Bravery Awards

Police Constable James Thomas

Presentation at Cheltenham Police station by Chief Constable Admiral Christian to Police Constable James Thomas of Redwick near Severn Beach  for the rescue of two workman in a well at Redwick on 7th  August 1894. Both men had been overcome by the foul air. Police Constable Thomas was also affected by the foul air but managed to rescue both men one alive and one who had died. Police Constable Thomas was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s Silver Medal.

Presentation at Cheltenham Police station by Chief Constable Admiral Christian to Police Constable James Thomas of Redwick for the rescue of a workman in a well at Redwick on 2 August 1894. Redwick is near Severn Beach.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 1580)

Major Stanley Clarke wanted to ensure that acts of bravery by members of the Police Force were recognised as up until then they often went unrecognised and unrewarded. He introduced the Chief Constable’s Silver Braid to be worn as a silver ribbon on the right breast of the tunic.

Police Constable George Stevens

On 5^th April 1921 the first officer to be awarded the Silver Braid and £2 was Police Constable George Stevens. The award was for gallant conduct when stopping a runaway horse.

Police Sergeant John Hobday

Police Sergeant John Hobday was awarded the Silver Braid for rescuing a dog from a disused mine shaft on 28^th August 1923 at Oaken Wood Enclosure. He was also awarded a medal and certificate by the Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals.

Police Constable Frederick Nash

In the early hours of 13^th October 1928 a railway accident happened in the early hours of the morning at Charfield. Police Constable Frederick Nash was the officer in charge. At 5.50 a.m. Constable Nash was informed of the accident and went down to the scene of the accident and when he was informed that a woman was trapped he entered the burning wreckage. After crawling through the restricted spaces he found the woman who was dead. The fire was spreading (as the train was lit by gas) and because of the frequent explosions the wreckage was continuing to move so he had to get out for his own safety.

Local police officers were quickly on the scene and led the efforts to rescue the trapped passengers. Foremost amongst these was Frederick John Nash – he joined the police in 1910 and the Register of Rural Constabulary tells us about his background and early career. He was a witness at the Inquest following the accident and his evidence was reported in detail in the Gloucester Journal.
In recognition of his bravery he was awarded the Silver Braid Gallantry Award together with £5 in January 1929 and the Register of Awards shows that he also received a medal and £2 2s 0d from the Society of Protection of Life from Fire.

Police Constable  306 Charles Stafford Gowing

Police Constable 306 Charles Stafford Gowing & newspaper reports of his award for bravery. Report states how Police Constable Gowing stopped a runaway horse in Cirencester for which he was awarded the Silver Badge for Gallantry.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 1485-1)

Police Constable 306 Charles Stafford Gowing.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 1485)

Police Constable Edwin Handly

Police Constable Edwin Handly was awarded the Silver Braid and £5 in 1934. On 22^nd January two men started to clear out an old well at Sheepscombe. Part of the stone lining of the well collapsed killing Frank Wallace instantly and trapping his body. His workmate Richard Cox could not release him and so Police Constable Handly was called and went down the well working for an hour and a quarter until the body could be retrieved. Police Constable Handly ran the risk of being killed or injured by a further collapse in the 100 year old, 65 feet deep well.

Police Constable Walter Lafford

On 31^st October 1936 Police Constable Walter Lafford rescued Mrs Fitzgerald the District Nurse at Wickwar from her burning house. He was awarded the Silver Braid and £5.

Police Constable V. J. Bullock , Special Constable W. F. Williams, Special Constable W. E. Prisk and Police Sergeant F. F. Taylor.

Forest of Dean Gazette, March 1940 showing Chief Constable Henn presenting silver braid for Conspicuous Gallantry to Police Constable V. J. Bullock , Special Constable W. F. Williams, Special Constable W. E. Prisk and Police Sergeant F. F. Taylor.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 569)

(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 1716-2)

(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 1716-1)

Police Constable John Buckle

On 4^th July 1943 a boy fell into disused well that opened up under the floor of his house. Police Constable John Buckle drove from Minchinhampton with some ropes. Along with members of the National Fire Service, Police Constable Buckle was lowered 102 feet into the well and the badly injured boy was hauled to the surface. Constable Buckle was awarded a bronze Medal by the Royal Humane Society.

Police Constables Ronald Spencer and David Smeeton 

In March 1961 Police Constables Ronald Spencer and David Smeeton  and were called to a house in Down Ampney were they were confronted by  two dead people on the floor and a man with a revolver.  Constable Spencer went on in to arrest the man and was shot in the chest at point-blank range.  Constable Smeeton followed his colleague into the room and tackled the man and, after a violent struggle, disarmed the man who ran off. He chased after him and arrested the man, with the assistance of a Mrs Jean Evans local lady.  Both officers were awarded the George Medal by Her Majesty the Queen Mother and Mrs Evans also received a presentation from the Duke of Beaufort.

Police Constable R. Spencer awarded George Medal 26.9.1961. (Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 196)

Police Constable D. Smeeton awarded George Medal 26.9.1961. (Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 197)

Detective Sergeant Brian Marshall

On 28^th November 1967 Detective Sergeant Brian Marshall was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery.The citation in the London Gazette read. Brian John MARSHALL, Detective Sergeant, Gloucestershire Constabulary. (Gloucester). For services when apprehending a mentally deranged man armed with a shotgun.

Police Sergeants William Abbott and Charles Critchley

Police Sergeants William Abbott and Charles Critchley both received a Queen’s Commendation for Bravery after preventing a man armed with an axe and a hammer from jumping off a building in Cheltenham. 1^st December 1968.

Newspaper cutting from Gloucestershire Echo 17.7.1969 re Acts of Bravery by Police Sergeants William Abbott and Charles Critchley together with copy of Queen’s commendation for Brave Conduct awarded to Charles Thomas Critchley.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 231(1))

Police Constables Albin Smith and Brian Organ

The British Empire Medal for Gallantry was awarded to Police Constables Albin Smith and Brian Organ both Motor Patrol Officers based at Almondsbury Motorway Station. The awards were as a result of a shooting incident on 23^rd February 1969. Constables Organ and Smith were on motor patrol duty when they received a message that an armed man who had been tampering with parking meters and  had made off in a car. The two officers saw and chased the car which stopped in the middle of a road. The driver got out of the car and stood in the roadway facing the police car pointing a gun at the officers. The gunman fired several shots at the Constables and then drove off. The two Constables continued the chase. Constable Smith was wounded in the arm. The gunman then stopped a passing car and  made off pursued by other patrol cars. Police Constable Brian Roebuck was at the scene.

I was a main road motorcyclist at the time. I had requested permission to make a road block at Tormarton but was refused permission as ‘It is too dangerous’ The pursuit ended on the M4 short of Tormarton and the last radio message from Albin and Brian was that Albin had been shot, ambulance requested and that Brian was pursuing on foot. I attended the scene, saw Albin was shot / injured and as access for the ambulance was limited requested permission to take Albin to Frenchay but, was refused as ‘you are not authorised to drive solo’ was the response!!!Brian was away from the patrol car (Austin Westminster) chasing the suspect on foot across the fields but I could not see where he was. I remained with Albin ’til the Ambulance arrived

Detective Constable Brian Watkins

Detective Constable Brian Watkins was Highly Commended. A 20 year old man armed with a loaded shotgun was holding police at bay on the Cirencester to Stroud Road in October 1978. DC Watkins approached the man and managed to get him talking. When he judged the moment was right he grabbed the gun and disarmed the man.

Other officers also highly commended were Inspector C. Fluck, Police Sergeant S. Norman Hale, Police Sergeant Ron Wasley, Police Constable G. Evans, Detective Constable Peter Stoneham,  Commended were Chief Inspector G. Lewis,  Police Sergeant Peter Voysey, Police Sergeant Brian Farmer, Police Constable David Waters, Police Constable Robert Stackhouse Police Constable Ron Dean, Police Constable Dave Carter, Police  Constable Bob Creed, Police  Constable Dave Avery.

Presentation of Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct to Detective Constable Brian Watkins by Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire Colonel Gibbs 10.3.1982 .
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 399)

Police Constable Paul Menhinick

Chief Superintendent Joe Skipsey presenting Police Constable Paul Menhinick with his award for bravery 1986.

Chief Superintendent Joe Skipsey presenting Police Constable Paul Menhinick with his award for bravery. 1986.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 475)

Police Constable Bill Matthews

Presentation of Queen’s award for Brave Conduct as a result of the 1987 Gloucester Police Station Siege. Police Constable Bill Matthews ( Bamfurlong) receiving his award, from the County Lord Lieutenant Colonel Martin Gibbs with Chief Constable Albert Pacey,following the end of a siege at Gloucester Police Station where he was held by a gunman, Paul Eyre, before making a dash for freedom.

Presentation of bravery awards. Police Constable Bill Matthews after receiving his bravery award for the Gloucester siege with two colleagues involved in the incident 1987.
Left to right Police Constables Anthony Webb, Bill Matthews, Patrick Price.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 485)

Presentation of Queen’s award for Brave Conduct as a result of the 1987 Gloucester Police Station Siege. Police Constable Bill Matthews  receiving his award from the County Lord Lieutenant Colonel Martin Gibbs with Chief Constable Albert Pacey.
(Gloucestershire Police Archives URN 484)