Appeal For Family Of Kitchener's Bodyguard

Scotland Yard has launched an appeal to trace living descendants of the last close protection officer to die in the line in duty.

Detective Sergeant Matthew McLoughlin will be honoured a century after he died guarding the First World War Field Marshal Lord Kitchener.

Det Sgt McLoughlin, originally from Tipperary in Ireland, died alongside Lord Kitchener when the ship they were on struck a mine off Orkney in June 1916.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the tragedy and the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command will name its new command centre after the late officer when Scotland Yard moves to new premises next to the Ministry of Defence later this year.

The Met wants to trace any living relatives of the late officer so they can share in that ceremony.

Commander Adrian Usher, head of the Met's Protection Command, told Sky News: "Matthew McLoughlin was the last Metropolitan Police officer to lose his life on protection duties and the Met Police is proud of the fact that we never forget our own, irrespective of the era in which the officer made so great a sacrifice."

Guarding Lord Kitchener would have been both an incredible opportunity and highly challenging for any close protection officer.

Lord Kitchener was arguably the world's most prominent military leader in the late 19th and early 20th century.

He won fame leading imperial campaigns in Africa and played a pivotal role in the early days of the First World War.

He was so revered, that his face was used on a First World War military recruitment poster, which is still regarded as one of the most iconic images of the time.

It encouraged many conscripts to sign up, swelling Britain's military from a modest 250,000 to a 2 million-man army.

Matt Brosnan, a senior historian at the Imperial War Museum, said: "He was a very famous commander of the late Victorian era.

"He had a very high profile in the media and was a very popular national figure.

"He was a very forceful, irascible character.

"He had a reputation for sometimes being quite difficult to work with and to handle.

"That came about because he was quite senior in years, he was 65 when he died.

"He was a Field Marshal in the Army, so he was the highest rank you could attain and had spent time as the Secretary of State for War when the First World War began.

"He was a very senior figure, held in very high regard and had a personality to match."

Detective Sergeant McLoughlin was by Lord Kitchener's side when the ship they were on, Royal Navy cruiser HMS Hampshire, was struck by a mine while en route to Russia on a diplomatic mission.

That day - 5 June, 1916 - also saw the deaths of 735 others. The ship is now an official war grave off Orkney.

As the Metropolitan Police attempts to trace any living descendants of Det Sgt McLoughlin, Scotland Yard has provided the small amount of background information it has in the hope someone will come forward.

Matthew McLoughlin was born in Kilcommon, north Tipperary, on 6 February, 1879, to Michael, a farmer, and Bridget McLoughlin.

He was the seventh of 14 children and lived in a small house on the side of a hill near the hamlet of Foilnadrough, about a mile to the west of Kilcommon.

He moved to London in January 1900 and joined the Met on 17 September, 1900. In 1904 he transferred to a specialist unit, where he protected royalty and ministers of state.

His son, Michael Paul McLoughlin, was born on 19 April, 1912, at Sunny View, Pardown, Wootton St Lawrence, Hampshire.

His birth certificate names Margaret Amelie McLoughlin, formerly Quernel, as his mother. She is believed to have been born in France, possibly at Le Havre where it appears Matthew served as a Special Branch Ports officer.

Commander Usher said: "We know that Matthew had a son, Michael, who may have emigrated to Venezuela round about 1920. But after that, we lose track of any family member. We know that Matthew came over to England in 1900 from Tipperary. If anybody has any information about a living relative of Matthew, we'd really like to hear from them."

With just weeks to go until Det Sgt McLoughlin is honoured, Scotland Yard commanders are determined to ensure any living decedents can attend the ceremony and be reminded of the sacrifice of the man who guarded Lord Kitchener.

An unsung hero, who gave his life in the line of duty.