Special Constable

William Chermside

Felonious
End of Watch March 23, 1922
Age 21
Gender Male

Incident

Shot dead on foot patrol when fired on at close range by IRA gunmen.

Died at the scene after being fatally shot at close range by four terrorist gunmen, while on foot patrol with his colleague, Special Constable Thomas R. Cunningham, who died just minutes after arriving at hospital.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Constable Chermside served with the Ulster Special Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Constable Chermside.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location NIR
Platform Identity usco.bfs.nir.gb.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 23, 1922
Age 21
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Homicide - Shot

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William is one of 1,170 officers killed feloniously in United Kingdom, 30.9% of the 3,791 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1922, 38 officers in United Kingdom were killed feloniously, the 3rd heaviest of 216 years on record. The heaviest was 1941, with 167.

Every year on record · United Kingdom
II

Who

William was 21. Of the 1,048 killed feloniously in United Kingdom whose age is recorded, half were between 28 and 44; the middle age was 36.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

March holds 9.4% of these deaths in United Kingdom; May holds the most, 12.6%. Thursdays: 14.1%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 30.9% of all 3,791 deaths in United Kingdom, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Ulster Special Constabulary has 99 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years

Special Constable William Chermside

Ulster Special Constabulary · End of Watch March 23, 1922

Where the Name Is Cut

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