IN REMEMBRANCE


LOOKBACK AT POLICING IN WORLD WAR II


A look at policing during the second World War, accompanied by some extraordinary images, courtesy of Gloucestershire Police Archives


Police officers recovering property from a bomb-site in


Stoneville St Cheltenham 1941. The case was found under a bed and contained £1,000.


On Remembrance Sunday we remember those who served, were injured and those died serving our country. What started in 1919 after the horrors of the First World War grew in significance after nations failed to live up to the promise of ‘never again’ and the world went to war once more in 1939. The Second World War had


of war and the opportunities it created. During the war, crime rates in London spiked significantly. Air raids and blackouts provided cover for opportunistic crimes,


also their possessions. From September to December 1941 alone, 4,584 looting cases were tried in the Old Bailey court, though the true number of incidents was likely much higher. In some horrifying instances,


““Blitz Spirit” of World War II often evokes images of Londoners banding


a direct impact on the daily lives of people on ‘the home front’ and is remembered with a sense of nostalgia through rose-tinted spectacles. The “Blitz Spirit” of World War II often evokes images of Londoners banding together to withstand German bombing raids. However, alongside this narrative of unity lies a darker reality: a surge in crime, fuelled by the chaos


44 | POLICE | OCTOBER | 2024


together to withstand German bombing raids. However, alongside this narrative of unity lies a darker reality.”


where even ordinary citizens, not just seasoned criminals, took advantage of the disorder. Looting became rampant, with thieves targeting bombed homes and shops. The devastation was twofold for victims, who not only lost their homes but


looters targeted the bodies of air raid victims, stealing valuables in the chaos. This was particularly evident after the bombing of the Café de Paris in 1941, where looters interfered with rescue operations, endangering more lives.


Organised crime also flourished during this period. Gangs, already established in London before the war, expanded their operations, dealing in stolen goods and profiting from the black market that emerged due to wartime rationing.


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