Wwii: thin blue last line of wartime defence against the nazis

In 1940, as Britain prepared for a German invasion, rifles were delivered to police stations in crates stamped “for special duties”.  By the time of the Allied Dunkirk evacuation in June

1940 more than 10,000 guns had already been transported to strategic areas, with Sir Winston Churchill’s war Cabinet considering arming the entire 200,000-strong police service.  This plan

was in stark contrast to the official stance adopted in 1915 when police officers were ordered to stay neutral in the event of German invasion during the First World War.  This changed in

January 1940 when the Home Office agreed the police should take “a much more aggressive role” in defending Britain. Chief constables sent a memo to all officers outlining their new duties in

July 1940 – just as the Battle of Britain was about to begin.  WINSTON CHURCHILL DID CONTEMPLATE ALIEN LIFE GETTY Nazi troops could have come up against armed police if they had managed to

invade According to a 20-page dossier found in the National Archives, the memo: Duties Of Police In Case Of Invasion, was drafted by Home Secretary and guiding light of Churchill’s war

Cabinet John Anderson.  > The police should do all in their power to overcome the enemy >  > Former Home Secretary John Anderson The memo stated that the 100,000 regular officers

and 100,000 special constables would still throw in the towel if there was a full-scale occupation because of the risk of reprisals against civilians.  But if confronted with a smaller

number of German advance units they would be expected to do their bit with the limited number of guns available. They were to offer armed resistance to “enemy forces whether in the uniform

of their units or disguise, as well as civilian saboteurs or other agents who might be landed along with troops.”  GETTY Winston Churchill and John Anderson who drafted the plan John

Anderson’s orders continued: “In case of landing by isolated parties of troops presumably for sabotage, the police should do all in their power to overcome the enemy and prevent destruction

of life and property.”  The Home Secretary assured chief constables “armed assistance” to the military was justified because the first enemy wave would not be “to attack civilians but to

destroy property and cause confusion and devastation.”