William Frederick Tyler

Died

:

23 January 1909

Age

:

31

Rank

:

Police Constable

Force

:

Metropolitan Police

Cause

:

Homicide - Shot

Duty Status

:

On Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Died in Tottenham Hospital soon after being shot while pursuing two gunmen after an armed robbery.

On 23rd January 1909 two men waited outside the Schnurmann factory watching for the regular weekly delivery of the wages.

The car stopped to allow the worker holding the bag of money to open the gates; as it started to pull off, one of the awaiting robbers grabbed him and tried to take the bag from him, but a tussle broke out. As they wrestled the second robber joined the fight, drew his gun and fired several times.

Police Constables Tyler and Newman were at the nearby police station and heard the shots. They left the station and chased the two robbers down Chesnut Road. Part way down the road a passer-by threw one of the robbers to the ground. As they wrestled, the second robber fired at the passer-by four times, hitting him three times.

As the two robbers ran down the street, other members of the public joined the chase, as did several off-duty policemen from the station. One police officer was able to return fire with a pistol borrowed from a member of the public. A car from the factory joined in the pursuit, with PC Newman now onboard, and they again gave chase. PC Tyler ran alongside the car.

As the car approached them, the two robbers turned and opened fire. One round broke the car’s water pipe, disabling it, and the driver received a minor wound to the neck. PC Newman’s cheek and ear were damaged by one shot. Members of the public attempted to take cover, but a ten-year-old boy was caught by a round to the chest. He was taken to hospital on a bicycle but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The gunmen continued their escape and headed towards Tottenham Marshes. PCs Tyler and Newman took a shortcut and confronted the two men near the site of a rubbish incinerator. PC Tyler approached the robbers and tried to persuade them to surrender. One of them took aim and shot PC Tyler in the head.

The two robbers took off again, while PC Tyler was carried to a nearby house and an ambulance summoned. He was taken to Tottenham Hospital, where he died five minutes after arrival.