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World War Two & After

World War Two & The Years Following:

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“If I mention only one of them tonight, namely the police, it is because many tributes have been paid already to the others. But the police have been in it everywhere all the time. And as a working woman wrote to me in a letter “What gentlemen they are” Winston Churchill 1942

1939 May: Emergency department established at HQ to deal with all matters falling on the police in connection with the war. Superintendent Davies was in charge with an especially appointed inspector on each division. Known as E Department 1939 Ken Browning: writing in July 1976: During the Second World war there existed in the Force six to eight men who were designated bomb reconnaissance officers – one I remember was ex- inspector Sizer from Walton on Thames. I had my full share of danger being the BRO for Oxted Division where we had one hundred and twenty three flying bombs alone and one night sixty thousand explosive incendiaries, hundreds of which I defused myself with Superintendent Mann.

1939 3 September: On the day war broke out an order came from HQ and in a short time almost every officer was engaged in some form of duty connected to the emergency. The strength with the reserve grew to six hundred and seventy seven officers. The initial work load was enormous and all leave was cancelled at the end of August men being recalled if away. Sixty regular officers were called to the colours on the 1st December their call up having been deferred three months. The chief constable was appointed county controller. Force numbers, the chief constable, superintendents including DCC, nine, twenty four inspectors, sixty one sergeants, and four hundred and twenty six constables making a total of five hundred and twenty one members of the Surrey Constabulary. Police War Reserve numbered one hundred and fifteen full time, First Police Reserve forty one full time, and the Special Constabulary part time one thousand four hundred and sixty three. The day war broke out the Police War Reserve and First Police Reserve was immediately called to duty and a heavy call was made on the part time Special Constabulary. Huge resources initially went into manning vulnerable points and detention of “doubtful” aliens.

Guildford July 1940: Arthur Bruce wrote in January 1980: Bruce and Bradley were in the yard at the police station in Guildford unloading firearms surrendered by the public from the above vehicle when a report came in of parachutists landing at Pitch Hill, Ewhurst. Without completing the unloading they piled into the car being joined by PCs George Young and Bob Rackham. “I should point out that car drivers were issued with a .303 rifle and five rounds of live ammunition. It was cynically suggested that the four rounds were for the enemy and the fifth being for us.” Arriving at Pitch Hill the only people about were road menders who were not aware of “the invasion”. They were given a 12 bore doubled barrelled shotgun and a handful of cartridges each with the injunction to “do their best.” The police then drove nearer to the foot of the hill prepared to “repel boarders.” Bert was armed with a revolver, George armed with Bert’s .303 went off in one direction, and Bob armed with a 12 bore and me with my .303. Bob was a little behind me and we had not gone far when from behind there was the report of a 12 bore followed by a surprised “@#@# that is not the safety position!” Thereafter I walked abreast of him. It was “A false alarm – good intent” – a police term passed down the years.

1940 PC Robert McBrien awarded BEM at great personal risk rescued a woman trapped under the ruins of a house demolished by an enemy bomb at Horsley4th September 1940: Worst attack was on Vickers Works, Weybridge were bombed and eighty three killed and over four hundred injured. One aircraft on the raid was shot down near Shere and the airman who bailed out was captured by a Special Constable at Ripley.

1940 4 October: Brockham: Two houses demolished and five people killed. A number of bombs fell on Nutwood Avenue during Friday night. In one house Mrs Daisy Hetherington, her five year old daughter and Wilfred Biggs an evacuee were killed. In the next house Mrs Ester Fisher and William her younger son age two were killed. Mrs Fisher’s elder son aged four and her sister injured. Mrs Hetherington’s husband was serving in the RAF and Mr Fisher was away from home on Auxiliary Fire Service duty. Rescue parties worked heroically through the night. Report from a member of the Mobile First Aid unit called to the scene: There were others underneath, a baby, two women, evacuee boy and a little girl of seven. It was nightmarish unreal sort of scene; the darkness, the dimly seen collapsed houses without a wall standing; the rescue party with torches among the ruins; the rest, about twenty people standing in the road waiting to be of assistance; the searchlights overhead; the buzz of planes and distant ant-aircraft fire. Every now and then the torches had to be put out completely until raiders passed. Two bodies were brought out; a little girl of seven was alive but pinned by her arms and shoulder. She was able to talk quite cheerfully and did not seem too badly injured yet after a long night of trying to rescue her at seven o’clock she became unconscious and died. 1940 29 November: Brockham: A long stick of bombs fell starting at the Barley Mow which was damaged and went to the top of Box Hill where Brockham Warren was hit.1941 The Chief Constable reports that serious incidents had occurred at many places in the county and the police were working under a heavy strain of prolonged hours of work.

Surrey Constabulary

'For those who served'

1851 - 1992

Editor: Robert Bartlett. Website Design & Maintenance: Denis Turner.

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