30 NI officers honoured with Elizabeth Emblem for sacrifice in service
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has paid tribute to 30 officers posthumously awarded the Elizabeth Emblem, recognising their loss in the line of duty.
The commemorative emblem was first announced last year, and, conferred by His Majesty The King, is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack.
It is awarded as a mark of recognition to the next of kin of those who lost their lives during the course of undertaking eligible public service.
On Friday (July 4), 30 fallen officers – 28 from the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross, and two from the PSNI – have been named among more than 100 people posthumously recognised across the UK.
The 30 officers have been listed in only the second ever list published, and the first to include recipients from Northern Ireland.
Mr Boutcher said: “Our officers put their lives on the line every day while on duty – protecting the communities they proudly serve – often without forewarning of the potential dangers they may encounter.
“It is with deep humility and respect that we remember these 30 fallen officers – our colleagues and friends who gave their lives in service. Their sacrifice and the enduring grief carried by their families must never be forgotten.
“The Elizabeth Emblem is a poignant and powerful symbol of national gratitude – a recognition not only of the officers’ ultimate sacrifice, but also of the pain their loved ones have been left behind to process and carry.
“Today, I stand with our police families who have lost a loved one – the Elizabeth Emblem serves as a lasting memory of their bravery.
“Many of our fallen colleagues included on the list lost their lives during the Troubles in Northern Ireland – a painful and turbulent chapter in our history. We will honour their memory, and I stand alongside their families in quiet reflection, pride and sorrow.
“The families and loved ones of the officers who have been posthumously honoured have my full support and deepest sympathies.”
In total, 106 police officers, firefighters, overseas workers and other public servants who died in service have been recognised with the Elizabeth Emblem.
Established last year, it is only the second ever list of Elizabeth Emblem recipients to be published. The next of kin are awarded the national form of recognition.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, said: “We owe an enduring debt to the public servants who give their lives to protect others.
“The Elizabeth Emblem is a reminder not just of the ultimate price their loved ones have paid in service of our communities, it is a lasting symbol of our national gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.”
The list includes:
Reserve Constable Wallace Allen, who was serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary when he was shot by the IRA while driving a lorry to collect milk from farms in South Armagh. His body was recovered in 1980.
Constable Cyril Wilson, who was shot by the IRA in an ambush in 1974. His patrol was responding to answer a call when it came under fire from a house in the Rathmore estate. Constable Wilson was rushed to Craigavon Area Hospital but died the next day.
Reserve Constable Robert Struthers, who died in 1978 while serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary. He was shot by two members of the Provisional IRA while working in his office.
Police Constable Nina Mackay, who died aged 25 when confronted with a violent and mentally unstable man while searching a property in East London. The man stabbed her once in the abdomen, and she died from her injuries.
Police Constable Dennis Cowell, who died in 1965 while on duty as a river policeman. He died in the River Thames after a police launch on which he was a crew member, capsized after a collision between three boats. PC Cowell was in the cabin at the time of the incident and drowned.
Joseph Stewart Drake, a constable with Scotland’s Stirling and Clackmannan Constabulary. He died on August 11, 1967, when a stolen lorry intentionally struck his car at Dennyloanhead as he tried to intercept it.
Richard Paul North, a constable with Tayside Police died on March 17, 1987. He was on duty driving a marked police patrol car when it collided with another vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was under the influence of drink and drugs.