At the outbreak of war in August 1914 men from all over Europe volunteered to serve. Several hundred police officers from across Wales joined them. By the end of the war 90 had died from South Wales alone, many more had been wounded, all had made a sacrifice.
Today, in recognition of their service and dedicated in their memory, South Wales Police have launched a short film featuring current serving officers, each re-citing a verse from the poem ‘For the Fallen’ by Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)
Marking the centenary of the outbreak of war today, Chief Constable Peter Vaughan said:
“During the First World War many police officers from our predecessor forces; Merthyr Tydfil, Swansea, Cardiff, Neath and Glamorgan, found themselves serving King and Country, on battlefields far away from home and the communities they had previously served. Ninety would never return.
“It is very important that we take time today to remember the sacrifices made by all those who gave their lives, giving our thanks to them for protecting our way of life. This short film has been created in their honour.”
South Wales Police hope to uncover as much information as possible about the many men who served both the force and their country to ensure they are never forgotten.
Men such as PC 90 Albert Appleton, who joined Swansea Borough Police on the 8th March 1913, stationed at Landore Police Station, Swansea, where he also lived. Albert was to become the forces’ first, World War One casualty.
As an army reservist he was re-called to service on the commencement of war on 4th August 1914, joining the 1st Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment.
He was killed just weeks later during the battle at Mons in Belgium, on the 24th August that same year. He was 25 years of age when he died and single, although it is reported that he was soon to marry a woman from Swansea.
Albert is buried at the Communal Cemetery in the village of Houdain Lez Bavay in Northern France. His is the only Commonwealth War Grave in the Cemetery.
To find out more about our officers from the First World War please visit www.south-wales.police.uk/museum/centenary
