IF you wanted to find a group of big, strong men with previous military experience in 1914 then the police force was the best place to start.

By the time of the First World War large towns such as Barrow had their own police forces with a career structure.

Many of the constables were ex-army and liable to be recalled to their regiments as reservists in the event of war.

The booklet in Barrow archive called Barrow-in-Furness County Borough Police Souvenir of the Great War 1914 – 1919 gives details of constables and one inspector who went off to war.

A picture survives of the Barrow police force in the early 1920s where many of the men are shown wearing their medals from the First World War.

A good proportion of them will be among these men named in the booklet as survivors of the conflict who returned to police duties.

While they were fighting with the army, their places were taken by special constables, by retired police officers returning to the ranks and in some cases by the first women police officers.

PC Ernest George Henley who joined the Barrow force on 14 February 14 in 1914, aged 25.

PC Sidney Clarence Wilson joined on May 27 in 1910, aged 22 years. He was born in West Ham, Essex.

PC Joseph William Dickenson joined on July 22 in 1910, aged 25 years. He was born in Birmingham.

PC Frederick Goodchild joined on February 5 in 1914, aged 24. He was born in Scarborough.

PC Goodchild was a reservist with the 18th Royal Hussars and was sent to France at the start of the war. He was wounded on August 24 in 1914 and was taken prisoner. He was kept at several German camps before being sent to Holland – probably in a prisoner exchange – and was interned at the Hague. The police officer was back in England on January 29 in 1919 and rejoined the force on April 1.

PC Thomas William Thompson is thought to have been born in Cockermouth 1891 and joined the Barrow force on July 28 in 1913. He retired in 1945.

PC Thomas Dickman joined on August 15 in 1911, aged 21. He was born at Caldbeck, Cumberland. He left the force on June 30 in 1922 as being no longer fit for service

PC Lawson Jordan joined on September 14 in 1914. He was born at The Hill, Millom Inspector Thomas William Taylor joined on January 1 in 1910, aged 31. He was promoted to the rank of inspector on January 1 in 1915.

Insp Taylor joined the East Kents (The Buffs) on October 2 in 1915 and went to France in May 1916. He served with the 1 st Battalion to January 1918 and was transferred to the Labour Corps in France to October 1918. He returned to work at a weights and measures inspector after the war.

PC Francis Foley joined on January 8 in 1911, aged 20. He was born in Blackpool and joined the Mounted Military Police on November 11 in 1915.

PC Foley served in France from February 1916 and was demobilized on August 15 in 1919.

PC Richard Walmsley is thought to have joined the Barrow force on June 21 in 1911, aged 21. He was born in Carnforth. PC Arthur Hampson is thought to have joined on November 25 in 1912. He was born in 1891 and retired in 1936.

PC John Joseph Park joined on November 10 in 1914 aged 20. He was born at Aikton, Cumberland PC Francis Sidney Lodge was born at old Sodbury, Gloucestershire and retired in 1938. PC James Wilson joined on December 1 in 1913. He was born in 1892 in Glasgow.

PC John Pattinson joined on June 29 in 1914, aged 21. He was born at Millom and retired on June 28 in 1939.

PC Henry Bertram Dennison joined the Military Mounted Police on November 27 in 1915 and was in France by June 1916, serving on the Somme, at Arras and Ypres. He was taken prisoner and sent to Griessen on April 11 in 1918 and then in June to Weschede. He escaped on August 23 and walked 100 miles in four days before being captured and returned to camp. He was moved to Altdamm and didn’t get back to Britain until December 20 in 1918.

PC Joseph Thompson joined on November 18 in 1914. He was born in Barrow and retired in 1939

PC William Rogerson joined on April 13 in 1915. He was born at Dearham, Cumberland and resigned on pension in 1941.