Federation hosting memorial day reception for families of fallen officers

22 September 2025

The families of more than 20 officers from the Force who died on duty will attend a special reception being hosted by West Midlands Police Federation ahead of the National Police Memorial Day service at Coventry Cathedral on Sunday.

The reception will also be attended by Federation representatives and the Chief Constable, Craig Guildford.

“When we heard that the memorial day service was being hosted at Coventry Cathedral for the first time in its history, we felt it was important to stage an event for the families of our fallen colleagues,” says Chris James, deputy secretary of West Midlands Police Federation.

“We are looking forward to meeting our fallen colleagues’ families at the reception and to sharing memories about their loved ones’ time with the Force.

Memorial day

“The memorial day service honours fallen officers but also serves to show their families that they are not forgotten while also recognising the unique role police officers carry out in our communities.

“They are the ones who are running towards danger, while others are running in the other direction and each day they put their own lives on the line to serve and protect the public.

“Sadly, sometimes they pay the ultimate price, sacrificing their lives and leaving their families to try to rebuild theirs.”

Around 5,000 police officers have died while on duty in the past 180 years including almost 150 West Midlands officers, details of whom can be found in the roll of honour listed on the West Midlands Police Museum website.

 

 

The first officer recorded is Robert Twyford of Birmingham Police who was shot while on duty in 1806 and died in 1814, aged 54, from lung damage caused by the gunshot wound.

Coventry itself was heavily bombed during the Second World War, with the cathedral being hit in the most devastating raid on the city on 14 November 1940.

Seven Coventry City Police were killed on that night: Albert Bawden, 38; Frederick Barratt, 50; William Lambe, 26; Thomas Lowry, 16; William Timms, 23; Kenneth Rollins, 30, and Harry Berry, 34.

An eighth officer, Bertram West, is listed as dying on 15 November 1940 in the continuing air raids. He was 17.

Service

Fallen officers’ deaths were largely unrecognised until Joe Holness set up the National Police Memorial Day after his Kent Police colleague, Jon Odell, was brutally killed in Margate in December 2000. The first service was held in London in 2004.

The memorial service is held each year on the nearest Sunday to 29 September, which is Saint Michael's Day with Saint Michael being the patron saint of police officers.

It rotates around the four nations of the United Kingdom and last year was held in Glasgow. In the past, when the service has come to England it has been held in London but in 2021 it moved to Lincoln Cathedral.

The memorial day aims to:

• Remember police officers who have been killed or died on duty
• Demonstrate to relatives, friends and colleagues of fallen officers that their sacrifice is not forgotten
• Recognise annually the dedication to duty and courage displayed by police officers. 

The service is attended by chief officers, politicians and civic dignitaries but the focus is very much on the families of fallen officers.

A roll of honour is read out giving the names of officers who have died in the 12 months since the last memorial day service and a candle is lit by a family member of a fallen officer from each of the four countries of the UK.

The families of fallen West Midlands Police officers interested in attending the memorial day service, which starts at 2pm, and the morning Federation reception should email the Fed office as soon as possible.

Any other members who want to attend the service at Coventry Cathedral should register to attend now.

Tributes and memories can also be posted on an online tribute wall.