WW1 - Banbury Borough Police

Banbury Borough Council was one of the first councils to set up a paid police force in 1836.

It remained an independent police force until 1 October 1925 when, with the retirement of the Chief Constable, the circumstances were deemed right for the force to amalgamate with the Oxfordshire Constabulary, and on this date two sergeants and 11 constables became members of the Oxfordshire Constabulary.

At the outbreak of The Great War on 4 August 1914, few details have yet been traced as to how many constables with previous military service may have been recalled to the Colours, but as the police force was subject to annual government inspections, and was subject to government legislation and advice relating to the police forces, it can be expected that the force would have had in place both a First Police Reserve and a Second Police Reserve to assist in the loss of officers recalled to the Colours and also the additional workload that was placed on police forces.

No record has been found of any constable from Banbury Borough police having been killed as a result of serving in The Great War.