GATESHEAD BOROUGH POLICE
The Gateshead Borough Police War Memorial is located at the entrance to the Gateshead
Divisional Police Office, Northumbria Police at High West Street, Gateshead. The memorial
appears to be made of granite rather than marble.
Private 1529 James Norgett TAILFORD, Durham Light Infantry KIA 23.5.1915
Commemorated on Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium. Panel 36 & 38
Private 16116 Thomas Alexander SCOTT, Coldstream Guards KIA 9.9.1918
Buried Vaulx Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave reference I. B. 8
Gunner 167343 Robert HILL, Royal Garrison Artillery KIA 15.4.1918
Buried Boves West Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Grave reference C.
35
Gunner 167344 William SMITH, Royal Garrison Artillery Died of Wounds 7.10.1918
Buried Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave reference LXVI. H. 3
It will be noted that Hill and Smith have consecutive numbers, they both resigned from
the police on the 13th June 1917 to join HMF.
HILL Robert
Gunner 167343
Royal Garrison Artillery
169th Siege Battery
Awards BWM & Victory
Born November, 1886 at Langton, Berwickshire.
Son of William & Agnes Hill of Woodheads, Greenlaw.
When applied to join police service, he was a single man, occupation farm servant employed by James
McDougal,
Bassendean, Gordon, Berwickshire. Lived Woodheads, Greenlaw.
Married Elizabeth Martin Hill, The Bridge, Chirnside, Berwickshire. (Date of marriage not recorded)
Appointed Gateshead Borough Police 1st October 1909 and sworn in the same day.
Lived 14 Woodbine Street, Gateshead.
13.6.1917 Resigned to join HMF
15.4.1918 KIA France aged 31 years.
Buried in Boves West Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Grave reference C. 35.
JOHNSTON Alfred
Corporal R4/068498
Army Service Corps
Remount Depot
Born 18th November 1884 at Dovenby, Maryport.
Son of Joseph & Jane Johnston, 39 Esk Street, Longtown, Carlisle
10.8.1907 Applied to join police service, he was a single man, occupation groom at Armathwaite Hall,
Cockermouth.
Lived The Nook, Englethwaite, Armathwaite.
Married Margaret J. Johnston (maiden name and date of marriage not recorded), of 11 Lonsdale Street,
Longtown, Carlisle while a serving officer. They had two children, Marjorie born 1908 and Alfred born
1910.
Appointed Gateshead Borough Police 29th November 1907 and sworn in the same day.
Lived 6 Rodney Street, Gateshead.
1.5.1915 Resigned to join HMF
13.2.1919 Died at Carlisle Hospital while on military service aged 34 years.
Buried Carlisle (Dalston Road) Cemetery. Grave reference 9. A. 123B
His name is not recorded on the Gateshead Police war memorial
SCOTT Thomas Alexander
Guardsman 16116
Coldstream Guards
4th Battalion
Awards 1914 - 15 Star, BWM & Victory
Born 1890 at Cullercoats.
Son of James & Margaret Scott of Newcastle
When he applied to join the police service, he was a single man, occupation labourer employed by the North
Eastern Railways, Walker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Lived Millers Lane Cottage, Walkergate, Newcastle upon
Tyne.
Married Violet (maiden name and date of wedding not recorded) of 4 Windy Nook Rd, Sherriff Hill,
Gateshead.
Appointed Gateshead Borough Police 1st December 1911 and sworn in the same day.
Lived 5 Ripon Street, Gateshead.
4.5.1915 Resigned to join HMF
15.12.1915 Entered France
9.9.1918 KIA France aged 28 years. Buried Vaulx Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave reference I B
8.
SMITH William
Gunner 167344
Royal Garrison Artillery
140th Siege Battery
Awards BWM & Victory
Born 1888 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Son of the late George Smith & Agnes Ann Hunter of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
10.1.1912 Applied to join the police service, occupation porter employed by the North Eastern Railways at
Blaydon Station, height 5’11¾. Lived 55 New Edward Street, Blaydon.
Married Ethel (nee Smith)(date of marriage not recorded) of Station House, Forest Hall, Newcastle-uponTyne, they had two children.
Appointed Gateshead Borough Police 2nd August 1912 and sworn in the same day.
Lived 18 Kitchener Street, Gateshead.
13.6.1917 Resigned to join HMF
7.10.1918 Died of wounds in a French hospital aged 30 years.
Buried Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave reference LXVI H 3
TAILFORD James Norgett
Private 1529
Durham Light Infantry
1/5th Battalion
Awards 1914 - 15 Star, BWM & Victory
Born December 1892 Houghton-le-Skerne, Darlington.
Son of William James & Elizabeth Annie Tailford of 90 Cumberland Street, Darlington.
When applied to join the police service he was a single man, occupation manufacturers overman
employed by R. Henderson, Redvers Terrace, Darlington. He had been a regular soldier and he
was a reservist.
Lived 90 Cumberland Street, Darlington.
Appointed Gateshead Borough Police 27th March 1914 and sworn in the same day.
Lived 8 Millfield Terrace, Gateshead.
4.8.1914 Recalled to the colours to rejoin his regiment, mobilized Darlington
17.4.1915 Entered France
23.5.1915 KIA Flanders aged 22 years, shot by a sniper.
Commemorated on Menin Gate, Ypres. Panel 36 & 38.
His name is recorded on the War Memorial at the War Memorial Hospital, Hollyhurst Road,
Darlington. Photograph of Tailford is from a 1914 - 18 Book of Remembrance at North Road
Wesleyan Church and School, Darlington. The house number in the book is recorded as 91
Cumberland Street.