ARTICLE: Britain's Home Defence

A job for everyone 1914-1918

In August 1914 a phenomenal amount of work was needed to get Britain onto a war footing. As the war progressed, men, women and children would all have a part to play. ‘Suddenly this old fashioned fundamental idea of the supremacy of personal rights had to go. The state, we realised, must now come first.’

In the days when there was no shortage of volunteers, thousands of rejected men were left wanting to contribute to the war effort. The Special Constabulary was just one way they could do their bit. The war created an unprecedented need for police. Law enforcement was a popular career path for former soldiers and sailors, and these reservists left their posts. Y Division of the Metropolitan Police lost more than 50% of their nominal strength; the city of Glasgow lost 1/3 of its force. At the same time, duties had multiplied.

A special constable on duty in Hampstead

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