Sergeant who trained hundreds of police dogs celebrates a century!
HENRY WREATHALL SHARES HIS SECRETS FOR LONG LIFE
A FORMER sergeant responsible for training hundreds of police dogs across Hull and East Yorkshire will celebrate his 100th birthday today.
Henry Wreathall, from Hull, worked for the British Transport Police (BTP) for 30 years (between 1952 to 1982) and was responsible for training hundreds of police dogs.
After spending eight years on Hull’s docks patrolling the dogs, Mr Wreathall was appointed to the force’s national dog training kennels and 18 months later he was promoted to sergeant.
When asked about his secret for long life, Mr Wreathall said: “I don’t know how I have lived for so long, I used to drink and smoke.
“There are no police at the docks anymore but there were a 100 when I started, but it has fizzled down now.”
The BTP were the first force in the country to have police dogs, which used to be trained in Hull.
The dogs were deployed primarily to the dockland area, where prison outbreaks or disturbances were aplenty.
When Mr Wreathall retired from duty in 1982, he was given a warm send-off by colleagues with whom he had served over the years.
Around 150 officers from all over the country attended his farewell presentation at the BTP Club in Hull’s Alexandra Dock.
John Higgins, 89, a long time colleague of Mr Wreathall said they worked together for over 20 years.
“He is a cracking man,” Mr Higgins said.
“He was a good police officer and an excellent dog trainer, a great bloke. We were police constables together, sergeants together and at one point I was even his boss.
“He was liked by both the management and PCS, he always looked after his men.
“One time while he was still a dog handler, him and his dog were called by the Humberside Police down to Anlaby Road, and they were able to link two people to a huge assault and robbery crime.”
Mr Wreathall said he was ecstatic to be able to celebrate his birthday with his family, who have come to Hull from Ohio, America, to be with him.