William Lyttle

Died

:

2 December 1921

Age

:

27

Rank

:

Special Constable

Force

:

Ulster Special Constabulary

Cause

:

Homicide

Duty Status

:

On Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Died alongside a colleague after being overcome with cotton wool pads soaked in poison as two terrorists attempted to escape from prison.

On Friday 2nd December 1921, an RIC patrol passing along Bishop Street, Derry, noticed two men acting suspiciously in Bennett Street. The men fled and the patrol entered Derry Gaol where they discovered Special Constable Lyttle, manacled with his own handcuffs, and Constable Michael Gorman, tied with a rope. Cotton wool pads soaked in liquid were found nearby and it was thought that both Constables had been rendered unconscious with Chloroform but it was determined to be poison and both officers were dead.