There is a story in the family that while he was on duty as a Special he saved someone from drowning in The Manchester Ship Canal.

During the First World War, the national emergency and the recall of many regular police officers to their regiments led Chief Constables to enrol many Specials. The Special Constables Act 1914 was passed allowing the Chief Constable to appoint Specials even though “a tumult, riot or felony has not taken place”. The outcome of this Act was to establish Specials as a permanent feature throughout the war as opposed to being the temporary force of earlier years. In Manchester, companies of Specials, each around fifty strong and commanded by a Leader, were assigned to the twenty districts of the city. An inspector of the regular police was in charge of each district. The Superintendent of each of the regular police divisions was in overall command of the Specials on the division and there was a Special Constables Administration Office at the town hall, run by Inspector Webb of the City Police. At first, uniforms for the volunteers were in short supply, and many improvised a uniform of sorts out of an official armband and a police badge, which was worn proudly in their civilian trilby and homburg hats. Truncheons, whistles and notebooks were also provided.
In addition to foot patrols, the Manchester Specials also carried out a number of mounted patrols, with the officers acting as traffic police. By 1916, a full uniform with peaked cap was provided and for off-duty wear an enamelled lapel badge for civilian clothing was authorised. Many men also wore a badge inscribed “On War Duty”. Normally issued to persons with reserved occupations, the badge could prevent the presentation of a white feather for cowardice by those misguided members of the public swept away in the patriotic fervour of the early war years.

Jack volunteered again during the Second World War, this time as an ARP warden.