‘Gave his life’: Boston Police remember patrolman, war veteran killed in the line of duty in 1920

BOSTON — It’s been 104 years since Boston Patrolman William G. Clancy’s line-of-duty death, but his remarkable life story lives on.

Clancy, a World War I veteran, was killed when an armed youth fatally shot him during a dance in Charlestown on Jan. 22, 1920, Boston Police said in a memorial statement honoring the slain officer’s service on Monday.

The 24-year-old Clancy had worked for the Boston Police Department for two months when he was killed, police said. He left behind a grieving wife and a two-year-old son.

Before joining the Boston Police Department, Clancy joined the British Army during World War I in 1914, where he was assigned to the Canadian Regiment.

When the United States entered the war, Clancy tied a small American flag to his bayonet and became the first American to carry the Stars and Stripes into the Battle of Vimy Ridge, according to Boston Police.

Clancy was laid to rest at the Ipswich Highland Cemetery in Ipswich. A newspaper photograph shows a line of law enforcement officers walking through snow and carrying the slain officer’s casket to his final resting spot.

Clancy’s name is located on the National Law Enforcement Memorial on Panel 42, West Line 12.

In Boston, a Hero Sign is posted on Main Street in Charlestown “to forever honor the memory of a man who gave his life in service to his city,” police said.

“If you’re in the area, keep an eye out for his Hero Sign and kindly take a moment, not only to honor his sacrifice, but to remember the loved ones left in mourning after his tragic passing so many years ago,” police said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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