Ranulph Bacon

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Ranulph Robert Maunsell Bacon, QPM (6 August 1906 – 30 March 1988) was a British police officer.

Sir Ranulph Bacon QPM
11th Inspector General of Police (Sri Lanka)
In office 1944–1947
Preceded by	Gordon Halland
Succeeded by	Richard Aluwihare
Chief Constable of the Devon County Constabulary
In office 1947–1961
Preceded by	Lyndon Morris
Succeeded by	Robert Greenwood
Personal details
Born	Randulph Robert Maunsell Bacon 6 August 1906 Westgate-on-Sea, Kent
Died	30 March 1988
Profession	Police officer

Bacon was born in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, and educated at Tonbridge School and Queens' College, Cambridge.[1] He joined the Metropolitan Police as a Constable in 1928 and was selected for Hendon Police College in 1934, passing out with the Baton of Honour.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Bacon was eager to enlist, but was not given permission to do so.[1] Finally in May 1940 he was commissioned into the British Army as a Provost Marshal on the General List.[2] By December 1941, when he was mentioned in despatches for his service in the Western Desert, he held the local rank of Major, although his substantive rank was Lieutenant.[3] He was later promoted Lieutenant-Colonel and in 1942 was appointed Deputy Provost Marshal of the Ninth Army.

In November 1943 he was seconded to the Colonial Police Service as Deputy Inspector-General of the Ceylon Police, and was promoted Inspector-General in 1944. His Deputy Inspector-General was John Waldron, another Hendon graduate who was later to succeed him as both Assistant Commissioner "A" and Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

In 1947 he returned to Britain as Chief Constable of the Devon County Constabulary, and held the post until his appointment as Assistant Commissioner "A" (Operations and Administration) of the Metropolitan Police on 1 November 1961.[4] He was awarded the King's Police and Fire Services Medal in the 1953 New Year Honours.[5] In 1963, he was appointed Assistant Commissioner "C" (Crime), in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department.[6] At a press conference on 31 December 1964, he urged the public to "have a go" if they saw an armed robbery taking place, which was criticised as irresponsible by many.[7] He was knighted in the 1966 New Year Honours.[8]

In 1966 he briefly served as Deputy Commissioner, from 8 April to his retirement in October.[9]

Footnotes

1. "Sir Ranulph Bacon". The Daily Telegraph (41295). 1 April 1988.
2. "No. 34872". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 1940. p. 3598.
3. "No. 35396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 December 1941. p. 7349.
4. "Metropolis Post for Chief Constable", The Times, 29 June 1961
5. "No. 39732". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1952. p. 34.
6. "Senior Changes at Scotland Yard", The Times, 1 June 1963
7. "No Uncontrollable Crime Wave, Police Say", The Times, 1 January 1965
8. "No. 43854". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1965. p. 1.
9. "Two Police Chiefs Promoted", The Times, 16 March 1966

References

• "Metropolis Post for Chief Constable", The Times, 29 June 1961
• Biography, Who Was Who

Police appointments
Preceded by Unknown	Deputy Inspector-General of Police of Ceylon 1943–1944	Succeeded by John Waldron
Preceded by Gordon Halland	Inspector-General of Police of Ceylon 1944–1947	Succeeded by Richard Aluwihare
Preceded by Lyndon Morris	Chief Constable of Devon 1947–1961	Succeeded by Robert Greenwood
Preceded by Douglas Webb	Assistant Commissioner "A", Metropolitan Police 1961–1963	Succeeded by Sir John Waldron
Preceded by Sir Joe Jackson	Assistant Commissioner "C", Metropolitan Police 1963–1966	Succeeded by Peter Brodie
Preceded by Douglas Webb	Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis 1966	Succeeded by Sir John Waldron