Gents,
I am currently working on putting together an RAF Police impression (actually Polish Air Force Police -yes they did exist!). I checked a number of websites and am getting conflicting information on a couple of items. It seems that the info that I am finding indicates that the RCAF Police were wearing the white gear by 1942 and the RAF Police supposedly didn't start wearing it until 1945. Can anyone confirm? Dated photos?

Also re:Uniforms - according to the Canadian MP website the RCAF Police working uniform was the Service Dress. I can't find a definite answer on the RAF Police. Did they were service dress as their working uniform or battle dress? Again, photos?

(I saw an earlier post regarding the armbands...as near as I can tell there were 2 different armbands depending on the assignment of the RAF Policeman - The RAF over SP armband was worn but the service police at the bases that reported to the base commander, the Blue/Black band with red stripe and RAFP initials version appears to have been worn by the RAF Police that reported to the Provost Marshall's office and generally were stationed off base. This armband appears to be largely unchanged through today - difference in fastening method.)
Thank you.

Jack Rissmiller
Polish American Living History Assoc.

Jack,
Looked through most of my books and haven't seen a single images of RAF service police. The best I've found are some sketches which show SPs wearing service dress and what appears to be white pistol belts. They are wearing the OR pattern visor cap. Armband appears to be two rows -- RAF over SP.

Checked my Kings Regs and Air Council Instructions (1940 edition) and the only references made are to the armband -- 2-1/2" wide, black cloth, with red cloth letters. Worn on left arm above the elbow.

I do recall seeing an image of the entrance to the underground HQ of Bomber Command. I can't find which book it's in but I think there might be two SPs guarding the entrance. Will scan it -- if I locate the right book.

Now I don't know if you have been to this site yet ot not but there is a part for the RCAF police.

http://www.mpmuseum.org/index3.html

Been there. Checked them out. I'm still trying to confirm where the RAFP armband was used and to find a photo of it from WW2-era. Thank you.

I would be interested in seeing that photo. I've been having a hard time locating some photos that I had seen on the web which were earlier dated. I suspect that finding any documentation of the non-base attached RAF Police may be an issue. I'm not sure how many of them there were so may require a good bit of digging to find. I'm suspecting that I will not be actually outfitted for a while since large size Other Ranks Service Dress is very hard to come by (since I'm not hearing anything on these guys actually wearing BD).

There is a nice photo of the RAF SP armband being worn at:
http://www.belgianbadges4046.be/baaps.htm

Hope this helps

Will check it out as soon as I can get the link to go through. Thanks.

Managed to get in. Interesting. Problem is that the photos are all 1945 or later. Need photos pre-1945 - info that I have is that the RAF Police supposedly weren't allowed to wear white gear until 1945 but need to find earlier photos to confirm. Thank you anyway.

You might like to try the following website (the RAF Police Association);

http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/unipeed/index.html

It's a bit disorganised, but I did notice a link to a guy who has produced / is producing the definiive history of the RAFP. I'm sure that he would know the answer!

Cheers

Rich

There is a very good book called 'Deputy Provost Marshal - I slew My Dragon' by F A Instone. I think it was private publish and I only happened to stumble across the copy i have in a large bookshop in London (Foyles) as I did not recognise the title.

There are a number of photos in it, including three of the Police wearing the white gear including white Dispatch Riders helmets (two dated Spring 1945, the other undated).

There is also a couple showing RAFP Dispatch Riders, one being the authors wedding (15 April 1944) where they are forming a guard of honour. They are not wearing white gear there, so I presume it is RAF blue.

On the question of armbands, there is a large group shot and some are wearing armbands, dated 1943, but impossible to tell what type. Another shows a WAAF Officer wearing an RAFP one, there is a beauty showing the PM (Provost Marshal) Armband. The wedding photo mentioned above shows the armband being worn, and although you can not see the lettering, I asume it is the standard RAFP one.

If someone can tell me how to easily get more than one photo on this site and how to control the size I'll happily scan some in.