From Russia With Thanks
Special Chief Inspector John Henry Lloyd Royal Navy and Merseyside Special Constabulary
The Man John Henry Lloyd was born on Wednesday 14th July 1920 at 34 Garibaldi Street, Everton, Liverpool, son of John, a builders labourer and Margaret nee Cliff. He was the eldest of seven children, Jimmy, Bobbie (who as killed on active service during WWII), Doreen, Ronnie and two others whose details are not known. Garibaldi street was later demolished during the slum clearance in Liverpool.
Following his education John became a painter and Decorator, and in 1939 was living with his parents at 110 Atheldene Road, Liverpool. Sadly he had a bad stammer in his speech, something he struggled to overcome for most of his life. On 30th May 1940 aged 21 shortly after the start of World War II in September 1939, he volunteered to join the Royal Navy, was accepted and enlisted on 8th January 1941 at Devonport as an Assistant Cook. John’s service number was MX 81032 and he was described as 5.7½ tall, with a 33 ½” chest, brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He completed his initial training in HMS Royal Arthur, a shore training establishment, based at the requisitioned Butlins Holiday Camp at Ingoldmells near Skegness, from 7th February 1941 until 2nd June, when he passed out having successfully completed his training and examinations. The next day, Tuesday 3rd June 1941 at St Mary’s High Church, Walton, Liverpool, John married Doreen Leah Mapstone, but two days later on 5th was posted to HMS Drake, another shore establishment based at Devonport, and that was the last Doreen saw of him for two years. He was promoted to Cook on 8th January 1942 and on 20th March posted to HMS Duke of York, a King George V-class battleship only been commissioned four months before in November 1941. Between March and September 1942, Duke of York, with John onboard, took part in the dangerous Arctic Convoy duties in the Norwegian Sea and Arctic Ocean. In late April however, when HMS King George V accidentally rammed and sank the destroyer Punjabi in dense fog, sustaining significant bow damage, Duke of York was diverted and sent to relieve her. In June she was back on convoy duties as the flagship of the Heavy Covering Force of Convoy PQ-17 (The convoy to hell), which was shadowed and continuously attacked by the Germans whilst sailing from Hvalfjord, Iceland to Arkhangelsk in the USSR. This PQ-17 action was a defining moment of the war, and in Churchill's view encouraged a more careful approach to fleet movements in the future. He described it as "one of the most melancholy naval episodes in the whole of the war."
Following his education John became a painter and Decorator, and in 1939 was living with his parents at 110 Atheldene Road, Liverpool. Sadly he had a bad stammer in his speech, something he struggled to overcome for most of his life. On 30th May 1940 aged 21 shortly after the start of World War II in September 1939, he volunteered to join the Royal Navy, was accepted and enlisted on 8th January 1941 at Devonport as an Assistant Cook. John’s service number was MX 81032 and he was described as 5.7½ tall, with a 33 ½” chest, brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He completed his initial training in HMS Royal Arthur, a shore training establishment, based at the requisitioned Butlins Holiday Camp at Ingoldmells near Skegness, from 7th February 1941 until 2nd June, when he passed out having successfully completed his training and examinations. The next day, Tuesday 3rd June 1941 at St Mary’s High Church, Walton, Liverpool, John married Doreen Leah Mapstone, but two days later on 5th was posted to HMS Drake, another shore establishment based at Devonport, and that was the last Doreen saw of him for two years. He was promoted to Cook on 8th January 1942 and on 20th March posted to HMS Duke of York, a King George V-class battleship only been commissioned four months before in November 1941. Between March and September 1942, Duke of York, with John onboard, took part in the dangerous Arctic Convoy duties in the Norwegian Sea and Arctic Ocean. In late April however, when HMS King George V accidentally rammed and sank the destroyer Punjabi in dense fog, sustaining significant bow damage, Duke of York was diverted and sent to relieve her. In June she was back on convoy duties as the flagship of the Heavy Covering Force of Convoy PQ-17 (The convoy to hell), which was shadowed and continuously attacked by the Germans whilst sailing from Hvalfjord, Iceland to Arkhangelsk in the USSR. This PQ-17 action was a defining moment of the war, and in Churchill's view encouraged a more careful approach to fleet movements in the future. He described it as "one of the most melancholy naval episodes in the whole of the war."
In October 1942, Duke of York also saw service in Operation Torch, the Allied North Africa landings, where she was protecting accompanying aircraft carriers. John was promoted to Leading Chef on 15th February 1943 and posted back to HMS Drake on 22nd April 1943 and spent the rest of the war there and in HMS Eaglet, both shore establishments. Doreen later recalled that when he was home on leave during 1943, he rescued a lady in Breeze Road, Walton, when a bomb had fallen on her house. Sadly, John was discharged from the RN unfit for service on 7th April 1944 due to medical reasons. His character was described as very good and his efficiency as satisfactory. For his war service John was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Arctic Star, Africa Star with 'North Africa 1942-43' clasp, 1939-45 War Medal and the Arctic Emblem, this and the Arctic Star being awarded posthumously in 2020. Following the war John and Doreen had two sons David born in 1945 and Peter 1946, and he returned to Painting and Decorating working for the Liverpool Corporation. Peter was renowned for climbing 60’ high ladders lashed together with rope and showing no fear! He also became a bouncer working in local ballrooms and by 1949 was living at 15 Liston Street, Liverpool. John clearly missed uniformed service as he applied to join the Police. Unfortunately, he was not tall enough at 5' 8½ " and by the time the limit was dropped he was too old! In 1949, he also applied to join the 165th (Western) Casualty Clearing Station Royal Army Medical Corps, Territorial Army based in Rathbone Road, Liverpool. But sadly, having paraded for a few weeks, was declined due to his poor medical history. Not to be beaten, John then applied to and was accepted on 3rd October 1950 as a Special Constable in the Liverpool City Police Special Constabulary with collar number S.52E. Liverpool was renowned as not an easy area to police, but John seems to have taken it in his stride with his seeming lack of fear. By 1959 John, Doreen and family were living at 7 Topham Terrace, Melling Road, Aintree. In about 1960 he passed his driving test aged 40, becoming the proud owner of a Hillman Minx, registration number EKC 738C. It was about now that Doreen’s sister, May, bought a ‘book’ for John, and he became an Insurance Agent for the Co Operative Insurance company collecting premiums house to house in Kirby, which then was not an easy area to manage. His son Peter recalls helping with the book keeping. John was having a very successful career with the Specials, becoming the first mobile Special in the area 'Mobile 1'. In 1959 he qualified for the Special Constabulary Long Service Medal and awarded it on 19th February 1960. In August 1964 he was commended for ‘alertness and zeal’ in chasing and arresting a drunken driver following a 55mph chase along Rice Lane, Liverpool. In December the same year he received another commendation, this time for bravery from the Chief Constable. This was for breaking up a fight in Cresswell Close, Bootle during the afternoon of 26th October, involving 50 youths and when one was armed with a knife and threatening the other who had a studded belt, John arrested them both. At Court, he was also commended by the Magistrate for his prompt action in averting what could have been a more serious offence. The youths pleaded not guilty but were found to be guilty and fined £2.00 each. He was awarded the commendation at a ceremony on Friday 22nd January 1965 at Police Headquarters, the award made by the Acting Chief Constable H R Balmer OBE. So keen was John that in 1966 he applied for and was granted permission to use his car, the Minx, for casual police duty and on 9th January 1967 was promoted to Special Sergeant with collar number 2 E. Later the same year, Liverpool City Police merged with Bootle Borough Police to form The Liverpool and Bootle Constabulary.
Following the Co-Op John had several jobs during the 1960s, he worked for Gilroy’s County Furnishers, collecting debts. He would go to houses with a small van and a ‘mate’ to repossess furniture, his fearless approach to life helping. He then worked for Jackson The Tailors, doing similar work followed by Spectrum TV Rentals based in Kirby, again chasing and repossessing from defaulters. On 21st October 1969 John was awarded the first clasp to his Special Constabulary Long Service Medal and in 1970 commended a third time for catching a youth breaking into a shop in Broadway, Norris Green, the youth having already burgled nine other shops in the area! On 1st June he was promoted to Special Inspector and on 7th March 1972 to Special Chief Inspector and Divisional Commander of B Division in the city. Under John’s command, his division won the Tushingham Trophy for the best attendance record during a year in Merseyside, seven years in a row 1973-1980. The trophy was named after Rita Tushingham, a Liverpool actress, who appeard in a number of films including Doctor Zhivago, and is still active today as at 2020. During 1974 the force amalgamated again under the Local Government Act 1972, with parts of Lancashire and Cheshire Constabulary to form the Merseyside Police, which is still in existence to his day. During the 1970s, John changed jobs again and began working for Merseyside County Council as a reception security officer. By 1974 he and Doreen had moved to Aughton Park and in August during one of his security officer patrols at the University of Liverpool, he was commended by the Security Superintendent for his vigilance in effecting the arrest of two youths in the Quadrangle for attempted theft of two motor scooters. He also helped his son Peter set up a fledgling business assisting with bills of lading and the like. By 1977 John was stationed at Walton Lane Police Station and at a surprise presentation held at Police HQ was awarded the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977 as Special Chief Inspector, for his services to the Special Constabulary. Two years later he received a second clasp to his Special Constabulary Long Service medal, dated 1979 and presented by the High Sheriff of Merseyside Mr J Duncan. At the ceremony, it was noted that John was the only Special Constable to have received a commendation from a Chief Constable of an outside force. Interestingly, on 1st April 1978, some of John's officers were present policing the Grand National at Aintree, the year Lucius won, breaking Red Rum’s famous triple win of 1973,74 and 77. John later lived with Doreen at Moss Bank Court, Long Lane, and then in a nice cottage a 23 Moss Delph Lane, Augton, bought for them by their son Peter. He retired from the Specials in July 1980, aged 60, after 30 years’ service, as the longest serving Special on the force and sadly with continuing poor health. In February 1981 he was presented with his retirement certificate at the Police Training Centre, Mather Avenue, Liverpool, by the High Sheriff of the county of Merseyside. Upon his retirement John said, "The work can be exacting, particularly if you have to begin a day at five or six in the morning, or when you're working over-time on your other job". John apparently did not hand in his Warrant Card following retirement from the Specials, and if he disliked someone’s driving would race after them and give them ‘words of advice’! John, like his father and his Sons and Grandsons was a passionate Everton FC fan and would often take his sons David and Peter to their away games. When playing at home John would patrol the pitch side perimeter of Goodison Park in uniform. He apparently stood for no messing especially from fans of their main rivals Liverpool FC! In January 1988 he was awarded the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, commemorative medal for the 40th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1945-85, for his war time service in the Duke of York on the Arctic Convoys. The medal was awarded to him by the Russian Embassy in London and received good coverage in the local press. John commented of the award “It’s good to see the Russians recognise what we did to help them. A gesture like this takes a bit of the cold out of the cold war”. Permission to wear the medal was subsequently granted by Her Majesty in 1994. In later life, John attended all the local remembrance parades, with his son Peter and he and Doreen moved into a care home at Courtfield Lodge, Marians Way, Ormskirk. Sadly both John and Doreen suffered from dementia and life became very difficult for them both and their family, John becoming particularly difficult and argumentative in his later years. John passed away in Ormskirk District General Hospital on 15th June 2003 aged 82 as a result of a stroke. His funeral was held at Ormskirk Parish Church with his police cap on the coffin and he was buried in plot CH21 No 317, Kirkdale Cemetery, Longmore Lane in Liverpool wearing his police tunic. Doreen lived another year and passed away on 9th July 2004 also in Ormskirk. John was described as 'an often-difficult person to get on with, who loved a fight of any description, but one with confidence, courage and a will to succeed, despite some demons in his life he had to overcome'.
Award of the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977
The Story The interesting group of medals awarded to John Henry Lloyd were acquired in March 2020 from the Dix Noonan Webb auction, via their online portal. The medals had only been seen a few days before the auction, and of interest because of the combination of two recent…ish 1969 and 1979 clasps on the Special Constabulary Long Service Medal and the Silver Jubilee 1977 medal. There was also a very good portrait picture of John Lloyd wearing his medals. Initially the fact that the USSR 40th Anniversary Medal and additional paperwork was included with the lot was overlooked. This important fact was only realised on the morning of the auction, when the finer detail in the catalogue was read. The group was bid on, won and arrived a couple of days later. The amount of paperwork, photographs and newspaper articles included was unexpected and overwhelming. So much was there it was possible by trawling through each piece of paper, to build up a good detailed biography of John’s life. Ancestry.UK providing the usual birth, marriage and death details to complement the story. Upon further research into the ships John had served in, it was noted HMS Duke of York was on the list and had taken part in the Atlantic Convoys including the famous Convoy PQ-17 in June 1942, whilst John was on board. This explained the award of the USSR 40th Anniversary Medal, but also begged the question, was John posthumously entitled to the Arctic Star? With this latest thought in mind, Ancestry.UK was revisited and noted there was a brief family tree entry by a Peter Lloyd. Using this as a starting point, coupled with more Ancestry birth details, approximate dates and the name of a town, facebook was then checked for any Peter Lloyds living in the same area. There were not many and a message was sent to the first on the list, who happened to be John’s son! Peter was extremely helpful in correcting and filling in gaps of John’s biography and gave permission for the Arctic Star to be applied for in the event John was eligible. During August 2020 the Arctic Star and Emblem were posthumously awarded to John and added to his group In time for a visit to John's grave in Kirkdale Cemetery, Liverpool and to see his son Peter Lloyd on 2nd September 2020.
Award of the USSR 40th Anniversary of the Great Patriotic War Medal 1986
Award Certificate for the Arctic Star August 2020.
John Henry Lloyd's final resting place, plot CH21 No 317, Kirkdale Cemetery, Liverpool
FOOTNOTE:
In 1977, before such medals were given to all serving officers, the following 10 members of the Merseyside Special Constabulary were honoured with the award of the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977.
In addition to John Henry Lloyd the medal group to Special Inspector Frank Lambert Wilson were also acquired in January 2021.
Commandant P.J.Meakin
S/Insp G.H.Bellis “F”
S/Chief Insp. L.W.Depport “A”
S/Chief Insp Farrell “E”
S/Insp K. Ferrington “A”
S/Sgt 224 “F” W.H.Humphrey’s
S/Chief Insp J.H.Lloyd “B”
S/Con 424 “L” D. Morrison
S/Sgt 430”L” E. Unsworth
S/Chief Insp F.L.Wilson “G”
In 1977, before such medals were given to all serving officers, the following 10 members of the Merseyside Special Constabulary were honoured with the award of the Silver Jubilee Medal 1977.
In addition to John Henry Lloyd the medal group to Special Inspector Frank Lambert Wilson were also acquired in January 2021.
Commandant P.J.Meakin
S/Insp G.H.Bellis “F”
S/Chief Insp. L.W.Depport “A”
S/Chief Insp Farrell “E”
S/Insp K. Ferrington “A”
S/Sgt 224 “F” W.H.Humphrey’s
S/Chief Insp J.H.Lloyd “B”
S/Con 424 “L” D. Morrison
S/Sgt 430”L” E. Unsworth
S/Chief Insp F.L.Wilson “G”
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Atlantic Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Arctic Star: Unnamed as awarded
- Africa Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Jubilee Medal 1977: Unnamed as awarded.
- Special Constabulary Long Service Medal: JOHN.H.LLOYD
- USSR 40th Anniversary of the Great Patriotic War Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
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This page last updated 5 Sep 20