Cumberland, Westmorland and Carlisle Constabulary
1963 - 1967PC George William Russell and two other officers were involved in a stand-off at the station with a suspected car thief, who was also in possession of a stolen gun.
PC Alex Archibald was shot and seriously injured while PC Russell, who was unarmed, was shot and fatally injured during the incident at Oxenholme railway station, a station on the main London to Glasgow line, on 10 February 1965. He was 36 years of age. The killer was the subject of a hunt by 200 officers and shot himself in the head when cornered and was committed to a psychiatric hospital. It was the first time a helicopter was used in a search in Cumbria. PC Russell is one of 17 police officers from the current Cumbria Constabulary boundaries to die while on duty since 1835.
A plaque on the station platform records this event and was unveiled in June 2007.
A plaque on the station platform records this event and was unveiled in June 2007.
A plaque on the station platform records this event and was unveiled in June 2007.
At the unveiling of the memorial Chief Constable Michael Baxter said:
We should never forget the dangers that police officers face in carrying out their duties. This memorial plaque will ensure that we never forget George Russell's brave actions, who, like others, gave his life whilst protecting the public.
At the remembrance service held in PC Russell's honour, 50 years after the tragic incident, Superintendent Mark Pannone, of Cumbria Constabulary, said:
This memorial service is an opportunity to pay our respects to a fallen officer. It is important we honour those who lose their lives in the line of duty, and our thoughts are with his family on this sad anniversary.
PC Russell is buried in Carlisle and was posthumously awarded the Queen's Police Medal for Gallantry. PC Alex Archibald, was invited to attend the 2007 ceremony at Oxenholme. In another incident, on May 27, 2006 the station was the scene of a murder, when a young man was stabbed aboard a Glasgow-Paignton train.
Sources
- The Westmorland Gazette, 12 February 1965, P.C. Shot Dead: Armed Man Caught After Gun Battle
- BBC News, 21 June 2007, Ceremony Honours Shot Policeman
- itv, 10 February 2015, 50 Year Memorial for Policeman Killed in Line of Duty
- The Westmorland Gazette, 4 February 2015, Remembrance service for police officer shot dead at Oxenholme Station 50 years ago
