National Police Memorial Day 2004
The first annual National Police Memorial Day service took place on Sunday 3rd October 2004 at St. Pauls Cathedral in London. The service was to honour as many as 4,000 UK police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty since the earliest days of professional law enforcement, some 3,500 of whom were named in the Commemorative Booklet’s Roll of Honour compiled for the service by the Police Roll of Honour Trust.
Families of some 300 of the officers who were killed or died on duty were present among more than 2000 family, friends and colleagues of fallen officers. They were joined by HRH the Duchess of Gloucester, representing the Royal Family and the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, representing the government.
In a letter of support for the occasion, Her Majesty the Queen said, “I… offer the families, friends and colleagues of the Police Officers killed on duty my assurance that their courage and dedication will not be forgotten.” The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in his introduction to the Commemorative Booklet, given to all guests, said “I am delighted to give my personal support to National Police Memorial Day and for this opportunity to put on record my appreciation of the courage and commitment of our police officers.”
The service, which was led by the Dean of St. Pauls, The Very Revd. Dr John Moses, included hymns, bible readings and music from the British Police Symphony Orchestra. A lesson was read by Constable Joe Holness, Kent Police, founder and co-ordinator of the event. An Act of Remembrance was led by The Dean who prayed, “God of justice and truth, mercy and love, we praise you for the example of service and sacrifice given to us by those we have gathered to remember. So again we hold them in honour this day.”
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Among the guests were Sergeant Anthony Rae, Lancashire Constabulary, founder and Chairman of the Police Roll of Honour Trust, who had compiled the Roll after 25 years research and who was attending his last official engagement in uniform just three days before his retirement after 30 years of police service. Anthony was accompanied by Vice-Chairman David Michael, and also present were Trustee John Jones, and Family Liaison Trustees Hilary Morrison, whose husband had drowned on duty in a sea rescue, and Margaret Stafford, whose only son was killed while trying to protect the scene of an accident on an icy motorway. All were touched by the moving and dignified service.
Anthony Rae said, “Today is the first time ever these officers are being remembered by the nation. You cannot overestimate the importance of this for their families.” Christine Fulton, founder of police family support charity UK COPS, said, “It’s very important that our losses have been recognised. Our officers give their lives in the line of duty and they do it for the British people. People need to know that their loss was not in vain.” 82-year-old Edna Williams, a Police Family Member of the Trust, whose husband, Jim Dolan, 36, was killed in Hampshire in 1956 while searching for a stolen car, leaving her with 5 children aged 7 to 15 years, said, “My husband died nearly 50 years ago but it still seems like yesterday. It is very emotional but it is a wonderful thing; the Memorial Day and the work of the Police roll of Honour Trust have enabled me to grieve for the first time since my husband’s death.”
David Michael, Hilary Morrison, Anthony Rae and Edna Williams outside St. Pauls
Eighty of the one hundred pages of the Commemorative Booklet were given over to the Police Roll of Honour Trust Roll of Honour in which the names and details of over 3,500 officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty were published for the first time ever. (Details of more than 500 further officers are still being researched.)
In his foreword to the Roll the Trust’s Patron, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Keith Povey said, “Behind every name lies a story of courage and devotion to duty, not to mention a deep sense of loss; for the service, the country and, above all, for friends, relatives and partners. As Patron of the Trust I am deeply honoured to be associated with this dignified tribute to those who have given their lives in the line of duty.”
Sir Keith left us with the following quote from “Hallowed Ground” by Thomas Campbell, Scottish Poet (1777-1844).
“TO LIVE IN HEARTS WE LEAVE BEHIND IS NOT TO DIE”
Commemorative Booklets- Roll of Honour
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The Trust has a limited supply of the 2004 inaugural service Commemorative Booklets containing the Roll of Honour and these will be made available to members of the Trust; they will be given free of charge to Police Family Members of the Trust who were unable to attend the service and any remaining will be made available to Friends or other donors to the Trust.
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For further information on obtaining a Commemorative Booklet or joining the Trust contact us at:
PO Box 999, PRESTON, PR4 5WW
Email enquiries@policememorial.org.uk
or see our web page at http://www.policememorial.org.uk/JointheTrust/JointheTrust.htm
(The National Police Memorial Day Roll of Honour will eventually be available to view on this site, in the meantime see "Police Forces" below for details of the names included on the Roll, this will be updated as resources allow.)
Last updated 8 August 2005
©
Police Roll of Honour Trust
Registered Charity No. 1081637
enquiries@policememorial.org.uk
