James Kelly

On 11th February 1920, Constable Kelly was on his beat patrolling for the night shift when about 3.30am he was passing by Acton District Railway Station and saw that the outer gate of the railway station had been forced and that the centre window of the booking hall had been broken. He went in and saw a burglar hiding there.

A struggle followed but the burglar managed to escape and bolted along Gunnersbury Lane, pursued by Constable Kelly. The burglar ran behind a tree and then fired three shots at Constable Kelly which were heard by a private Constable who was in a nearby lodge with his watchdog.

The burglar then ran along Cope’s Lane and the private Constable came out into the lane and tried to stop the burglar, managing to land a heavy blow on him about the neck, but was then himself also shot, being hit in the shoulder. The private Constable’s dog also went for the burglar and was also shot at.

After being taken to St Thomas’ Hospital it was discovered that Constable Kelly had been shot in the abdomen, chest and left leg. He was conscious and gave an account of the incident but could only describe his attacker as a male in a trench coat.

Gangrene set in and he got steadily weaker then, on 21st February, cellulitis set in and he succumbed to his injuries the following day.

He was survived by his wife whom he had married only two weeks earlier. His funeral took place at Westminster Cathedral on 27th February and he was buried in Chiswick Cemetery.