Page 467 - Reading Mercury

On Wednesday evening a special parade of the special constables of the
Wokingham Sub-Division Berks police, Special reserves, was held at the Wokingham
Drill Hall, for the purpose of the presentation of medals and certificates to the men,
and also a presentation to Superintendent Goddard.
The men were under the command of Major-General Sir Walter Cayley, and also
present were: the Chief Constable of Berkshire (Lieut.-Colonel A.F. Poulton),Colonel
F.C. Ricardo (Commandant Berks Police Special Reserve), Vice-Admiral J.B.
Eustace (Wokingham Divisional Officer), the Marquis of Downshire, Major Barnes
(late Commandant), the Rev. B. Long, Mr. F.N.A. Garry, Mr. W.T. Martin, Supt.
Goddard and Inspector Haddrell. There were 76 men on parade. Altogether there were
41 medal ribbons and 95 certificates for presentation.
The Chief Constable said he wished to express to them, as he had done before, but
he never could do enough, his great gratitude for all the help they gave him during the
Great War. He would never forget it, but would always be proud to be Chief
Constable of such a county, where he had had such wonderful response. He
remembered when he had started the movement that in less than a month he had 4,000
names. That was a record of which anyone might be proud. After referring to the
usefulness of a police training to those who later joined the army, the Chief Constable
said that having got a good thing, he wanted to keep it. He had something like 2,000
men now in the county, and he particularly wanted to ask all young men who had
been in the army and had come back to rejoin that excellent movement. We lived in
funny times. He was no pessimist, but we did live in disturbed times. We could not
look across to Ireland without being shocked at what was happening there. They did
not mind fighting in the open, but when people were shot down from behind hedges
that was not good enough. We had, unfortunately, unrest in this country and he was
not out, as a policeman, to make any quarrels. That was not their business. Their
business was the preservation of the peace and the protection of life and property, and
those were the two things he asked them most seriously to consider. They were all
very proud of the county and glad that they had no serious crimes. He was very
anxious to keep the county quiet. They had a small force and they did not want to
increase it. As they did not want more trouble and expense. He would only call them
out in case of necessity and only in their own locality. He knew them all as personal
friends and he knew they would help him. He was very proud indeed that they could
get people like General Sir Walter Cayley to interest themselves in that movement. He
had served an honoured career in the Army and was now helping them with that work.
For that he was most grateful. It only showed that they had a real good movement.
After personally decorating Admiral Eustace, Mr. Garry, the Marquis of Downshire
(who also received the ribbon of his father, the late Marquis) and the Mayor
(Alderman P. Sale), the Chief Constable deputed Admiral Eustace to distribute the
ribbons, after which the certificates were handed out by Colonel Poulton.
Major-General Sir Walter Cayley, on behalf of the special constables, thanked the
Chief Constable for distributing the ribbons and certificates.
The Chief Constable said he did not want any thanks; he was proud to see the
success of the movement.
Mr. F.N.A. Garry, in making the presentation to Supt. Goddard, said he had helped
them in all manners and put them right when going astray. As a fitting tribute to the
way in which he carried out his work, the special constables had subscribed to give
him and arm-chair and an illuminated address. He was Supt. Goddard who had taught
and drilled them and had set a splendid example to them all.

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