corps of military police foot branch

[wendyhawk]

Can anyone help me with this photograph. I am researching a young man who was a lance corporal in the corps of military police, foot branch. This is the young man, does this uniform match his unit. I ask because a relation is convinced this is not the young man.

[kenf48]

An enlarged scan of the cap badge might help, or a magnifying glass on the original.

 

The cap badge is distinguished by bearing the cipher of the reigning monarch which can help you date it.  It is however on what can be seen the wrong shape for the Military Foot Police which is a lion surmounted on a crown with a title underneath.

e.g.

http://www.britishmilitarybadges.co.uk/Products/military-foot-police-mfp-cap-badge.html

 

It looks more like this badge https://www.flickr.com/photos/conner395/8490856266?ytcheck=1 

 

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

[Provost]

20 hours ago, kenf48 said:

An enlarged scan of the cap badge might help, or a magnifying glass on the original.

 

The cap badge is distinguished by bearing the cipher of the reigning monarch which can help you date it.  It is however on what can be seen the wrong shape for the Military Foot Police which is a lion surmounted on a crown with a title underneath.

e.g.

http://www.britishmilitarybadges.co.uk/Products/military-foot-police-mfp-cap-badge.html

 

It looks more like this badge https://www.flickr.com/photos/conner395/8490856266?ytcheck=1 

 

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

He is certainly a member of the Military Police. I am afraid that Ken has fallen into the trap of the Military Foot Police badge. This badge appears to have come about during the 1950/60s and was possibly used for Tattoos. Until 1926 and the amalgamation to form the Corps of Military Police, the Military Mounted and Military Foot Police wore the same badge (originally either the MMP or MFP brass shoulder title, then a Royal cypher within a wreath - Edward VII, George V). I have seen many of these false badges, and even saw one for the MMP (sold for a large 3 figure sum at a well known UK auction house). Ken's second link is the correct badge for the whole Corps at the time.

 

If Wendyhawk has a name for her chap, I'll see if I have anything on him.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard

Edited 5 April , 2017 by Provost

[Toby Brayley]

100% agree with Richard, the cap badge is that of the Military Police. I will also 100% agree that the prolific use of the unique MFP cap badge is totally unsubstantiated. We have the original Corp Order Books that detail every change to uniform including headgear, insignia and accoutrements as well as an archive of 1000s of photographs and not once does it appear, certainly not in this era. Sadly many authors have just copied and pasted this duff information without doing any research! So I can quite understand how people have been misled.

 

He wears the Undress Frock used by both the MMP/MFP and the coloured peaked forage. This ensemble was worn for, general duties, duty wear (with the cuffband or armlet) and later replaced the full dress uniform for walking out with riding crop (MMP) or cane (MFP) and gloves..as depicted here.

 

I would welcome a decent copy of this image for the Museum if at all possible! 

 

Regards 

Toby 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 5 April , 2017 by Toby Brayley

[kenf48]

Not my trap sadly misled by Colonel Swinnerton, ' Identifying your WW1 Soldier from Badges and Photographs',

Thank you for the additional information.  

 

I'm always hesitant with theses photographs as no doubt an expert will be along eventually, bit like buses wait twenty hours and you get two 

 

Ken