Merseyside Police remember offices killed in WW1 with 25,000 poppies

Merseyside Police are remembering their officers who died in the First World War by commemorating the Centenary by breathing new life into the boundary of Police HQ at Canning Place with 25,000 poppies planted by local school children.

Preparations will start with 19 children from local schools will be ready with their plant pots and garden trowels to start off the planting of poppies on Tuesday, 17 April at 10.30am. The poppies will be fully grown in time for the Centenary on 11 November 2018.

The children will each be presented with a certificate to thank them for all of their hard work and will be served lunch in the police staff canteen.

Emma Jones IS Service Improvements Manager came up with the idea to commemorate the officers who died, she said: “I was really keen to do something special to remember our officers who sacrificed their lives in the First World War. Within the first few months of the First World War almost 600 city policemen had signed up for active service overseas with officers from Birkenhead, Southport and St Helens. Over the four years of war, 13,726 servicemen died from the Merseyside area with 153 police officers losing their lives.”

The project will continue later in the year with the placing of signs on the railings of HQ with the names of the 153 officers next to the poppies. A pin badge will be created along with the Royal British Legion combining the Merseyside Police Crest and officers and staff will also take part in a video holding the names of the fallen officers. A mosaic made out of poppies from school children will also be created and there will be a special remembrance service on 8 November 2018 at 11am at St Nicholas Church, Liverpool.