History of the Royal Military Police facts for kids

The history of army policing in Great Britain goes way back to the Middle Ages. But the groups that came before today's Royal Military Police only started forming in the 1870s and 1880s. They joined together in 1926 and were given their 'Royal' title in 1946.

Early Days (Before 1850)

The job of provost marshal has been around for a very long time. The first person recorded in this role was in 1511. A provost marshal always had helpers. This was made official by the Duke of Wellington during the Peninsular War.

During the Peninsular War (1809–14), the Duke of Wellington asked for a provost marshal to deal with soldiers who were stealing. By the end of the war, the provost marshal had 24 assistants. These helpers wore a red scarf on their right shoulder. Some people think this was the start of the famous 'Red Cap' worn by military police. However, it was more likely an early version of the 'MP' armband, which helps identify military police today.

This group was disbanded in 1814 when the Peninsular War ended. But the Duke of Wellington brought them back after Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. They helped police the British Army in France. They were disbanded again in 1818.

New Beginnings (1850-1914)

During the Crimean War, a Mounted Staff Corps was formed. It had almost 100 police officers from Ireland and the Metropolitan Police. Their job was to stop supplies from being stolen and keep order in the army camps. This group was disbanded when the war ended.

However, in 1855, a Military Mounted Police group was created. They policed the new army camp at Aldershot. It wasn't until 1877 that this group became a permanent part of the army.

A similar group, the Military Foot Police (MFP), was formed in 1885 for a campaign in Egypt. It also became a permanent group later that year. The Military Mounted Police first saw combat in 1882 at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir. Even though they were technically two separate groups, they worked together like one organization.

World War I and Beyond (1914-1930)

In 1914, the Military Mounted Police and Military Foot Police had almost 5,000 men. When the British Army went to France that year, each army division had an assistant provost marshal and several non-commissioned officers (NCOs).

During the retreat from Mons, military police (MPs) were very busy. They helped soldiers who had gotten lost or separated from their units because of exhaustion or confusion. By setting up special posts, MPs could send soldiers back to their units. These posts also helped catch deserters or those Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL).

First World War was when traffic control became a very important job for MPs. This was clear after the Battle of Loos, where there was a lot of confusion with two British divisions. Besides traffic control, MPs also kept law and order, arrested offenders, looked after prisoners of war, and controlled and protected civilians. The Military Foot Police and Military Mounted Police even policed the Royal Flying Corps until the Royal Air Force Police was formed in 1918.

The MPs often worked in dangerous areas and sometimes came under heavy fire. During this war, the Military Police had 375 casualties. Many received medals for their bravery, including 65 Distinguished Conduct Medals and 260 Military Medals. In 1926, the Military Foot Police and Military Mounted Police officially joined together to form the Corps of Military Police (CMP).

World War II Era (1930-1945)

Specialized Units

A Field Security Police (FSP) Wing was created within the new Corps in 1937. These officers wore special green cap covers and "FSP" badges to show they were different.

In 1938, the Secretary of The Automobile Association (AA) offered to create a special reserve group for the Corps of Military Police from AA employees. This was accepted, and 850 AA patrolmen joined by 1939. Also, thirteen Territorial Army (TA) Companies of the Corps were formed starting in April 1939.

New Branches

During the Second World War, the Military Police grew from about 4,000 members to over 50,000. At the start of the war, the Corps had two main branches: the Field Security Wing and the Provost Wing. The Provost Wing was in charge of general policing.

Two more branches were formed in 1940: the Special Investigation Branch (SIB) and the Vulnerable Points Wing. The Vulnerable Points Wing protected important locations and buildings. They were known as "blue caps" because of their blue cap covers. SIB was formed by detectives from the Metropolitan Police. It grew into many sections that investigated serious crimes like murder. In July 1940, the Field Security Wing joined the new Intelligence Corps.

The Corps' Traffic Control Wing was formed in 1941. These companies managed traffic across the United Kingdom and later in the Middle East, Italy, and North-West Europe. From 1942, "Ports Provost" Companies were also created. They handled security and policing duties in ports and docks.

Wartime Operations

About 950 military police officers and soldiers were killed or died while serving during the war. Many of these deaths were in traffic accidents, and some MPs sadly lost their lives while on duty.

101st Provost Company landed under enemy fire at Courseilles-Sur-Mer during Operation Overlord. 150th Provost Company also took part in this operation. The next year, Field Marshal Montgomery wrote that the "Battle of Normandy and subsequent battles would never have been won but for the work and co-operation of the Provost on the traffic routes."

1st Airborne Division's 1st (Airborne) Divisional Provost Company captured the police station in Arnhem during Operation Market Garden. However, they suffered heavy losses when enemy tanks attacked.

CMP units also took part in Operation Varsity and Operation Plunder, which were parts of the Rhine Crossings in March 1945. CMP units also served with British forces in the Burma campaign (1944–1945). At the end of the war, General Sir Miles Dempsey praised the military police, saying their presence on every road to the battlefield was taken for granted. He noted that few soldiers thought about the man whose duty it was to stand there for hours, directing traffic.

Post-War Years (1945-2000)

On November 28, 1946, King George VI gave the 'Royal' title to the Corps, making it the Royal Military Police (RMP). This was to recognize their excellent work during the war. The Traffic Control Wing and Vulnerable Points Wing were mostly stopped by 1946.

RMP members were part of the UN force in the Korean War, with only one soldier dying during that conflict. The first RMP officers who joined directly were accepted in 1953. From 1969 onwards, four RMP members died during Operation Banner, which was the British Army's response to the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Queen Elizabeth II became the Corps' Colonel-in-Chief in 1977.

Cold War Duties

In 1946, agreements allowed military missions in Germany's post-war zones. The Soviet Union had missions in the U.S., French, and British zones. The British Forces had a mission (BRIXMIS) in the Soviet Zone (East Germany). The RMP was in charge of policing the Soviet mission in Bünde, Germany. This job went to 19 (Support) Platoon RMP, who were called "white mice." Their job was to follow Soviet vehicles. In some areas, Soviet vehicles were not allowed to leave the main roads unless a U.S., British, or French military police officer was with them.

In Berlin, 247 Provost Company RMP was responsible for staffing the British Sector checkpoints and border patrols. This unit also had a German security unit. This was disbanded in 1994 when the British Army left Berlin.

Conflicts After the Empire

RMP soldiers fought against guerrilla forces in the Malayan Emergency (1948-1950). Thirteen RMP members also died in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation (1948–1956), and eight died during anti-terrorist operations in the Suez Canal Zone (1951-1956).

On April 1, 1955, a terrorist campaign began in Cyprus. An early casualty was Major Greenaway, who was shot and paralyzed. The campaign lasted until 1959. Nine RMP members died during this time and are buried at the Waynes Keep Cemetery in the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus. These brave individuals were:

• Lance-Corporal W. R. Bell, 227 GHQ Provost Company RMP
• Lance-Corporal W. N. Cameron, 51 Independent Infantry Brigade Provost Company RMP
• Lance-Corporal R. J. Downing, 3 Infantry Division Provost Company RMP
• Lance-Corporal R. B. Leitch, 227 Provost Company RMP
• Lance-Corporal D. W. Perry, HQ 3 Brigade RMP
• Lance-Corporal A. R. Shaw, 3 Independent Infantry Division Provost Company RMP
• Lance-Corporal G. A. Todd
• Lance-Corporal B. F. Turvey
• Lance-Corporal B. D. Welsh

RMP units were also based in Nairobi during the Mau Mau Uprising (1952-1960). RMP personnel were also involved in Operation Musketeer, which led to the Suez Crisis in 1956. The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was set up in 1964 to stop fighting between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. RMP members have served with the Force Military Police Unit (FMPU) since the beginning. Three RMP units were also involved in the Aden Emergency (1964–1967).

Falklands Conflict: Operation Corporate

160 Provost Company RMP sent a group to the Falklands conflict. After the Argentine forces gave up, 5 Infantry Brigade Provost Unit RMP stayed on the islands. They acted as Special Constables until the Falkland Islands Police Force could start working again.

Middle East: Operation Granby

In 1991, British forces were part of a US-led group that went into Kuwait and Southern Iraq as part of Operation Desert Storm. The British name for this was Operation Granby. RMP units were involved, including 203 Provost Company RMP and 174 Provost Company RMP. The RMP sadly had one fatality during this operation: Staff Sergeant David Tite.

Changes to the Corps

On April 6, 1992, the RMP became part of the Provost Branch of the Adjutant General's Corps. However, it was allowed to keep its name "Royal Military Police" and its special cap badge and red cap. On March 5, 1995, the Mounted Troop was disbanded after 118 years.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

During 1994, the British Army sent units to Bosnia as part of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR). This force was later replaced by IFOR and then SFOR. RMP units were part of these forces, providing military police support in various towns.

Kosovo (Operation AGRICOLA)

On June 12, 1999, the UK sent 19,000 troops into Kosovo as part of KFOR. The first British units, including the Royal Engineers and RMP, had to deal with traps in road tunnels before they could move into Kosovo.

The 21st Century (2000-present)

On June 24, 2003, after the Invasion of Iraq, six Royal Military Police soldiers were sadly killed by a large crowd while on duty at a police station in Majar al-Kabir in Southern Iraq. The town was known for being lawless, and its people did not want coalition troops there.

In 2004, the European Union Force (EUFOR) took over the UN's duties in Bosnia, and it included RMP personnel.

Britain still has military forces in Brunei, including an RMP unit. The Force Military Police Unit (FMPU) on Cyprus is one of only two multi-national units within UNFICYP. It is led by an RMP major. Seven other RMP members form the core of the 25-person unit. Other countries like Argentina, Hungary, and Slovakia also contribute. The British contribution to the FMPU is now the longest ongoing operation for the RMP.

External sources

• A Short History of the Royal Military Police and its Antecedents

Images for kids

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  (from left to right) WWII Vulnerable Points shoulder badge as worn by VP Wing, WWII Traffic Control shoulder badge as worn by TC Wing, CMP armband as worn during WWII, present-day RMP Flash.

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  A Royal Military Police soldier using field glasses to look across the Berlin Wall from a viewing platform on the western side, 1984.

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  British military policeman attached to the 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, teaches Afghan Border Police trainees patrol tactics at the Lashkar Gah Training Center in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 13, 2012.