I have been asked a rather specific question about MPs and 1CanPara.

Now, what I've seen indicates that in the Admin Platoon of HQ Company (where most of teh tradesmen and other "non-infantry" types seem to be concentrated), there is a small MP section.

One "Provost Sergeant" and three privates as "Regimental Police".

Now, AFAIK, the privates doing RP duties were ALWAYS "regimental" personnel (which is why they wore RP brassards instead of CMP or Provost Corps insignia).

But, does anyone KNOW whether the Provost Sergeant was Canadian Provost Corps? (It would actually make sense that he would be -- an CProC NCO could supervise 3x infantry privates doing RP and keep things straight, but would you really want to have an infantry NCO and 3x infantry privates trying to handle prisoners IAW KR and the Manual for Courts Martial, with the specific details about how to treat the accused?)

I realize that CProC personnel were sometimes detatched out in penny packets -- witness the one sergeant, 1 corporal and six lance corporals who were sent to Hong Kong with Winnipeg Grenadiers and Royal Rifles Of Canada. (from the old Wiki site http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/mediawiki-1.5.5/index.php?title=Canadian_Provost_Corps )

or would that Provost Sergeant been detached from the divisional 6th Airborne Provost Company?

Rick,

All of the personnel in the provost section were regimental members. Personnel from the C Pro C were not a part of an infantry or parachute battalion WE. The title 'Provost Sergeant' was given to the regimental sergeant who held that position. Much like the 'Intelligence Sergeant' was not a member of the C Int C or the 'Pioneer Sergeant' was not a member of the RCE. All were regimental personnel using the appropriate regimental title.

The attached members of any unit (those personnel from another Corps) were listed individually at the the beginning of all WE's by rank and by Corps. As an example an infantry battalion would have two cook sergeants (RCASC), an armourer (originally RCOC but later RCEME) and a Sergeant Fitter (again originally RCOC but later RCEME). C Pro C personnel are not found listed in this section for either infantry or parachute battalions which means that no personnel from that Corps were so assigned.

Later in the war Canadian WE's stopped listing extra-corps personnel as attached members but as unit members. The British Army continued to use the 'attached' label and still do to this day I believe.

Hope this helps,
Dan.

Yeah,

That certainly clarifies it. Thanks for a SPECIFIC answer concerning that one billet, rather than a "general" answer involving "most" billets. <grin>

Now I can intelligently answer the inquiry that got kicked up to me. . .

Rick