Uniforn ID

[militaryhound]

Hello Forum.

Attached is a photo of my grandparents taken in Bangalore India 1908. Could someone please explain the uniform that Leonard is wearing.

Is that a sabre that is attached to his leg and the significance of it Also the pith helmet

The medal he is wearing is QSAM with clasps 1901 1902 and Transvaal.

Thanking you in advance

Chris

[Graham Stewart]

Ah India! Always a problem for identifying uniforms during this period, but in my opinion, I think that your relative was either a member of or 'seconded' to a local Volunteer unit. What makes me think this is the fact that he's wearing a cross-belt with whistle and chain - the hallmark of a 'Rifles or Volunteer' unit, but there is no cross-belt plate on it, something which you often see among UK Volunteer units.

His white uniform is typical of the period as is the FSH he's wearing - however once again - no black buttons, which I would have expected to see if a regular in either the Kings Royal Rifles or Rifle Brigade or Gurkha units to which Europeans were often attached. The wearing of the sword itself was worn by certain grades of senior rank and again by those Sgt's, who were seconded to Volunteer units as instructors etc.

What may be of assistance to you is to see if you can get hold of a copy of his marraige certificate, which may actually give you his occupation at the time of his wedding - probably sounds daft, but it'll either have something like 'Army'(or Policeman) or perhaps a civilian job, which would definately imply he's a member of a local Volunteer unit, as many Europeans who were employed by the Railway Companies etc, were also members of local Volunteer units in India.

His FSH(Foreign Service Helmet) has a coloured cloth pagri, but apart from only one or two regiments allowed to wear coloured pagri's, white was the commonest colour for UK regiments - again though this didn't apply to local units, who would have had their own dress distinctions.

[militaryhound]

Graham I have his marriage certificate and there is nothing on it to indicate what his profession was at the time. What I do have is 7th Nov 1907 Central Province Police Non gazetted appt Provincial Police Service Hoshangabad District Reserve Police

1908 Pachmarhi Cantonment Civil and Military Station then transferred 1909 Officiating Reserve Inspector Chhindawara District

I have found his military career so hard to follow as then goes into the South Persia Rifles and has many awards and citations Some of his personal his states that he goes on loan to the Army in between the Police

Chris

[Graham Stewart]

Then it appears he was a Policeman, and Police Dress within the Colonies is not one of my subjects - however I have seen photo's on another Forum showing an inspector in S.E.Asia, similarly dressed. It just appears odd that they'd be wearing the 'Rifles' pattern cross-belt, which has always been regarded as military.

[Graham Stewart]

With thanks to the GMIC; This is Sidney Fairchild, who we later found out to be a Policeman, but as you can see his Dress is very similar and often confused with military dress.

[FROGSMILE]

The reason they are wearing a cross belt is because they are part of an armed constabulary, sometimes referred to colloquially as a gendarmerie (from the French origins of such armed paramilitary police). These types of paramilitarypolice (to use a modern description) were common in all Colonies, Dominions and Protectorates and for some reason they invariably adopted a similar dress style to rifle regiments (often with a cross belt when in dress uniform) and of course a whistle and chain was emblematic.

Even in Ireland, the Royal Irish Constabulary was just such a force and in the old Commonwealth countries of India, Australian, Canada and South (also West and East) Africa, as well as Hong Kong, Malaya, Burma, Singapore,Shangai and the West Indies, they were (and often still are) commonplace.

The principal difference between them and more civilianised police constabularies was that as well as dealing with crime they also dealt with public order (and poaching and smuggling) in a far more robust manner. Their insignia is a specialised theme amongst collectors. Famous police officers of this type included George Orwell, William Fairbairn (of commando knife fame) and Ian Henderson. In their day they played a crucial part in the infrastructure of the empire. They were administered by the Colonial Office in London.

[Graham Stewart]

Frogsmile - cheers for that, as I'm afraid I'm well out of my comfort zone when dealing with Colonial Police units - as you'll have noted I originally suspected one of the local Volunteer units, but having read that militaryhounds relative was a Colonial Police Officer in 1907, then I can we can safely say that he was still a 'Bobby', when he married in 1908.

[Greg]

The Indian Police consisted to 'gazetted officers 'who formed the Indian Police Service which was essentially a pool of European officers of the rank of Assistant Superintendant and above who were allocated to provincial police forces and central police institutions by the Secretary of State for India. The police were organised on a provincial basis. Indian Police were adminstered by the Government of India and and fell under the India Office in London.

Provicnial police forces were generallyunarmed except for 'lathis' an iron bound bamboo staff however each provincial police force had a variety of 'reserve forces' for use in emergencies. Amongst these were armed police battalions which were equipped as light infantry and were barracked and undertook collective training. Typically these had European army or ex-army sergeants and warrant officers as instructors. Inspectors were appointed by the provincial government and were not members of the Indian Police Service.These were often appointed as Inspectors, in the Indian police, unlike the British police these had a similar status to warrant officers in the army. This tradition was also maintained in a number of other colonial forces such as those of Kenya. In the 1940s-50s this was sometimes recognised by either giving inspectors 'bars' instead of Bath Stars or smaller stars sometimes arranged horizontally. Confusingly other colonial forces such as that in NSW or South Africa regarded the inspectorate as a 'commissioned rank'.

Colonial as opposed to Indian police fell under the jurisdiction of 'colonial governments, which answered to the Colonial Office. From 1936 a sepperate pool of European officers the Colonial Police Service was created. These men were administered by the Secretary of State for Colonies and transferred between posting by him but were employed by the seperate colonial governments.

The light infantry connection came through the Royal Irish Constabulary who were equipped and uniformed as 'Rifles' in the 1850s and consequenlty wore rifle green.

The uniform is interesting as it is very close to that confirmed as the standard for ceremonial dress for officers for the colonial police forces on the creation of the Colonial Police Service in 1936 but worn in many forces before this date. Many forces wore wolsely helmet, white tunic, pouch belt ,pickers and chains, navy overalls with force coloured strippes or seams, Wellington Boots and spurs. At the same time the decision was taken to wear silver white metal accoutrements, black leather , a new system of rank stars (which fell by the way side), and blue caps or a white Wolesely helmet with blue puggaree, spike and chain. Working dress was generally khaki with blue cap , Khaki sun helmet with blue puggaree, black Sam Brown and blue hose tops. This was to clearly differentiate them from soldiers and was recommended by Sir Herbert Dowbiggin late Ceylon Police

For further informationon on the Indian Police I would recommend Sir Percival Griffiths, To Serve My People: A History of the Indian Police (London:Ernest Benn, 1971) or J.C.Curry The Indian Police (London: Faber,1932) now reprinted and available though Amazon. Griffiths is the better book but Curry is interesting he went on to become a member of the Security Service/MI5 and wrote an internal history of MI5 activity during the Second World War.

Greg

[militaryhound]

Greg.

The information provided has given me a clearer insight into Leonards earlier years . Knowledge is the gateway to learning

Chris

[Greg]

Sorry about the 'typos'!

Greg