Northern Rhodesia Police car pennant circa 1950s - 1964

[Defendersoftheempire]

Recently I purchased this wonderful Northern Rhodesia Police car pennant and car badge. I have near complete run of the NRP Magazine Nkhwazi and checked all pictures to see if I could see this pennant in use. If any members have period picture showing NRP pennant please post. Regards Greg

[irish]

Very nice and interesting item, thanks for posting

Best
Jack

[Defendersoftheempire]

Here is a 1950s - 1964 Northern Rhodesia Police flag.

THE NORTHERN RHODESIA POLICE FLAG

When Northern Rhodesia was administered by the British South Africa Company the Company's seal was used on official documents. On 1 April 1924 the Colonial Office took over the administration. The Territroy having no badge or seal the Governor used his own personal seal on official documents. In 1925 he appointed a committee to advise on an emblem for the Territory. The badge of the Northern Rhodesia Police was then the Crested Crane but that bird appeared on the official seal of Uganda, another Colonial Office territory. In 1927 it was decided to use the Fish Eagle (Nkhwazi), grasping a fish and flying over the Victoria Falls ie 'Sable six palets wavy Argent on a Chief Azure an Eagle reguardant wings expanded Or holding in the talons a Fish of the Second'. This design was approved by HM King George V in 1930.
On 1 April 1932 the Military Branch of the Northern Rhodesia Police was separated from the Force to become the Northern Rhodesia Regiment. It took the Crested Crane badge with it.
Mr R I Hockey of the Government Survey Department designed a new badge for the Northern Rhodesia Police based on the new arms of the Territory. This badge was issued in brass in 1933.
After World War II white metal was substituted for brass on buttons and badges. Mr Martin Morris of the Livingstone Travel and Publicity Bureau designed a chrome badge with the eagle and fish superimposed on a roundel bearing the name of the Force and surmounted by a Tudor Crown. This was the fashionable shape for police cap badges in the UK and colonies at the time.
In July 1952 the Lord Chancellor of England approved the use of the St Edward's Crown favoured by the new Queen, Elizabeth II. At a conference of senior NRP officers it was decided in 1953 to revert to the 1933 badge but in white metal and surmounted by the Crown. This is the badge on the flag purchased by your member.
I cannot say when precisely the flag came into use only that it was before 22 September 1957. It remained in use until Northern Rhodesia became Zambia on 24 October 1964. In accordance with Force Standing Order 599 the Force flag was flown alongside the Union flag at Force Headquarters, Lusaka, The Police training School, Lilayi and the Police Mobile Unit HQ at Bwana Mkubwa and later Kamfinsa. At subordinate HQs and other police stations only the Union flag was flown.
The Northern Rhodesia Police flag has been flown in the United Kingdom several times a year since about 1965 over hotels hosting reunions of the Northern Rhodesia Police Association and perhaps the same applies in South Africa. It was flown again at the Zambia Police Training College, Lilayi, in August 2004 at a ceremonial parade held in honour of a visit by members of the Northern Rhodesia Police Association from the United Kingdom, the Republic of South Africa and elsewhere.
The flag is a distinguishing flag not a colour or standard. Blue with silver metalware is the traditional uniform of the police in Great Britain (to the best of my knowledge only the tiny City of London Police force wear yellow metal buttons). Blue and silver were adopted by the Colonial Police Service for uniform caps and embellishments worn with khaki drill or blue uniforms according to climate.