Police Memorial anniversary ceremony puts families at its heart
Families of fallen police officers will be at the centre of a special ceremony on Thursday (July 28) to mark the first anniversary of the dedication of the new UK Police Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
The memorial was dedicated in July last year in the presence of HRH the Prince of Wales.
One of those families attending this year’s ceremony is the son of Special Police Constable Ralph Corfield from Birmingham City Police (now part of West Midlands Police). SPC Corfield was killed on the July 28, 1942 (exactly 80 years to the day of this event) during an enemy air raid while helping to deal with the aftermath of an earlier bomb blast.
This year also marks the tenth anniversary of the murders of PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes, killed in Manchester in September 2012. Their fathers, Paul Bone and Bryn Hughes, will be giving a reading during the service.
As part of the wreath laying, a special floral tribute will be laid by a representative from the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) George Cross Foundation. This year marks the centenary of the establishment of the RUC – 314 members of the RUC were killed in terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland, 302 of them during the period 1969 to 1998. This represents the biggest loss of life of any UK police force.
Since the memorial was dedicated last July more than 300,000 people have visited the 40ft iconic tribute at the Arboretum. The memorial created out of bronze and designed in the shape of an open doorway signifies a threshold that police officers pass through to the ‘dangerous places’ but from which some never return.
Speaking at the dedication ceremony last year HRH the Prince of Wales said: “On behalf of a grateful nation, I want to express my immense gratitude for the courage and sacrifice of those who have laid down their lives to keep us safe and protect us from harm, remember their loved ones who mourn, and pay tribute to those who continue to serve to safeguard our freedoms.”
Martin Hewitt, chair of the Police Arboretum Memorial Trust, said: “This memorial is a tribute to all those who have dedicated their lives to policing. Every day our officers and staff go out to police our cities, towns and villages not knowing the dangers they will face. They often put themselves in harm’s way to protect us and our property, and safeguard our freedoms. Sadly, for some they pay with their lives.
“Thursday’s event is an opportunity not only to mark the first anniversary of dedication, but to once again pay tribute to the fallen from our police service, whilst recognising those who continue to serve.”
The dedication anniversary event will be attended by politicians, representatives from across the police service, the bereaved families of officers and staff, policing charities, donors and supporters.