ABSTRACT
The discourse of serving King and Country in The Police Review developed from the outbreak of war. It portrayed the monarchy as representing Britishness, an important cultural force in the home front war effort, and a symbol of home, which the King promoted [1]. As the war progressed, the discourse in The Police Review portrayed the divisions between policemen of military age (originally up to 41 years) who were eligible to be called up. Some were seen by their Chief Constable as providing a good service and were retained at home, but those who were given permission to leave were suspected of being dispensable. This chapter shows the struggle between the police authorities to retain their best men and the continual pressure nationally by the army to encourage the release of fit men of military age; in this, the police faced similar challenges to other occupations seen as essential to the war effort at home. The discourse also split the male population into those who were of military age and those who were not. It showed the public being increasingly critical of men who resisted the call to serve King and Country; the police were not alone in being a target of such criticisms. Ironically, the police also were involved in checking certificates of men exempt from being called up as well as surprise round-ups at large public gatherings, such as football matches, to check certificates. In this, they were supporting the war effort, while those of military age who remained at home resisted their own call-up. Police forces around Britain were seen to undergo huge restructuring throughout the war in order to comply with increasing government pressure to release men of military age. However, by the end of the war, the police were looking to a time when their original structure, consisting of mainly regular policemen of strong stature, would return.
