WW1 records for Military Foot Police

[davidf01608]

I am researching a family member, Patrick Shields Park (1882-1954), with a particular focus on his WW1 army history. I have downloaded his service record from Ancestry and FindMyPast, which gives me an outline of his army career, but raises more questions than it answers.

Patrick enlisted in the Scots Guards (Service No. 11288) from the Glasgow Police on 22 September 1914, and initially joined the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion. He transferred to the 2nd Battalion in April 1915, and served a 3-month tour of duty in France; he then returned to the UK, rejoining the 3rd Battalion. At the end of December 1915, he transferred to the 1st Battalion and began what was to be a 3.5 year tour in France. I have downloaded the War Diaries of the 1st and 2nd Battalions from The National Archives, so have gained an insight into what he may have encountered at the early part of his military career.

In October 1916, Patrick transferred "temporarily" to the Military Foot Police (Service No. P6055), as an Acting Lance Corporal, which rank he soon lost as a result of an inappropriate remark to a senior NCO!  Other than a report at http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org regarding a commendation for gallant conduct in August 1917, I then lose track of him until his demob from the Military Police on 14 Jul 1919, following which he rejoined the Glasgow Police.

I have been unable to track down a war diary for the Military Foot Police, or any other source that might shine some light upon Patrick's last 3 years of military service. If anyone could suggest likely sources, I should be extremely grateful.

 

 

[FROGSMILE]

38 minutes ago, davidf01608 said:

I am researching a family member, Patrick Shields Park (1882-1954), with a particular focus on his WW1 army history. I have downloaded his service record from Ancestry and FindMyPast, which gives me an outline of his army career, but raises more questions than it answers.

Patrick enlisted in the Scots Guards (Service No. 11288) from the Glasgow Police on 22 September 1914, and initially joined the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion. He transferred to the 2nd Battalion in April 1915, and served a 3-month tour of duty in France; he then returned to the UK, rejoining the 3rd Battalion. At the end of December 1915, he transferred to the 1st Battalion and began what was to be a 3.5 year tour in France. I have downloaded the War Diaries of the 1st and 2nd Battalions from The National Archives, so have gained an insight into what he may have encountered at the early part of his military career.

In October 1916, Patrick transferred "temporarily" to the Military Foot Police (Service No. P6055), as an Acting Lance Corporal, which rank he soon lost as a result of an inappropriate remark to a senior NCO!  Other than a report at http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org regarding a commendation for gallant conduct in August 1917, I then lose track of him until his demob from the Military Police on 14 Jul 1919, following which he rejoined the Glasgow Police.

I have been unable to track down a war diary for the Military Foot Police, or any other source that might shine some light upon Patrick's last 3 years of military service. If anyone could suggest likely sources, I should be extremely grateful.

 

 

The best people to assist would be @Provostand @Toby Brayley.  Hopefully they’ll see this shout out.

Edited 13 February , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[davidf01608]

Thanks, Frogsmile: if neither of them happens to catch my request, I'll drop them a PM.

Regards, David

[Coldstreamer]

I’m sure I saw a thread on here recently re Scots guards and police . Did you see it ?

I doubt the military police would have a diary as I’d imagine they had personnel’s attached to regiments all over 

[FROGSMILE]

18 minutes ago, Coldstreamer said:

I’m sure I saw a thread on here recently re Scots guards and police . Did you see it ?

Yes I recall it too.  It was regarding a large batch of Edinburgh/Glasgow policemen (I can’t recall which) who joined the Scots Guards en-masse, but almost all were killed during heavy fighting inflicted on the Guards Brigade quite early on.  In a later period the Military Foot Police boosted its numbers with some direct entry policemen (from the Metropolitan force I think), which if I recall correctly was the first time they had done so, as the peacetime policy had excluded direct entry preferring instead men who already had experience of the Army that they were to police.  

There is another thread referring to the subject, which you might recall participating in here: 

 

Edited 14 February , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[kenf48]

13 hours ago, davidf01608 said:

In October 1916, Patrick transferred "temporarily" to the Military Foot Police (Service No. P6055), as an Acting Lance Corporal, which rank he soon lost as a result of an inappropriate remark to a senior NCO!  Other than a report at http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org regarding a commendation for gallant conduct in August 1917, I then lose track of him until his demob from the Military Police on 14 Jul 1919, following which he rejoined the Glasgow Police.

I don't know if you are aware but FMP has the Scots Guards records.  They show he was admitted to 2 Canadian General Hospital at Le Tréport on the 2nd July 1915 suffering from varicose veins.  He was repatriated to the UK and Military Hospital Colchester on the 7th July 1915.  He was discharged on the 11th July and granted a week's leave.  He was posted to the Depot strength of the Scots Guards (3rd Bn) and remained on Home Service.  

He was examined on the 27th December 1915 where he was declared fit for field service and quickly retuned to France and the Guards Depot.  Later, on discharge he made a claim for pension which described the condition as present in both legs but 'mild' although attributable to his military service and was awarded a £70 gratuity, a sizeable sum in 1919.

On the 31.12. 1915  he was posted to the Guards Base Depot (and his record shows 1st Bn)he was posted to P.B.D.(i.e.Permanent Base Duties) and was appointed to the Camp Police on the 27th February 1916.  He does not appear to have served in the field with the 1st Battalion.

The Guards Base Depot was at Harfleur (No.1. IBD) where he was serving when first disciplined on the 14th September 1916, the disciplining officer was the OC Guards Base so I think it safe to assume he remained on policing duties at Harfleur until his transfer to the MFP on the 1st October when he got his stripe back. The request for transfer document was competed and signed off on the 28th November 1916.

This suggests he was transferred from Harfleur to Havre town in 1917. He was certainly posted there on the 1st March 1917, the second occasion he was disciplined, both were relatively minor offences.   An exceptionally busy entry port and communication centre including numerous Base Depots where he would probably have performed normal policing duties. It was close by  Harfleur see https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battlefields/gazetteer-of-the-western-front/gazetteer-of-the-western-front-le-havre-and-harfleur-base/

There are a couple of war diaries at TNA for Assistant Provost Marshals but these were Army or Corps Troops and the diaries have not been digitised and none specifically listing Havre. The Havre Town Major's diary is here though not sure it covers the period Park was there.

His commendation ( I think you always got a commendation for catching a runaway horse - I recall explicit instructions in the instruction book when I joined in 1967 - never got the opportunity to put it into practice unlike the gallant L/Cpl Park) shows he was on traffic duty at the Lille Gate at Ypres in August 1917 - no means a sinecure as the position was frequently targeted by German artillery.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/13484

Therefore his movements on return to the BEF in December 1915 appear to be Guards Base Depot Harfleur (camp police) > Havre (MFP) > Ypres August 1917 (MFP) my guess is he probably remained at Ypres on traffic duty following his commendation.  Apart from traffic control duties, there was also enforcement, including for example strict speed limits on traffic.

The Town Major at Ypres diary has also survived  but it's largely troop movements and administration

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/97e99adc7e2c4c68a2774a94b87bed03

One APM diary at TNA is for 5 Corps but it has been moved and apparently not digitised.

On discharge Pte Park's medical category is shown as A.  His transfer appears to have been voluntary and he would have been on garrison or line of communication duty.  It seems his varicose veins prevented his subsequent front line deployment but not severe enough to prevent him carrying out policing duties.

 

This may be the thread referred to above concerning the police and the Guards

Most police forces had an affinity with the Guards Regiments, often a simple matter of height/physical stature.

You will have seen when examined on enlistment his physical development was described as 'very good', quite an exceptional comment given the level of development in the general population, and therefore recruits, in 1914.  Frustratingly lots of paperwork but no Casualty Form Active service which would list attachments.

 

 

[davidf01608]

Thanks, kenf48, for taking the time to write such a detailed reply - much appreciated!  I had found 4 relevant Scots Guards documents, including the enlistment register, at FMP; I don't think that there are any more, but I'll re-check. His varicose veins are probably the reason he survived the war, when so many of his City of Glasgow Police colleagues who also joined the Scots Guards were killed in action. In any event, they didn't prevent him resuming his civilian police career after demob!
 

Thanks again, David

[FROGSMILE]

12 minutes ago, davidf01608 said:

Thanks, kenf48, for taking the time to write such a detailed reply - much appreciated!  I had found 4 relevant Scots Guards documents, including the enlistment register, at FMP; I don't think that there are any more, but I'll re-check. His varicose veins are probably the reason he survived the war, when so many of his City of Glasgow Police colleagues who also joined the Scots Guards were killed in action. In any event, they didn't prevent him resuming his civilian police career after demob!
 

Thanks again, David

I was thinking exactly the same thing about varicose veins saving his life.  The fortunes of war….or just being streetwise…

Edited 14 February , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[kenf48]

1 hour ago, davidf01608 said:

I had found 4 relevant Scots Guards documents, including the enlistment register, at FMP;

Apart from the enlistment register FMP also has the Scots Guards 'service records'

If you haven't found them this is the link to his record

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBM%2FSCG-SERV%2F012318

I think the most relevant observation is that he was on P.B.D. and therefore did not serve in the field with the 1st Battalion although he was shown as attached to them.

[davidf01608]

Thanks, again, kenf48: those "service records" are the other 3 documents I had found at FMP.  

Please excuse my ignorance, but what do the initials P.B.D. stand for?

[FROGSMILE]

55 minutes ago, davidf01608 said:

Thanks, again, kenf48: those "service records" are the other 3 documents I had found at FMP.  

Please excuse my ignorance, but what do the initials P.B.D. stand for?

Permanent Base Duties (medically unfit for general duties).

[davidf01608]

Thanks - I should have guessed!

[kenf48]

1 hour ago, davidf01608 said:

Thanks - I should have guessed!

You didn’t have to it was in my original post 🙂