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Old 03-09-15, 12:34 PM
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Arthur R Arthur R is offline
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Hi Phil

The badge on the left is indeed Civilian Protective Services, but the badge on the right is the Essential Services Protection Corps (Korps vir die Beskerming van Noodsaaklike Dienste). They were entirely separate organisations.

The CPS was not so much a home guard as a civil defence organisation. It was responsible for blackouts, air-raid precautions, anti-gas precautions, bomb clearance and suchlike. It was controlled by municipalities, co-ordinated by the Dept of the Interior, and later by the Dept of Justice.

The Civilian Guard was a branch within the CPS. Members were enrolled as special constables in the SA Police and wore uniforms, hence the badge.

The ESPC was an auxiliary service under the auspices of the Secretary for Defence. Its job was to guard bridges, dams etc -- what would now be called "key points" -- against sabotage.
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Arthur
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