was as a voluntary
170:, listed below, were killed in the line of duty during
322:"War Reserve Constable – Metropolitan Police, 1942"
162:War reserve officers killed in the line of duty
48:, and had the full powers of a police officer.
200:
8:
115:. However, peaked caps were sometimes worn.
147:, a professional boxer who was awarded the
235:
91:assisting in evacuations and air raids
201:Women's Auxiliary Police Corps (WAPC)
7:
151:for his services in the War Reserve.
320:Townsend, Paul (10 November 2012).
17:This should not be confused with a
454:Police ranks in the United Kingdom
243:Emsley, Clive; Waterfield, Terry.
29:Example of a WRC uniform epaulette
14:
245:"Police at War: Second World War"
94:and capturing deserting soldiers.
424:The British Home Front 1939–1945
348:The British Home Front 1939–1945
297:The British Home Front 1939–1945
88:combating black market activity,
122:Notable war reserve constables
1:
397:"Book of Remembrance, 1900s"
168:three war reserve constables
426:. Osprey. pp. 52, 53.
401:Metropolitan Police Service
187:Joseph Pickering, aged 54,
46:Special Constables Act 1923
470:
422:Brayley, Martin J (2005).
346:Brayley, Martin J (2005).
295:Brayley, Martin J (2005).
195:Blackburn Borough Police
350:. Osprey. p. 52.
299:. Osprey. p. 52.
193:John Towers, aged 39,
30:
189:Liverpool City Police
102:Uniform and equipment
38:British police forces
34:War reserve constable
28:
85:enforcing blackouts,
374:. 20 February 2010.
249:The Open University
183:Metropolitan Police
179:Jack William Avery
31:
433:978-1-84176-661-4
357:978-1-84176-661-4
306:978-1-84176-661-4
276:. 3 February 1949
274:They Work For You
66:special constable
19:Special Constable
461:
438:
437:
419:
413:
412:
410:
408:
393:
387:
382:
376:
375:
368:
362:
361:
343:
337:
336:
334:
332:
317:
311:
310:
292:
286:
285:
283:
281:
266:
260:
259:
257:
255:
240:
219:Air raid wardens
42:police constable
469:
468:
464:
463:
462:
460:
459:
458:
444:
443:
442:
441:
434:
421:
420:
416:
406:
404:
395:
394:
390:
383:
379:
370:
369:
365:
358:
345:
344:
340:
330:
328:
319:
318:
314:
307:
294:
293:
289:
279:
277:
268:
267:
263:
253:
251:
242:
241:
237:
232:
215:
203:
164:
124:
113:police headgear
104:
54:
12:
11:
5:
467:
465:
457:
456:
446:
445:
440:
439:
432:
414:
388:
377:
363:
356:
338:
312:
305:
287:
261:
234:
233:
231:
228:
227:
226:
221:
214:
211:
202:
199:
198:
197:
191:
185:
163:
160:
159:
158:
152:
142:
131:
123:
120:
109:Brodie helmets
103:
100:
96:
95:
92:
89:
86:
53:
50:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
466:
455:
452:
451:
449:
435:
429:
425:
418:
415:
402:
398:
392:
389:
386:
381:
378:
373:
367:
364:
359:
353:
349:
342:
339:
327:
323:
316:
313:
308:
302:
298:
291:
288:
275:
271:
265:
262:
250:
246:
239:
236:
229:
225:
222:
220:
217:
216:
212:
210:
208:
196:
192:
190:
186:
184:
180:
177:
176:
175:
173:
169:
161:
156:
153:
150:
146:
145:Archie Sexton
143:
140:
139:Timothy Evans
135:
134:John Christie
132:
129:
126:
125:
121:
119:
116:
114:
110:
101:
99:
93:
90:
87:
84:
83:
82:
79:
77:
72:
69:
67:
63:
59:
51:
49:
47:
43:
39:
35:
27:
23:
22:
20:
423:
417:
405:. Retrieved
400:
391:
380:
366:
347:
341:
329:. Retrieved
325:
315:
296:
290:
278:. Retrieved
273:
264:
252:. Retrieved
248:
238:
204:
165:
155:Arthur Bacon
149:George Medal
117:
105:
97:
80:
73:
70:
58:World War II
55:
33:
32:
16:
15:
181:, aged 28,
166:A total of
76:Ross rifles
407:28 October
331:28 October
280:28 October
254:28 October
230:References
224:Home Guard
207:constables
128:Jack Avery
448:Category
213:See also
62:regular
52:History
430:
403:. 2015
354:
326:Flickr
303:
428:ISBN
409:2015
352:ISBN
333:2015
301:ISBN
282:2015
256:2015
172:WWII
64:or
450::
399:.
324:.
272:.
247:.
174:.
68:.
436:.
411:.
360:.
335:.
309:.
284:.
258:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
