Roll of Honor
Incident
On the evening of Saturday 28th July 1855, Inspector Donaldson and a Police Constable checked on the King’s Arms Public House in Haslemere to ensure strict licensing hours were being enforced there. The ‘pub’ was full of men who were working on the London to Portsmouth railway and who had just been paid their fortnightly wages.
Following the officers’ instructions to ‘drink up and leave’ a brawl broke out and one of the men was arrested and placed in the town’s lock-up.
Later, some of the man’s friends arrived at the lock-up demanding his release when another fight broke out, during which Inspector Donaldson was beaten and struck over the head with an iron bar.
With help he managed to walk to his home in Cow Street but died from his injuries at 3:00am the following morning.
He is buried in St. Bartholomew’s Church, Haslemere.
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- April 8, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
171 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Inspector Donaldson served with the Surrey Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Inspector William Donaldson is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In ENG, 702 of 2,827 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 29.4 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Surrey Constabulary, 2 of 21 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 9.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Donaldson's cause is highlighted.
How William Donaldson Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Donaldson is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
20 officers from Surrey Constabulary are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
