History of the Special Constabulary

 

 

scHELMET

 

Between 1919 and 1938 the Gloucestershire Special Constabulary
existed chiefly as a list of names, but in 1926 the imminence of the
‘General Strike’ had produced a burst on recruiting, but the danger
passed and the Force of men were never actually embodied.

In 1938 the Chief Constable Colonel W.F. Henn, M.V.O. decided to
reform and reorganise the Special Constabulary, and obtained help
from Colonel J.L. Sleeman, C.B., C.M.G., C.B.E., M.V.O., who was
from Painswick, and asked him to take command of the Special
Constabulary in Gloucestershire.

The establishment for the County was at first fixed at 3,000, but
as WWII went on, and man power became more difficult it was cut down.

A Headquarters Section was established at Lansdown Road, under the
control of Commandant Sleeman, and a County Mobile Section commanded
by Special Superintendant Lt-Col J.R.C. Dent, D.S.O., M.C., was also formed.

Training finished towards the end of August 1939 and the Force
was starting to take shape, and on 3rd September 1939 the
Gloucestershire Constabulary were first called out for active duty.

The County Mobile Section enabled the Force to place 200
Special Constables in an area of the County within 2 hours of call.
This proved invaluable during the air attacks on Bath and Bristol.

Victory came suddenly, and the Special Constabulary, first of such
organisations to be formed and mobilised, was the last to stand down.

The regular Police could not have carried out all of their duties alone,
and the way in which the Special Constabulary united with them
and backed them up was beyond praise. They absorbed the
great traditions of the Gloucestershire Constabulary, which is
proven in the fact that during the 6 years, a complaint with any
substance, was never received about a Special Constable. 

 

The Senior Special Constabulary Officers during WWII 

SLEEMAN Special Commandant (Col. Sir) James COLCHESTER-WEMYSS Special Supt J.M. D
Commandant Sleeman
(County)		 Supt Colchester-Wemyss
(Forest of Dean)		 Supt D'Arcy-Fisher
(Cheltenham Rural)
EVANS Special Supt E.B. HAGUE Special Supt H JESSOP Special Supt W.H.
Supt Evans
(Cheltenham Urban)		 Supt Hague
(Dursley)		 Supt Jessop
(Staff Officer to Sleeman)
LIMBRICK Special Supt G.B. MARTIN Special Supt G.C. McKEON Special Supt J.E.
Supt Limbrick
(Stroud)		 Supt Martin
(Gloucester Rural)		 Supt McKeon
(Headquarters Staff)
NEWTH Special Supt John (1) PALEY Special Supt A.T. POULTON Special Supt H.B.
Supt Newth
(Gloucester Urban)		 Supt Paley
(Cirencester)		 Supt Poulton
(Cheltenham Urban)
ROOKE Special Supt Nelson SHEEN Special Supt H.R. NOEL-DAVIES Special Supt W.A.
Supt Nelson Rooke
(Thornbury)		 Supt Sheen
(Cheltenham Urban)		 Supt Noel-Davies
(Cheltenham Urban)

 

The County Police Divisions with there Sections,
as of 1938 for the Special Constabulary

 

  • HEADQUATERS (Lansdown Road, Cheltenham): Commandant's office,
    Administration, Despatch riders (59 in total)
  • B1 DIVISION (Staple Hill): Filton, Frenchay, Hanham, Kingswood,
    Longwell Green, Mangotfield, Oldland Common, Patchway, Staple Hill, Warmley
  • B2 DIVISION (Thornbury): Acton Turville, Almondsbury, Alveston,
    Charfield, Chipping Sodbury, Coalpit Heath, Didmarton, Falfield, Hallen,
    Hawkesbury Upton, Iron Acton, Marshfield, North Nibley, Olveston, Pilning,
    Pucklechurch, Thornbury, Wick, Wickwar, Winterbourne, Wotton under Edge
  • C1 DIVISION (Cirencester): Ablingdon, Ampney Crucis, Andoversford,
    Bibury, Birdlip, Bisley, Chedworth, Cirencester, Coln St. Aldwyn,
    Daglingworth, Fairford, Hatherop, Kemble, Lechlade, North Cerney,
    Northleach, Quennington, Sapperton, South Cerney, Tetbury, Windrush, Winson
  • C2 DIVISION (Moreon-In-Marsh): Moreton in Marsh, Mobile Section,
    Bourton on the Water, Guiting Power, Mickleton, Stanton
  • D1 DIVISION (Stroud): Avening, Brimscombe, Caincross, Chalford,
    Dudbridge, Frocester, Horsley, Kingscote, Kings Stanley, Leonard Stanley,
    Minchinhampton, Nailsworth, Painswick, Rodborough, Selsley, Slad,
    Stonehouse, Stroud, Summer Street, Uplands, Whiteshill
  • D2 DIVISION (Dursley): Berkeley, Cam, Cambridge, Dursley, Hardwicke,
    Newport, Saul, Sharpness, Uley, Whitminster
  • E1 DIVISION (Cheltenham Urban): County and Central Mobile Sections,
    Bath Road, Charlton Kings, Prestbury, St. Mark's, Shurdington
  • E2 DIVISION (Cheltenham Rural): Bishops Cleeve, Cleeve Hill, Coombe Hill,
    Dumbleton, Tewkesbury, Twyning, Winchcombe
  • F DIVISION (Forest of Dean): Blakeney, Bream, Cinderford, Coleford,
    Drybrook, Littledean, Longhope, Lydbrook, Lydney, Mitcheldean, Newnham, Parkend,
    Ruardean, Ruspidge, St. Briavels,Tutshill, Westbury on Severn, Woolaston, Yorkley
  • G1 DIVISION (Gloucester Urban): Barnwood, Bearlands,
    Bristol Road, Hopewell Street,
  • G2 DIVISION (Gloucester Rural): Ashleworth, Cheltenham Road,
    Corse, Hucclecote, Churchdown, Huntley and Huntley Mobile Section,
    Longford, Minsterworth, Dymock, Newent 

 

*E1 Division was split into Central North and Central South,
and then each of those had both an A and B Section.

*It was decided in 1938 to start the Divisions at B1 as to prevent any one
Division getting a superior complex of being A1! 

S8304385
A map of the County's Police Divisions during WWII

  

S8303762

This is suspected of being the earliest photo of Specials in Gloucestershire.
It shows the Winchcombe Section in March 1919, sat front centre is
Deputy Chief Constable Hopkins, sat far left is Police Sergeant O'Rourke,
and sat far right is Police Constable Ford. During WWI the men were
only issued with a lapel badge, duty armlet, a whistle and staff

  

circa 1940
In 1939 the men were starting to be trained for thier war duties.
This photo shows the men of the Hopewell Street Section, they were trained
by Police Sgt 180 Walter Ryland (back row in uniform), the men still had no
uniform issued until about 1941.
Sat front centre is Special Supt John Newth,
and on his right is Special Sgt Hobbs

  

S8304389

The Cheltenham Central Mobile Section

Back row: SC's Gooch, O'Niell, Murphy, Dangerfield, Heathfield, Dennis
Front row: SC James, Special Sgt Dodwell, Supt Hopkins,
SC Tandy, SC Oates
(S. Sgt Leslie Dodwell did not live to see peace time,
and a Constabulary book was dedicated to him in 1946)

  

S8304390
The Longwell Green Specials Sub-Section, circa. 1942,
along with the Constable 'In-Charge'

  

S8304392

Woolaston Section - Forest of Dean Division
Back row: SC'S Beal, McLaren, Bucknell
Front row: Head SC Bollen, PC Bayliss, SC Williams

  

S8304388
The D Division miniature rifle team, winners of the 1943
Lord Lieut's Musketry Challenge Cup.
An annual competion held by Divisional teams,
made up from Regulars and Specials.
This team of Stroud and Dursley men scored
190 points out of a possible 200

 

  

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