THE sacrifice made by six officers in the First World War from the old Barrow police force is described in a booklet held in the extensive local history collections held at Barrow Archive and Local Studies Centre.

It is called Barrow-in-Furness County Borough Police Souvenir of the Great War 1914 – 1919 and was printed in 1919 by the Barrow Printing Company at its Crown Works in Lawson Street.

It gives details of the six men who died and others who went off to war and survived.

Extra research on the police careers of the men has been provided by Barrow archivist Susan Benson.

The policemen who died were:

PC Charles Sidney Chaplin joined the force on November 29 in 1907 aged 21. He was born in Fulham, Middlesex. PC Chaplin was a reservist with the 1 st Coldstream Guards and was recalled to the colours on August 5 in 1914 and immediately sent to France where he volunteered as a stretcher bearer. The booklet noted: “Chaplin offered his service and whilst assisting to remove a wounded comrade an enemy shell burst nearby. “He was wounded in both thighs and removed to Villanview Hospital, France, on 1 st October, 1914, where he died on the 3 rd of October, 1914, through injuries received.” He is named on the La ferte-sous-Jourre Memorial.

PC Cyril Gabriel Clarke joined the force on the first of June in 1908, aged 26. He was born in Chertsey, Surrey. PC Clarke was a reservist with the Dragoon Guards and had served in the Boer War in South Africa. He was recalled on August 5 in 1914 and went to France on September 14 with the 3 rd Battalion (Prince of Wales’ Own). The booklet noted: “It was in February, 1917, whilst working with the engineers preparing dug-outs that he was accidentally killed through a fall of earth. “At the time he met his death he held the rank of sergeant.” He died on February 8 in 1917 and is buried at Doullens Communal Cemetery No. 1 on the Somme.

PC Richard Johnstone joined the Barrow police on July 14 in 1910, aged 24. He was born at Halton, Lancaster. PC Johnstone was a reservist with the Royal Fusiliers and was recalled on August 5 in 1914, taking part in the British Army’s long retreat from Mons. He was wounded, sent home and served as a drill instructor at Greenock. In 1917 he was transferred to the Royal Scots and fought in Egypt with the Lowland Expeditionary Force. He was back in France in 1918 and died on October 5, the day after being wounded by a shell. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives his date of death as October 4 and he is buried at Flesquieres Hill British Cemetery off the Cambrai to Bapaume Road.

PC William Colley Fothergill was a reservist with the 3rd Coldstream Guards and rejoined the army on August 5 in 1914. He got enteric fever at Ypres in December and was invalided home. PC Fothergill returned to France in 1916 only to be killed in action during the Battle of the Somme on September 15, while serving with a Guards’ machine gun company. Pte Fothergill died aged 29 and is named on the Thiepval Memorial on the Somme. He was the husband of Martha Annie Fothergill, of Coldstream Cottage, Alborough, Yorkshire

PC Daniel Ashburner is named on the borough police war memorial but no details have been found of his police career. There is only one man with this name on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. This 36-year-old served with the 13th King’s Liverpool Regiment as a second lieutenant. He died on December 10 in 1916 and is buried at Bertrancourt Military Cemetery on the Somme. He was the husband of Mrs J. A. Ashburner, of 33 Foundry Street, Barrrow.

PC Edward Garnett joined the Barrow force on December 21 of 1914, aged 24. He was born at Thwaites, near Millom. PC Garnett joined the Grenadier Guards on June 1 in 1917 and went to France with the 1 st Battalion in December. He died on April 1 in 1918 through the bursting of an enemy shell while he was in a dug-out in the Arras Sector. He is buried at Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux in the Pas de Calais, France. PC Garnett was the son of Henry and Dinah Garnett, of Mirehouse, Silcroft and the husband of Lily, of Market Street, Millom.

You can see the original booklet at Cumbria Archive and Local Studies Centre in Ramsden Square, Barrow. Its reference number is BSPC/38.

The archive is open Wednesdays to Fridays from 9.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm.