{"id":63126,"date":"2026-06-15T06:47:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T06:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/63126\/"},"modified":"2026-06-15T06:47:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T06:47:44","slug":"the-ultimate-sacrifice-remembering-the-north-east-police-officers-who-lost-their-lives-serving-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/63126\/","title":{"rendered":"The ‘ultimate sacrifice’ – Remembering the North East police officers who lost their lives serving communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

They made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our communities, these are the North East’s fallen police officers. Our region is today in mourning for 19-year-old PC Jess Turnbull<\/a>, who lost her life after attending the scene of a collision in Cramlington, Northumberland.<\/p>\n

The Northumbria Police officer, who only joined the force in September, was allegedly struck by a car at the scene of the incident, on the A189 spine road. She died in hospital on Wednesday.<\/a><\/p>\n

Paying tribute to the “dedicated” cop Northumbria Police’s Chief Constable, Vanessa Jardine, said Jess had made the “ultimate sacrifice” which would “never be forgotten.”<\/p>\n

The Police Memorial Trust maintains a Roll of Honour of all the UK\u2019s fallen police officers to ensure they are never forgotten.<\/p>\n

And today the trust’s chair, Geraldine Winner, paid tribute to PC Turnbull, whose name will be the latest to be added to the tragic list.<\/p>\n

\"PC<\/p>\n

PC Jess Turnbull (Image: Northumbria Police)<\/p>\n

“Following the announcement of the tragic death of Police Constable Jess Turnbull of Northumbria Police the thoughts of our Chairman and Board of Trustees are with Jess\u2019s family, loved ones and colleagues. We offer them our heartfelt condolences,” she said.<\/p>\n

‘Yet again the death of this young police officer illustrates the inherent dangers all our police face every day whilst serving the British public. The loss will be long felt by the whole of the extended police family.<\/p>\n

Here are the North East<\/a> names on the Police Memorial Trust’s Roll of Honour:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Officer William Atkinson (Newcastle-upon-Tyne Police), died around June 1756, killed with an axe when attempting to execute an arrest warrant.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Patrick Harford (Blyth<\/a> Police), died August 26, 1851, fatally stabbed while protecting a servant from her violent master.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Thomas Scott (Gateshead<\/a> Borough Police), died October 6 1854, aged 27, killed by an explosion assisting at the scene of a warehouse fire.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC John Graham (Gateshead Borough Police), died January 25 1889, aged 28, attacked on patrol and stabbed to death by a man he had taken to court.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt Walter John Laidler (Gateshead Borough Police), died June 21, 1934, aged 48, fatally injured by the collapse of a wall assisting at the scene of a fire.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Brian Armstrong (Gateshead Borough Police), died September 12, 1966, aged 31, fatally stabbed by a youth he was questioning about theft from a car.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Newby Wilson (River Wear Police), died September 6 1849, aged 41, died after falling into the river in a fit when taken ill while on his rounds.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Robert Hird (River Wear Police), died October 19 1852, drowned when he tripped on a kerb and fell into the dock while on patrol.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Benjamin Wilton (River Wear Police), died March 17 1863, aged 28, drowned on patrol when he tripped on a chain and fell into the dock.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC William Hird (River Wear Police), died November 29 1866, aged 47, died from a broken neck when he fell into Sunderland<\/a> dock while on duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt John Staff Hasker (River Wear Police), died November 4 1895, aged 47, killed with a Sunderland Borough Constable at a fire when the roof collapsed on them.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC William Richard Longridge (River Wear Police), died December 23 1911, aged 61, died from internal injuries sustained in a fall while working on a fire boat.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Insp James Lakin (River Wear Police), died February 23 1913, aged 76, found drowned on duty in the river in suspicious circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Charles Peter Page (River Wear Police), died June 21 1940, aged 49, killed in a motorcycle accident reporting for duty in an air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sub Inspector Richard Pickering (River Tyne Police), died January 6 1873, aged 51, killed after leaving the station when a tug struck his boat in the harbour.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC William Haken (River Tyne Police), died January 1880, aged 59, accidentally drowned when his boat was run down by another vessel.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable Thomas Mills (River Tyne Police), died February 3 1940, aged 54, went missing on patrol supposed had fallen in the dock and drowned.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Charles Matthew Rogerson (River Tyne Police), died January 18 1953, aged 22, drowned when lost overboard from a police launch on river patrol.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Thomas Rodgers (South Shields<\/a> Borough Police), died May 21 1914, aged 34, found drowned in the sea after being missed from his beat at night.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Leslie Lamb (South Shields Borough Police), died February 16 1941, aged 23, killed in enemy air raids, duty status unknown.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable Christopher Watson (South Shields Borough Police), died October 2 1941, aged 58, killed in enemy air raids, duty status unknown.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Joseph Sproat Armstrong (South Shields Borough Police), died May 24 1943, aged 48, killed by a direct hit of a bomb on his ARP post in an enemy air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC George William Wheatley (South Shields Borough Police), died December 26 1957, aged 31, fatally injured in a fall searching for a suspect seen on the roof of a hall.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Edward Gray (Sunderland Borough Police), died March 11 1854, aged 24, found drowned in the River Wear after failing to parade off night duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Police Fireman William Dryden (Sunderland Borough Police), died November 4 1895, aged 37, killed at a fire with a River Wear Constable when the roof collapsed on them.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Supt William Best (Sunderland Borough Police), died February 22 1902, aged 58, died as a result of injuries received when he fell heavily on an icy road.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable Thomas Dale (Sunderland Borough Police), died April 1916, aged 57, killed by enemy action while on patrol during a Zeppelin air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Det Cons Ernest James Taylor (Sunderland Borough Police), died October 30 1942, aged 52, collapsed escorting a prisoner by train from London and later died in hospital.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Cons Lancelot Cummings Slawther, died May 16 1943, aged 47, killed as a result of enemy action whilst on duty during an air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Police War Reserve Constable Thomas Edward Eves (Sunderland Borough Police), died May 24 1943, aged 41, killed by enemy action whilst on duty during an air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Raymond Abbs (Sunderland Borough Police), died May 11 1952, aged 29, killed in a road traffic accident whilst on motorcycle patrol.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt John Anthony Graham (Tyne Docks and Piers Police), died March 1922, aged 47, died of injuries sustained on patrol when struck by a locomotive.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Insp James Anderson (Tynemouth Borough Police), died December 24 1889, aged 48, found drowned after disappearing on duty in suspicious circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Chief Cons Alexander Anderson (Tynemouth Borough Police), died November 28 1893, aged 55, fatally injured supervising trials of a new fire escape, which collapsed.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC William Potts (Tynemouth Borough Police), died July 22 1933, aged 25, killed while observer in a patrol car, which lost control and crashed.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Mornington Alfred Clements (Tynemouth Borough Police), died April 10 1941, aged 49, killed by enemy action during an air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Police War Reserve Constable George Cuthbert Murray (Tynemouth Borough Police), died April 10 1941, aged 68, killed by enemy action during an air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Police War Reserve Constable John William Hannah (Tynemouth Borough Police), died October 12 1941, aged 67, killed by enemy action on duty at the dock gates during an air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Thomas Watson (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died October 26 1856, aged 28, found drowned in suspicious circumstances whilst on night duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Donald Bain (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died December 17 1867, aged 47, killed by the explosion of a store of nitro-glycerine he was escorting.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC William Ellison (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died June 7 1886, aged 24, found drowned apparently having been attacked and thrown in a dock.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC John Robinson (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died October 2 1894, aged 25, drowned attempting to rescue a man who had fallen in the river.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC James Hinson (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died 22 August 1898, aged 41, died on duty from injuries received in March when stopping a runaway bull.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC George Pragnell (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died January 9 1915, aged 52, killed in a road traffic accident driving the police horse ambulance.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Henry Leggett (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died July 29 1928, aged 36, fatally injured when assaulted in an altercation with a man while off duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Charles Swinburn (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died June 21 1931, aged 37, fatally injured in a road accident while on motorcycle patrol in the early hours.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Robert Melville (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died August 30 1931, aged 37, killed in a motorcycle accident while travelling home after his tour of duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt James Snowden Henderson (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died October 10 1938, aged 45, fatally injured in a road accident while cycling home from duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Thomas W. Donaldson (Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Police), died March 1960, aged 35, fatally injured in a car crash driving home after a special tour of duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Police Fireman George Batey (Newcastle-upon-Tyne Police Fire Brigade), died October 13 1877, aged 43, killed while trying to rescue horses trapped in a burning building.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Police Fireman Peter Mitchell (Newcastle-upon-Tyne Police Fire Brigade), died October 13 1877, aged 27, killed while trying to rescue horses trapped in a burning building.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Police Fireman William Murphy (Newcastle-upon-Tyne Police Fire Brigade), died September 23 1890, aged 45, overcome by acid fumes fighting a fire in the cellar of a chemist shop.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Police Fireman James Grey (Newcastle-upon-Tyne Police Fire Brigade), died September 23 1890, aged 35, overcome by acid fumes fighting a fire in the cellar of a chemist shop.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Police Fireman William Bowey (Newcastle-upon-Tyne Police Fire Brigade), died October 11 1890, aged 26, overcome by acid fumes fighting a fire in the cellar of a chemist shop.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Supt Norman Victor Murray (Newcastle-upon-Tyne Police Fire Brigade), died October 6 1940, aged 41, killed by enemy action during an air raid at Headquarters Fire Station.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Acting Sgt William Hall (Northumberland<\/a> County Constabulary), died December 21 1867, aged 37, found drowned in suspicious circumstances on a stormy night.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC George Grey (Northumberland County Constabulary), died January 18 1873, aged 41, shot and fatally wounded when pursuing three suspected poachers.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt John Hately (Northumberland County Constabulary), died March 6 1875, aged 38, collapsed and died after being struck by a stone during a riot.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Thomas Henry Scott (Northumberland County Constabulary), died November 28 1880, aged 38, fatally bludgeoned and beaten attempting to arrest two poachers.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Christopher Peary Henderson (Northumberland County Constabulary), died 28 June 1907, aged 25, fatally injured in a road accident while on bicycle patrol duty near Plessey.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC George Bertram Mussell, (Northumberland County Constabulary), died April 15 1913, aged 30, shot dead trying to calm an irate man who had armed himself with a shotgun.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt Andrew Barton (Northumberland County Constabulary), died April 15 1913, aged 40, shot dead trying to arrest an armed man who had just shot a colleague.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Robert Telford (Northumberland County Constabulary), died 15 June 1915, aged 22, fatally injured on patrol by a bomb dropped from an enemy airship.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC John Gibson (Northumberland County Constabulary), died October 1917, aged 32, found drowned in a reservoir where it was his duty to visit once a day.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Roger Liddle (Northumberland County Constabulary), died 30 September 1941, aged 23, killed off duty in an enemy air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable Charles Gilbert (Northumberland County Constabulary), died December 14 1942, aged 41, killed by a bomb blast at their post in Whitley Bay<\/a> during an enemy air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable Oliver Hudson (Northumberland County Constabulary), died December 14 1942, aged 55, killed by a bomb blast at their post in Whitley Bay during an enemy air raid.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Ralph Pattison (Northumberland County Constabulary), died February 1949, aged 30, killed when accidentally struck by a car while checking vehicles at night.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC John Fife (Northumberland County Constabulary), died July 21 1958, aged 26, fatally injured in a road accident motorcycling to the County Show.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC William Gray (Northumberland County Constabulary), died May 24 1960, aged 32, found dead beside his crashed motorcycle while on patrol at night.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Victor Benson (Northumberland County Constabulary), died September 26 1961, aged 33, fatally injured when his patrol car went out of control and crashed.<\/p>\n

\"PC<\/p>\n

PC Joe Carroll(Image: Northumbria Police\/PA)<\/p>\n

Northumbria Police:<\/p>\n

\u2022 WPC Shirley Moses, died 29 August 1976, aged 21, killed when her police car lost control and crashed while on patrol.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Daniel Buckley, died February 14 1982, aged 32, fatally injured in a fall through a warehouse roof pursuing a burglar.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Bernard Leslie Bull, died January 31 1991, aged 35, collapsed and died of heart failure assisting in the arrest of suspects.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Michael Urwin, died December 1 1992, aged 30, killed in a road traffic accident while cycling home from duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt William Forth, died 21 March 1993, aged 34, beaten and fatally stabbed while dealing with a disturbance at night.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Samuel Donaldson McClughin, died April 22 1996, aged 52, collapsed and died of heart failure while driving to work in his car.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Joe Carroll<\/a>, died April 13 2006, aged 46, killed whilst transporting a prisoner who caused his patrol car to crash.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC David Rathband<\/a>, died February 29 2012, aged 44, on July 4 2010 he was shot at close range whilst sat stationary in a patrol car, on the outskirts of Newcastle.<\/p>\n

\"PC<\/p>\n

PC David Rathband(Image: Owen Humphreys\/PA Wire)<\/p>\n

Durham County Constabulary:<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC John Cruickshank, died May 1 1868, aged 31, fatally shot by another constable against whom he gave evidence,.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt William Smith, died February 23 1884, beaten to death with stones by three drunken men he had warned.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Supt Joseph Scott, died May 31 1888, aged 44, shot dead in a revenge attack by an ex-sergeant who then shot himself.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Matthew Walls Straughan, died June 28 1927, aged 36, shot dead by a man on whom he had just served a summons.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt Robert Little, died December 1930, aged 46, killed by fumes trying to rescue an old lady trapped in a burning house. Posthumously awarded the King\u2019s Police Medal for Gallantry.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Smith Storey, died October 5 1932, aged 40, knocked down by an engine while patrolling along the railway line.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Henry Lawson, died March 4 1935, aged 24, fatally injured on his beat having been knocked down by a vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC William Ralph Shiell, died March 1 1940, aged 28, dhot and fatally wounded chasing two burglars he had disturbed.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable Frank Ridley Littlefair, died August 19 1941, aged 65, killed off duty in enemy air raids.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable Robert Reay, died May 1 1942, aged 61, killed by a delayed action bomb after an enemy air raid at Beamish.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable Samuel Edgell, died May 3 1942, aged 63, fatally injured by a delayed action bomb after an air raid at Beamish.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable William Frank Appleton, died July 2 1942, aged 50, killed off duty in enemy air raids.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt Matthew Slack, died March 12\/13 1943, aged 52, killed by enemy action during an air raid at his post at Boldon Colliery.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable John Cheeseman, died December 5 1944, aged 70, killed off duty in enemy air raids.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt Robert Swan, died July 19 1945, aged 63, fatally injured on duty when a motor car collided with his bicycle.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Thomas Geary, died October 2 1952, aged 46, killed on patrol when his police motorcycle was struck by a car.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Special Constable Thomas Nichol Brown, died May 15 1956, aged 66, died as a result of injuries received during an enemy air raid in 1940.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt Arthur James Coote, died June 9 1957, killed in road accident seconded to the British Police Unit Cyprus.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Temporary Sgt Stanley Woodward, died October 13 1958, aged 36, killed by terrorists while seconded to the British Police Unit in Cyprus.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC John Parkin, died November 15 1962, aged 43, fatally injured when struck by a car while cycling to report for duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC David Roe, died March 1 1966, aged 19, drowned during a life-saving class on his initial recruit training course.<\/p>\n

Durham Constabulary:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Det Chief Insp Charles Edward Gibson, died August 3 1969, aged 47, killed on duty in a road traffic accident involving a stolen vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt John Albert Broadbridge, died April 14 1973, aged 45, killed in a police van, which was in a head on collision with a car.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Det Sgt John Elves, died 12 October 1974, aged 40, killed when his police car was in collision with another car.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Russel Corder, died February 6 1980, aged 18, killed in a patrol car which crashed whilst pursuing a suspect car.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Det Cons James Brian Porter, died March 4 1982, aged 31, shot dead while chasing two armed robbers after shots had been fired. Posthumously awarded the Queen\u2019s Commendation for Brave Conduct.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Steven Robert Ingham, died January 13 1989, aged 23, collapsed and died on a run during his initial recruits training course.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Keith Maddison, died May 21 1997, aged 46, collapsed and died chasing two suspects from a stolen vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sgt Stephen Philip Armstrong, died 23 August 1997, aged 35, killed in a road accident returning home from work in the early hours.<\/p>\n

\u2022 PC Jonathan Kevin Green, died November 18 2004, aged 23, killed in a road accident while travelling home after finishing duty.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"They made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our communities, these are the North East’s fallen police officers. Our…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":63127,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[4],"tags":[30176,61,3542,3817,2314,5,6],"class_list":["post-63126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-uk","tag-cramlington","tag-crime","tag-durham-constabulary","tag-northumberland","tag-northumbria-police","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116752786583819678","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63126"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63126\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63127"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}