Edinburgh City Police & Metropolitan Police Officers in the Royal Garrison Artillery
Edinburgh City Police & Metropolitan Police officers serving in the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1915. (Courtesy of the Police Review & Parade Gossip).
Edinburgh City Police
PC 53 A Roderick Campbell
PC 7 A Thomas McIntosh
PC 621 A Colin Fraser Brown
PC 163 A John Innes MM
PC 161 A Peter Cameron
All of the above officers survived the war. Their pictures in 1921 and 1922 can be seen below.
Metropolitan Police
PC Francis Horwood Vercoe DCM & Bar
Unfortunately, 54571 Gunner Francis Horwood Vercoe was 'killed in action' on 4 June, 1917.
Whilst serving with 7th Seige Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA), he was awarded his first Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) in the London Gazette of 22 January 1916. The citation is shown below.
His second award of the DCM was listed in the London Gazette of 30 March 1916. That citation can also be seen below.
Francis Horwood Vercoe was born in October 1889 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, the son of James Breed Vercoe and Mary Louisa Grist or Vercoe.
He joined the Metropolitan Police on 12 January 1914 with the Warrant Number 103596 and was posted to the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich Dockyard.
He enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1915. He can be seen in the picture above, middle back row.
He was wounded in action in 1916 after the award of his DCM and Bar and was 'invalided' home. He returned to France and Belgium and was appointed Acting Corporal in November 1916. He was promoted to Subsrantive Corporal in December the same year.
He was killed in action on 4 June, 1917 while serving as a Corporal in 145th Seiege Battery RGA.
He is buried in Underhill Farm Cemetery at Comines-Warneton, Arrondissement de Mouscron, Hainaut, Belgium. His grave can be seen in the image below as can his record of discharge from the Metropolitan Police in 1917.
The first award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to 54571 Gunner Francis Vercoe
The second award of the DCM to 54571 Gunner Francis Vercoe.
There is a typo in this description as the name should be Francis Horwood Vercoe. Picture courtesy of https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11507369
The entry in MEPO 4/345/Page 67 showing PC Francis Horwood Vercoe's discharge from the Metropolitan Police.
30 April edition of police Review and Parade Gossip featuring PC Vercoe.
PC 81 A Thomas McIntosh in 1922
PS 44 A Colin Fraser Brown in 1922
Superintendent Colin Fraser Brown (Courtesy of Edinburgh City Archives). As well as the crowns on his collar, he also has three stars on each epaulette. Pictures exist of other ECP Supts. wearing a spiked top on their helmet. He was promoted in March 192
Superintendent Colin Fraser Brown is wearing these medals. (Picture courtesy of Edinburgh City Archives). They are, l to r, British War Medal, Victory Medal, King Edward VII Police (Scotland) Medal, 1903 and the King George V Coronation (Scottish Police M
PC Colin Fraser Brown can be seen in the back row of this picture, 3rd from the left. It was taken at Saughton Park at the Scottish International Exhibition of May 1908 and the small medal in the left of the picture above dates from that event.
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PS 94 D John Innes MM in 1921
PC 161 A Peter Cameron in 1922
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