The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Second World War fallen
● John Graham: Constable Graham was the son of John (engine driver) and Margaret Graham of 67 Oliver Park, Hawick, Roxburghshire.
Constable Graham was single and had been a hosiery warehouseman prior to joining the police service.
He left the police service to join the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in August 1941.
● Alan Taylor: Constable Taylor was born in St Machar, Aberdeen, and was the son of Mr. John Alan Taylor (innkeeper) and Maggie Hamilton Taylor, of Carnoustie. He was a keen golfer and dux at school.
Prior to joining the police service, Taylor was a clerk. On August 19, 1942, he left the police service and saw active service with the Cameron Highlanders.
● RobertBoslem:ConstableBoslemwasborninStirling and was the son of Thomas Boslem and Agnes Boslem (nee Sneddon).
He was married to Marion Cameron Boslem (nee Gunn) and residedat31BeachCrescent,BroughtyFerry. Boslem was a plumber prior to joining the police service. He left the police service on August 19, 1942 and saw active service with the Cameron Highlanders.
He attained the rank of lieutenant prior to being taken prisoner and later died in a German camp hospital.
● John MacGregor: Constable MacGregor was the son of John and Annie MacGregor. He was married to Margaret and resided in Dundee. Constable MacGregor was a native of Glasgow and was a salesman before joining the police service.
He passed his police promotion exam for promotion to sergeant on February 14, 1939 and for inspector on February 11, 1941.
On June 24 1942 MacGregor left the police service to join the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he became a pilot. On June 10, 1944 RAF records indicate that Constable MacGregor was “killed on active service – accident to aircraft.”
● Robert Woodhouse: Constable Woodhouse was the son ofWilliamKWoodhouse(engineer)andElizabethBeck Woodhouse, of 65 High Street, Johnstone, Renfrewshire. He was unmarried. He was a member of the Police War Reserve in Renfrewshire (21.11.40 – 24.5.41) prior to joining the police service in Dundee.
On July 15, 1942, Woodhouse left the police service to serve with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (218 Squadron) as a pilot officer (air gunner). On September 23, 1943, Constable Woodhouse was one of a crew of seven flying in a Stirling Mark 3 bomber (number EJ104). Scheduled to attack Manheim in Germany as part of a squadron of 12 bombers, Constable Woodhouse’s aircraft took off from RAF Downham Market at 1925 hours. On September 23, 1943 records indicate that he was “missing presumed dead”.
● Colin Menzies: Menzies was native to Scoonie, Fife and was the son of Thomas B. Menzies (clerk) and Catherine Menzies. He joined the police service on December 26, 1933 as a 19-year-old former student.
Constable Menzies passed his police exam for promotion to sergeant on July 8, 1938. On June 25, 1942 he left the police service to serve with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a sergeant (air bomber).
● George Lawson: Constable Lawson was born in Edinburgh and was the son of Alexander Small Lawson (schoolmaster) and Frances Anne Hall Lawson (nee Simpson) of North Berwick, East Lothian.
Prior to joining the police, records indicate that he was an apprentice electrician and resided in St Andrews. Lawson was unmarried.
He passed his police promotion exam to sergeant on February 14, 1939, but was unsuccessful in his exam for inspector on February 11, 1941.
On July 18 1941, Lawson left the police service to serve with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a flying officer (pilot).
● Robert Stirrat: Born on January 2, constable Stirrat was originally from Kilmaurs, Ayrshire, but grew up in Coatbridge. After being a student for a time he joined Dundee City Police on January 4, 1937 and was confirmed on April 6, 1938. He proved to be a good athlete, competing as a runner at many police sports meetings.
He was married to Kathleen and the couple lived at 3 Boyd Place, Broughty Ferry.
On Monday, May 5, 1941 Stirrat began his shift at Broughty Ferry police office, and a short time later was called to investigate a report of an “unfamiliar object” at Fisher Street.
Upon approaching, he found the object to be a mine, and knowing the extreme danger they posed, he attempted to secure it to prevent it drifting back out to sea. Suddenly, and without warning, the mine exploded, blowing off Stirrat’s right arm and both legs below the knee as well as shattering the windows of nearby houses.
He died, aged just 24, in Dundee Royal Infirmary at 3.16pm that afternoon.
Dr. Chadwick certified the cause of death as “multiple lacerations, compund fractures and shock .”