Police

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

Tribute to their work

When he recently visited North Devon to present medals and bars to members of the Special Constabulary in recognition of their services, the Chief Constable of Devon (Lieut-Col. R R M Bacon) paid tribute to their valued work and assured them that the Special Constabulary would continue to play a very substantial part in the police machine of the County.

This picture shows the Chief Constable addressing ‘Specials’ at Torrington.

Among those in the picture, on the left, are Messrs G B Blatchford, F R Hodge, J J Jenkins and A E Muncey.

Article dated 21 October 1947

Bideford Policemen Retire

Police Inspector D T P Cowling and Sergeant R Honeywill,

both of Bideford, who joined Devon Constabulary together on August 1st, 1937, are soon to retire – on the same day, July 31st.

They have been at Bideford since Inspector Cowling was appointed the town’s police chief in 1962 after having served as sergeant at Seaton for seven years. Previously he was at Newton Poppleford.

During the war he served in the RAF in the Middle East, having been one of the first batch of pilots to train in South Africa.

He is a member of the county police water polo team, having swum for them since he joined the force, and he formerly played rugger for the country police team.

Road safety has always been a particular interest. At Seaton he organised cycling proficiency tests for children and he is a keen member of Bideford Road Safety Committee. He holds the Queen’s Coronation Medal.

Sergt Honeywill is senior sergeant at Bideford. He was stationed at Crown Hill, Bampton, Torquay, Lifton and Okehampton before being promoted in 1958 and transferred to Hoops.

He served as a CSM with the special investigation branch of the Corps of Military Police during the war.

Both Inspector Cowling and Sergt Honeywill are to continue to live in the Bideford district.

Article dated 16 June 1967

Two Children Are In The News This Week

Because of their road sense

Russell (6) finds his way home

Police were called in and Bideford streets searched this week when six years old Russell Yelland, staying on holiday with his grandparents at Westward Ho! became separated from his parents while they were shopping.

Just over an hour later the search was called off when Russell walked calmly into the Beach Road home of his surprised grandparents, Mr and Mrs Arthur Davies, and explained “They left me in town”.

During his three-mile walk from Bideford to Westward Ho! he had negotiated 11 busy road junctions but Russell told his parents Mr and Mrs David Yelland, on holiday from Germany where Mr Yelland is stationed with the Army: “It was all right – I learned my highway code at school.”

And he added: “I didn’t cry, people might have laughed at me.”

The only previous occasion he had travelled the route was by car.

Andrew (10) is reported by police

A policeman on patrol car duty watched carefully as a young Bideford schoolboy rode his bicycle through the town.

As a result of what he saw, he stopped the youngster, took his name and address, and reported him.

But it was a report with a difference.

Ten year old Andrew Butler, of 26 Bull Hill, Bideford, had his name taken not for any traffic transgression but for the impressive way he rode his machine.

His use of signals and his general road sense was reported to Bideford and District Road Safety Committee by Police Sergt S A Bennett, North Devon’s accident prevention officer, and it resulted in a surprised Andrew being presented with £1 in a ceremony at his school, Bideford Church Junior.

The note was handed to him by Ald Mrs E J Brown, the Bideford Road Safety Committee chairman.

Article dated 4 May 1973