Colour Party and Honour Guard assemble outside the Police Cemetery, Prospect

The annual Police Week Memorial Service was held at the Police Cemetery, Prospect, at 4.30pm on 4th October 2026, followed by a reception for retired and former police officers and their families and guests, held at the Police Recreation Club.  Master of Ceremonies for the service was Retired Chief Inspector Calvin Smith, President of the Bermuda Ex-Police Officers Association.

This year's Memorial Service, hosted by Commissioner of Police Darrin Simons, was held on a beautiful afternoon, and was attended by His Excellency the Deputy Governor, Mr. David Morgan,  and special guests  -  Minister of National Security Mr  Ryan Robinson Perinchief, U.S. Consul General Ms. Antoinette Hurtado, Permanent Secretary for National Security Lieutenant Colonel Edward J. Lamb,  The Royal Bermuda Regiment 2nd in Command Major Thomas Wood, Assistant Collector of Customs Mr. Richard Amos, Director of Public Prosecutions Ms Cindy Clarke, Chief Fire Officer Mr. Dana Lovell, Commandant of Reserve Police  Mr. Ron-Michel David, and BPS HR Business Partner Mr. Daniel Stovell.

Also in attendance were former police and civilian colleagues along with the families and friends who had lost their loved ones. 

The Bermuda Police Service Colour Party led the procession into the cemetery grounds.

Commissioner of Police Darrin Simons welcomed all those present  and before commencing his address he asked everyone to pause to offer thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of the victims of the air ambulance tragedy which occurred on  the previous day.

Commissioners Address

“Every year, before the gala, before the awards, before anything else, we come here first. That is deliberate.

Before we celebrate 147 years of the Bermuda Police Service, we commemorate the people who made those years possible.

Today we remember the officers, support staff and Reserve Police who have died since we last stood here. In a moment, you'll hear their names.

This year, we also remember Commissioner George Jackson. I can still hear that booming voice, and that hearty laugh.

And for me, one name this year is personal. Diallo Sharrieff and I were on the same Recruit Foundation Course, 33 years ago. We started this job together. His passing is very recent, and I feel it.

Policing asks a lot of people.

It asks you, to knock on a door at three in the morning and tell a family the saddest news of their lives. It asks you, to walk into the room everyone else is trying to leave. It asks you to make a decision in seconds and answer for it, for years. It asks you, to be your best when those your dealing with are at their worst.

The people we remember today gave that. Some for a few years. Some for a whole career.

And policing asks just as much from the people at home.

Marry a police officer, and a trip to the grocery store is never just a trip to the grocery store. Dinner at a restaurant gets interrupted. Someone wants to ask about their incident. Someone else has advice on how we should do our job. The officer stops, listens and answers. And you wait.

The families here know that better than anyone. Your loved one's service was your service too. You shared them with Bermuda. We don't take that lightly, and we don't forget it.

This year's theme is “Together in Service, United in Community.” 

Standing here, I think it means two things.

Together in service, means this family doesn't end when the uniform comes off. Retirement doesn't end it. Death doesn't end it. That's one of the reasons we come back to this place every year. It's also why the Ex-Police Officers Association, who join us today, do the work they do for our retired colleagues.

United in community means the people we remember weren't only police. They were neighbours, parents and friends. Bermuda knew them. And Bermuda is safer because of them.

So as we begin this anniversary week, let's carry them with us. Into the celebrations. Back onto the streets. Into every call we answer, answered the way they would expect.

May they rest in peace. May their families find comfort. And may God keep all who serve this island."

Following a Moment of Silence, the Last Post was  played by bugler, Capt. Sheldon Fox, Band Officer for the Royal Bermuda Regiment.

A Prayer of Reflection was given by Police Chaplain Dr. Kevin Santucci.

Retired Commissioner of Police Mr, Michael DeSilva then read the Honour Roll Call as follows:-

Sergeant Michael “Mike” Cherry         March 2024

Sergeant Graham Alderson                 May 2024

Constable Braxton Stowe                   May 2024           

Inspector Anthony “Tony” Smith         August 2024

Constable Darren Marcano                 September 2024

Sergeant Michael Phillips                    October 2024

Constable John Kenyon                     December 2024

Sergeant Tirena Rollins                      December 2024

Constable Colin “Dusty” Hind            February 2025

Sergeant Alex Arnfield                        March 2025

Constable Volney Welch                     April 2025

Constable Andy Heggie                      April 2025

Chief Inspector Hilton Wingood         April 2025    

Constable Ian Matthews                    April 2025

Constable Sharon “Tracey” Armstrong                         May 2025

Constable Malcom Bull (Notified June of 2025)            December 2019

Constable Howard Dill                      June 2025

Constable Richard Coulthard            June 2025

Constable Gerald Fletcher                 June 2025

Sergeant Aaron Sabir (Scott)              July 2025

Constable Michael Dale Harvey         July 2025     

Sergeant Devonish Small                   August 2025

Constable Dean Steeples                   August 2025 

Constable Webster Furbert                 September 2025

Inspector Dave Garland                      October 2025

Constable Ray Banks                          October 2025

Constable Richard Saunders              November 2025

Chief Inspector David Barber              December 2025

Commissioner George Jackson         January 2026

Constable & Former BPS Chaplain Lloyd Duncan          March 2026

Sergeant Kevin Hamilton                     March 2026

Constable Nick Jamieson                    April 2026

Constable Raymond Hackett               May 2026

Constable Roderick “Ken” Pitcher       May 2026

Constable Colin Chiswell (Notified May of 2026)        November 2024

Deputy Commissioner Michael Mylod OBE                June 2026

Sergeant Wang Sonson                       June 2026

Constable Glynn Brown                       August 2026

Constable Cherie Bean                        August 2026 

Constable John Swift                          September 2026 

Constable Diallo Sharrieff                    September 2026 

Constable Stuart Jessey                      September 2026

Reserve Commandant, Captain John Moore       March 2024

Reserve Constable Richard Outerbridge              September 2025

Reserve Constable Ingrid Pitt                               October 2025

Reserve Constable David Doidge                         September 2026

Also remembered was  K9 Officer, "Rusty", who passed in 2025 whilst in service.

 

This was followed by the Laying of Wreaths and Flowers by H.E. the Deputy Governor,  Special Guests, and family members of those who have lost their loved ones.  The Laying of Wreaths was accompanied by Pipe Major Aiden Stones of The Bermuda Island Pipe Band on bagpipes. 

Memorial laden with wreaths and flowers 

A closing prayer was given Chaplain Santucci, and closing remarks were made by ExPo President Mr. Calvin Smith.  

Immediately following the Memorial Service attendees were invited to a reception hosted by Commissioner Simons at the Police Recreation Club.  (See photos below)

*  It is a customary during our Annual Memorial Service to read out an Honour Roll of those of our colleagues who have died in the two years preceding the Annual Service, and we rely on our members and friends to advise us when our former colleagues who no longer reside in Bermuda have passed away.  There are occasions when we hear of former colleagues who have died more than 2 years ago, and we always include these in the next Honour Roll List.

CLICK HERE  to view our List of our Deceased Colleagues on our ExPo website. If you know of anyone who has not been included please contact us at info@expobermuda.com  

HISTORIC NOTE  -  Following closure of the Prospect Garrison and the subsequent takeover of the garrison properties by the Bermuda Police,  a portion of the Military Cemetery at Prospect was assigned for use by the Police for the burial of those of our colleagues who died whilst in service in cases where they did not have an affiliation with our local churches. In more recent years we have received requests from family members of those of our colleagues who have died either here in Bermuda or abroad, to have their ashes buried here, subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Police.

Constable Andrew Park Davis Wilson

Constable Michael Frederick Henry Hills

Constable William Fox Galloway

Constable David Fraser

Inspector John Wallace Starbuck

Inspector Thomas David Doyle

Commissioner George Duckett, Esq, O.B.E. 

Sergeant Reginald James Brown

Chief Inspector James McNiven

Inspector Douglas Noel Hebberd

Sergeant John Frederick Morris

    Sergeant William MacKenzie

Constable Richard Earl Flood

Det. Superintendent John Joe Sheehy *

Inspector Arthur Rose *

Sergeant Cyril Edward Plant *

                                                 Sergeant Ronald Beech *                                                     

Constable Andrew Comrie Hall *

Superintendent William Bryan*

Inspector Stuart Gordon Innes

* Ashes interred

Trott Family Members - Three Generations

Written by Roger Sherratt

Young P.C. Roger Sherratt - 1964

One of my earliest memories of Bermuda is a visit to Admiralty House the day after I arrived in May 1964. Two other recruits and I were driven there in a Kombi and told to make ourselves at home at the dock overlooking Clarence Cove. Several off duty policemen were messing about in sail boats while a group of bikini clad nurses from King Edward Hospital were sunbathing along the dock, and above it all stood an imposing figurehead of King Neptune armed with a trident. Beneath him were the words “HMS Irresistible”.  

For a young man from the English Midlands whose idea of a beach holiday was a day trip to Blackpool, it seemed like paradise. I also remember sitting on the dock for hours  on that first rather overcast morning, and paying the price later that evening with a case of the worst sunburn of my life. Our supposed remedy for next time was Johnson’s baby oil with a touch of iodine! For several years during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s Admiralty House and several if its buildings had been used as police singlemen’s quarters.  I’ve written more about those days in another article “Admiralty House – 1960s Paradise!” here on our website. CLICK HERE to  view it.

At the time, I gave little thought to where the figurehead of King Neptune had originated. Years later, I learned that his story began long before he became the King  Neptune we knew in Bermuda.

HMS Irresistible  a ship-of-the-line was launched at Chatham in 1859. Her figurehead originally represented Zeus, holding a thunderbolt rather than a trident.  As I understand it, the ship sailed to and from Bermuda between 1868 and 1891. She was then permanently moored here and served for about 30 years as a floating storehouse and living quarters. She was eventually sold to Pearman Watlington & Co. for breaking up; her remains sank south of Marshall’s Island.

After the ship was broken up, her figurehead was brought to the Admiralty House dock overlooking Clarence Cove. where he faced decades of Bermuda weather on our exposed north shore, which would have taken its toll.   Repairs during that time included a new right arm, extended forward to hold a trident. Zeus had been transformed into Neptune.

For the next 80 years King Neptune, complete with crown, watched over the cove. In 1974, a helicopter carried the original figurehead to the new Maritime Museum at the Royal Naval Dockyard. I recall hearing that he would travel to England for restoration and then return to Bermuda. He never did.

Bermuda did, however, receive another Neptune. In 1993, sculptor Laurence Tindall created a far more permanent stone version of the figurehead from three blocks of limestone. It stands in the Keep Yard at the Royal Naval Dockyard, where it’s a popular attraction to visitors and for children who can clamber over it.

An excellent Royal Gazette article (CLICK HERE to view it) from 2007 with the headline “The Irresistible King Neptune” provides a detailed account of the history of King Neptune and HMS Irresistible, and  credits Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited for generously sponsoring  the sculpture. The inscription beneath it names both Nuclear Mutual Limited and Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited.

But what became of the battered wooden figurehead we remembered from Admiralty House?

He was taken back to Chatham, where HMS Irresistible  had been built over 120 years ago. By the time he arrived in Chatham serious rot threatened the carving. Earlier attempts to save him had included an internal steel support and replacement sections, but much of the original timber remained in poor condition. 

In 2024, master woodcarver, Andy Peters of Maritima Wood Carving took on the restoration. I was able to make direct contact with Andy who was happy to describe what he found and how he rebuilt the figurehead as follows:-

“I was approached to carry out a full restoration of the figure, which was transported to my workshop in 2024. The figure was dismantled, all the steelwork was removed along with any replacement timber, to leave just what remained of the original figure.

"Any remaining rot was removed, and surfaces machined flat to receive new timber. A new central core of timber was bonded in place, to which restored and re-carved sections were fixed. This included most of the back of the head, the crown, and drapery to the back of the figure. Working from old photographs I re-carved these missing parts.

"The figure was originally carved by Frederick Hellyer, who came from a famous family of ship carvers, who feature in my recently published book. I have over the years restored a number of Hellyer figureheads, which has helped me to re-create missing sections of carving with a reasonable degree of accuracy. In the course of researching the Hellyers, I came across Frederick's original drawing of the figure, which depicts him as Zeus, with his right arm stretching back holding a thunderbolt. At some point after the figure was removed from the ship, the right arm was replaced to its current position holding a trident.

"I would liked to have restored this back to the original position, but it was felt that he had been known as Neptune for so long now that he should remain as such.”

The restored figurehead returned to Chatham Museum in 2026 and is now on public display there. Andy’s photographs of the restoration can be seen on his website:  www.maritimawoodcarving.co.uk  under “Figurehead Restoration”.

It is remarkable to think that the weathered figure I saw overlooking Clarence Cove more than 60 years ago has survived, and has returned to its birthplace, while Bermuda still retains a direct link with H.M.S. Irresistible and our maritime history thanks to the sculpture of King Neptune displayed at the Keep Yard at the Royal Naval Dockyard.  

Editors notes -

1. Visitors to the iconic sailing ship Cutty Sark on the South Bank in London can view another fine example of master craftsman Andy Peters’ magnificent skills as a figurehead carver.  Andy was commissioned to carve a new figurehead for the Cutty Sark on the occasion of her 150th anniverary year.   CLICK HERE to view an article in the Royal Museums Greenwich website about the creation of the figurehead popularly known as “Nannie”.  CLICK HERE to watch a You Tube video of  the  newly carved figurehead being fitted to the Cutty Sark.
2.  King Neptune has outlived the buildings at Admiralty House but Admiralty Cove is still a public park and continues to be a popular location for swimming and beach activities.
3. Shortly after this article was posted here on our website and on our ExPo Facebook page, I also posted it on the "Old Bermuda: Our Island, Our History" Facebook page, and Gerri Crockwell read the article and posted a remarkable photo shown below of HMS Irresistible tied up at  King's Wharf at Royal Naval Dockyard showing the figurehead, which appeared to be painted white, when it would have been Zeus.  This photo has to be at least 130 years old because HMS Irresistible was being used at a depot ship from circa 1870-1890.