Don Stainton Posted 7 February , 2003 Share Posted 7 February , 2003 Please can anyone provide information on the Mounted Military Police on the western front? How and where were they recruited? What were their duties? What units were they attached to? And has there been a history written about them? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robwilliams Posted 7 February , 2003 Share Posted 7 February , 2003 Don, Do not know if there is a specific history of the MMP, but there have been histories of the RMP. Used to be based in Chichester but I believe they are now part of the Royal Logistics Corps. Their duties were behind the battle line, looking for waifs and strays, deserters (can I say that now?) during battles, providing traffic duty to prevent/cause snarl-ups and major junctions. I would imagine they recruited from civilian police, as well as transferees from other units, especially regimental police. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_Fielding Posted 7 February , 2003 Share Posted 7 February , 2003 I think a great uncle of mine served with the MMP in Egypt after serving with the Derbyshire Yeomanry. Any info on this unit gratefully received! (I his name was William Fielding, native of Osmaston, near Ashbourne) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 7 February , 2003 Share Posted 7 February , 2003 Here are the details for the Royal Military Police Museum as they would be able to guide you with your research: Royal Military Police Museum The Keep, Roussillon Barracks, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6BL Tel: 01243 534225 Fax: 01243 534288 e-mail: museum@rhqrmp.freeserve.co.uk website: www.rmpmuseum.org.uk The RMP are now part of the Adjutant General's Corps - Provost Branch, but retain the RMP cap badge and uniform as before. Members of the Military Mounted Police were usually drawn from cavalry regiments. Here are some books that might help as well: The Redcaps Author, Dr GD Sheffield (senior lecturer in the Department of Was Studies, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst). Published Brassey's (UK), London, 1994. A history of the Royal Military Police and it's antecedents from the Middle Ages to the Gulf War. ISBN 1-85753-029-2. Price £25 reduced to £15, available from the RHQ RMP Shop. Elite Series No. 65: REDCAPS, BRITAIN'S MILITARY POLICE Author, Mike Chappell. With special emphasis on uniforms and insignia worn by the Corps. ISBN 1-85532-670-1. Price £8.99 through High Street sources. Books now out of print but possibly available through second hand or library sources: The History of the Corps of the Royal Military Police Author, Major SF Crozier MBE (Former Officer attached to CMP). Published Gale and Polden Ltd, Aldershot, 1951. The Story of the Royal Military Police Author, AV Lovell-Knight, (former Major with RMP) Published Leo Cooper, London, 1977. ISBN 0-85085-222-6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 7 February , 2003 Share Posted 7 February , 2003 The RMP is still based at Rousillon Barracks, Broyle Road, Chichester, West Sussex. They have a museum, in what used to be the Guardroom (I know that Guardroom so well!!!). I have contacted the museum in the past with some questions on the MFP & MMP in WWI but never received a reply, they obviously remember me! I know that there was info on the MFP & MMP in WWI held in the museum in 1985, I did a stint in there as punishment (strange punishment!) on a weekend and I had a good look round. I think the number is: 01243 534225. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 7 February , 2003 Share Posted 7 February , 2003 Don, The following is an extract from The Histrory of The Provost Marshall and The Corps of Military Police which may add a little as to how the MMP were employed:- The difficulty of chronicling a concise history of the Corps overseas in the Great War is virtually unsurmountable, as will be appreciated when it is understood that personnel served on the following fronts :-France and Flanders, I9I4-I9I8 ; Gallipoli, I9I5; Mesopotamia, 1915-1918; Macedonia, 1916-1918; Palestine, I9I7-I9I8 ; Italy, I9I7-1918 ; North Russia, 1918 North-West Persia, 1918 ; Afghanistan, 1919. Moreover, they were not serving in companies, as we understand them to-day, so there is little record in the form of official recorded War Diaries to preserve their achievements. The personnel accompanying the G.H.Q., Expeditionary Force, and the first five Divisions overseas, were still wearing blue clothing with red caps, and those with the Brigades consequently suffered heavy casualties during the early days, as the distinctive dress made them conspicuous targets. The duties of the Corps of Military Police overseas were many and varied, and at times both unorthodox and surprising, but, officially, as laid down in the " Regulations for the use of the Provost Marshal's Branch with the British Armies in France (I9I7)," they embraced the following General Duties. (i) The detection of crime, and the arrest of offenders. (2) The maintenance of order under all circumstances. (3) The surveillance and control of all civilians and followers within the area occupied by their formations. (4) Assisting in maintaining march discipline of troops and transport and in regulating traffic. (5) The collection of stragglers. (6) The custody of prisoners of war until their transfer to railhead or to a P.O.W. working company. (7) The protection of the local inhabitants against acts of violence on the part of soldiers or followers In addition ad there were numerous special duties they were expected to see to, amongst which were :- Taking measures to prevent troops getting into contact with undesirable characters-prostitutes, enemy agents, provocateurs, etc. Ill-treatment of animals. Civilians found within the lines without passes or identity cards.-- Plundering, marauding and looting. Ill-treatment of inhabitants. Soldiers and civilians trafficking in rations or Government property. Unauthorized cameras and photography. Collecting and returning of horses. Careless talk and the apprehension of anyone giving military information. Arrest of suspicious individuals. The shooting of dogs found unattended near the forward lines, and search of the bodies for messages, etc. Seizure of carrier pigeons. Surveillance for means of communication with the enemy. The original establishment of Police to carry out these duties was :- Corps Headquarters 6 Military Mounted Police Each Cavalry Division 25 Military Mounted Police. Each Infantry Division 25 Military Mounted Police. The Military Foot Police personnel were disposed under Army arrangements in semi-static positions such as on the lines of communications, base and port areas and forward rest areas. Brigadier-General H. S. Rogers, C.M.G., D.S.O., who started his war service as a Divisional A.P.M. and eventually became Provost Marshal, B.E.F., left on record a very good account of the Provost in the Great War, which he starts off with a quotation by Napoleon : " You cannot have a good army without a good police force within"; and recommends that " Every high Commander should insist on seeing his Provost Officer frequently, because on him depends to a very large extent the prevention of crime and the prevention of disease which goes a long way to keeping an Army fit for action "advice which was to prove of the utmost value before many days of active service had passed. In the same book I believe that it mentioned that there was no rank of Private and that all ranks started at Lance Corporal. I recently saw a Military Medal to MFP where the rank was Pte LCpl ? Possibly an error. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 7 February , 2003 Share Posted 7 February , 2003 As a guide... Soldiers Died gives no 'privates' amongst the Military Mounted Police but does give two for the separate Military Foot Police. There are a lot of Acting Lance Corporals however! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robwilliams Posted 7 February , 2003 Share Posted 7 February , 2003 Terry, I do not know when it started but, after basic training all new members of RMP were promoted L/Cpl. This gave automatic authority over the bulk of the army! Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Stainton Posted 8 February , 2003 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2003 Thanks to everyone for responding to the original post. Lots for me to follow up. Simon - I am researching a member of the MMP - 7681058 George William Henry DOBSON who also served in Egypt after service on the Western Front. Maybe your great uncle served with George Dobson. Will keep in touch if I come up with anything new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 8 February , 2003 Share Posted 8 February , 2003 Don, The IWM has two copies of the SS414 "Regulations for the use of the Provost Marshal's Branch, British Armies in France", I've the second edition for 1917. You can order copies. The MMP were the Police attached to tactical formations. That is an Infantry Division of three Bde's had only 4 Serg'ts and 21 Rank and file MMP for the whole Division to support the APM. A Cavalry Divison had 4 Serg'ts and 39 Rank and File MMP. An Infantry Bde was allotted 1 Serg't and 4 Rank and file from the above. The MMP never had very many men. In Aug 1914 it had 112 ORs. By the 4th of August 1918 it only numbered 3,616 OR's to support all theatre's. The week ending 5 Nov. 18 shows that of that total 2076 were in France. Primary duties as Stuart points out were as such: 1.Traffic Control--This was their primary responsibility by far. 2. Straggler Collection ----Oddly the use of MMPs was not desired. Three situations are given for manning Straggler posts a. Detailing NCO s and Men of unit's b. Employing MMP c. Employ Regimental Police. b and a were the least desirable. However, many operations orders show that it was customary to employ 1 MMP at a post as they had powers of arrest. Never had the power to shoot a straggler nor inflict any type of capital or corporal punishment unless via sentencing by Courts Martial. 3. Court Martial 4. Field Punishment 5. Prisoners of War. etc. I would suugest you order the Regulations. Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigalni Posted 9 March , 2004 Share Posted 9 March , 2004 As a guide... Soldiers Died gives no 'privates' amongst the Military Mounted Police but does give two for the separate Military Foot Police. There are a lot of Acting Lance Corporals however! Further to this thread...............i have several groups of medals to the military Police in its various forms. They include a WW2 group with a Territorial Efficiency Medal to a Private in the Corps of Military police and i have seen several WW1 groups and other TEFS with Private. As you say perhaps they were "Acting up" I did 12yrs as a Monkey from 1971 and you were a Private during training and Lcpl on pass out. RMP Police training is still carried out in Chichester after basic infantry stuff is done at one of the regional training depots with other units.The Logistics Corps is purely an administrative title .........they remain Royal Military police but no longer...Corps of! Anyone any Military Police photos or medals for disposal? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigalni Posted 9 March , 2004 Share Posted 9 March , 2004 As a guide... Soldiers Died gives no 'privates' amongst the Military Mounted Police but does give two for the separate Military Foot Police. There are a lot of Acting Lance Corporals however! Further to this thread...............i have several groups of medals to the military Police in its various forms. They include a WW2 group with a Territorial Efficiency Medal to a Private in the Corps of Military police and i have seen several WW1 groups and other TEFS with Private. As you say perhaps they were "Acting up" I did 12yrs as a Monkey from 1971 and you were a Private during training and Lcpl on pass out. RMP Police training is still carried out in Chichester after basic infantry stuff is done at one of the regional training depots with other units.The Logistics Corps is purely an administrative title .........they remain Royal Military police but no longer...Corps of! Anyone any Military Police photos or medals for disposal? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treslade Posted 17 August , 2016 Share Posted 17 August , 2016 The museum moved in 2007.... and the phone numbers shown are not manned owing to lack of staff, but they do give an alternative number if you ring. Regimental Secretary, Regimental Headquarters, Royal Military Police, Southwick Park (Postal Point 38), Nr.Fareham, Hampshire, PO17 6EJ. You can email us at: rhqrmp@btconnect.com You can call us on: (Civ) (02392) 284564 or (Mil) 93835 4564 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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