Intelligence Corps

[Provost]

Slightly off topic, but in May 1937, the Field Security Police - a wing of the Corps of Military Police, was formed. Known as the "greencaps" on account of the elasticated cotton cap covers they wore, virtually all 1700 members were transferred into the Intelligence Corps in September 1940.

 

Back to the topic. There were, however, a number of MFP members connected to the Intelligence Corps in 1914-18.

 

P4353 LCpl H G S Uglow was a Police Constable in Torquay before joining the MFP. Serving in Egypt and Palestine, he was "attached to the intelligence department" -  http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org/soldier/19989/

 

P5550 LCpl E D P Hardy served in the HLI (No 2275) before transferring to the MFP. He was Commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in July 1917 (MiD LG 20/5/1920).

 

P10412 LCpl J Worlledge MFP - enlisted in August 1914 - a 22 year old student - into RFA 204 Battery. Transferred to MFP in February 1917, fluent in Russian, Polish and French, he was attached to Intelligence Corps and Detective Branch on 8.3.1917 - Class Z Discharge on 24.2.1919

 

P11341 LCpl E W Tanfield MFP (Ports Police). Born in Whitby, he is described formerly a "French Intelligence officer at Folkestone." He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre in October 1919.

 

P16349 LCp Edwin T Woodhall Served with Cameronians 1904-07, then served with Metropolitan Police. He was recalled at the outbreak of war, went to France with Cameronians 1st Bn No 8559  on 15.8.1914, and served with the Intelligence Corps in France from at least Dec 1915 until Nov 17 when he returned to Cameronians 1st Bn.  He was transferred to Labour Corps in Jan 1918 in 842 Area Employment Coy No 447701, then transferred to the MFP in August 1918. He remained with them until being discharged in Feb 1919.  He left the Met (as a PC) in Jul 1919.  He was the author of a number of books including "Detective & Secret Service Days" in which he claims to have arrested Percy Topliss.

 

Hope this is of interest.

 

Cheers,

 

Richard

[Guest]

Gents,

I have just stumbled upon your thread of the origins of the Intelligence corp/MI5/MI6/associated Regiments etc and hope someone may be able to help me.

I am researching my Grandfather, William Herbert Burton DOB 29th May 1892. He was born in Fulham. He started life as a 'Driller' at the Enfield Arsenal. In 1914, despite being in a 'protected occupation' he enlisted in the Grenadier Guards, 1st Battalion, (Attestation 17029). All his personnel details are on the Attestation form so I am certain it is the correct person.  The first problem I have is that the Grenadier Guards only accepted recruits at and above 6'0". My grandfather was only 5'8", which is clearly stated on the attestation. During the war years he would disappear for months at a time but returned home in 1918 speaking almost fluent French.

At the start of WW2 he joined the Home Guard and whilst on parade was berated by the C.O. for not wearing his medals (ribbons). My Grandfather told him that he wasn't allowed to wear his medals. The C.O. questioned him further as to his regiment and Grandfather replied 'Grenadier Guards 1st Battalion. The C.O. was dumbfounded stating that the 1st Battalion had all been wiped out. The C.O. stated he would check-up on him and at a later date said he had checked and it was OK  but he was glad to have an 'Old Soldier' like him in the troop. 

In his 'cups' one night my Grandfather told his son that he had seen service in France and Belgium as an Intelligence Agent.

I have tried the the Regiment and the medal lists, Ancestry and several other platforms but have drawn a total blank. I understand from above threads that many of the names of the early recruits to the Intelligence Corp are known, if this is so could someone let me know if my Grandfather's name is among them or further avenues I might pursue.

regards

Mike Burton

[travers61]

Hi Mike,

 

I presume as you quote from his attestation, you have have tried the run of duplicate service papers that until recently the Grenadiers held in London, but are now at the MOD in Glasgow. 

http://grengds.com/static.php?content_id=9

 

I also looked at the National Archives website & London Gazette with no luck.

 

He features in 13 trees on ancestry & they are either private with no details showing, or do not show any military details.

 

Travers

[Guest]

Travers,

Many thanks for you suggestions. I obtained the Attestation from the Grenadiers. They stated there were no other document available. 

regards

Mike

[travers61]

Re the height of recruits to the Guards Regiments.

 

 From looking at a couple of threads on this forum it seems in 1914 it was min 5 feet 7 inches (happy to be corrected). A recruiting poster for the Welsh Guards in 1915 stated this as well.  This also reflects the average height for men at the time which was lower than todays 5 ft 9 inches.

 

Like you I had obtained records from the Guards for a soldier who enlisted in Sept 1914 and what was there was very brief, the attestation form and a couple of other bits. It was however fantastic that it had survived and was available.

 

Like your grandfather the soldier I was researching, Henry William BROWN, from Bow, East London 9699 Scots Guards was under 6 ft tall, at 5 ft 9 & one eighth inches. He was captured during he fighting for the Brick Stacks at Cuinchy, and died during a Typhus out break in a German pow camp in March 1915.

 

Travers

Edited 21 April , 2020 by travers61

[Muerrisch]

The minimum height for all regiments varied as supply and demand. The heavy cavalry, the artillery and the Guards usually had higher minima. The Sovereign's Company had the highest criteria, but again this varied.

The criteria were published in Army Orders.