Civilian Component Brassard & Police Badges
 

Hi All,

I've just got these items and was wondering if anyone can help identify them.

I was thinking they might have been worn by civilian police working in Bosnia but that's just a guess.

Thanks for the help,

Michael

The UK Police badge wasn't in use by UK Police in Bosnia by 2000, presumably it was at some point after then, it was in wear by UK Police in East Timor by 2003.
(The British police contingents wouldn't have become UK Police until 1999 when Scottish forces and the RUC joined the English and Welsh forces who were already providing personnel).

I saw the "Forensic" badge for sale about a week ago and checked with someone who'd been in the UK Police Contigent in Bosnia, he checked with some other ex- Contingent members but they hadn't seen it before.

UK Police Contingent badge in wear, UNMISET, 2003-04.

Found a Kosova 2000 patch.

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Thanks for the help everyone, any idea about the brassard?

Michael

'Fraid not, perhaps UK civilian experts in non-military or police, fire service, prison service, ambulance service etc roles?

Looks rather military though (if not that similarity re. colour and the crown is a bit disconcerting, it would suggest the civilian is armed forces).

I hav'nt seen such a brassard before.

Thanks Leigh,

It is the usual military shade of olive green and I was assuming the person held the equivalent appointment / status of a Major.

Michael

Found some info , it relates to Namibia , but has details about the civilian branch of UNTAG.

https://search.archives.un.org/civilian-component

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Possibly police ?


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I have one of these brassards which I am unsure about and I have marked it as
"CIVILIAN COMPONENT BOSNIA" which I assumed included interpreters for the British Military, Police etc??
A definite ID would be great.
Jerry

I wonder if this was a 'generic' brassard worn during other/earlier UN missions ? :confused:

It may have been "identified" as Bosnia because it came with other badges from that period but may not have been specific to that conflict.

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I'm thinking of the crown as being a symbol to represent QEII, the UK, rather than indicating rank or status. But again I'm just guessing.
All of the wording and insignia are embroidered onto the brassard, the crown isn't one that would be a number of different rank symbols that could be sewn on.

"Kelly's" sells the brassards but they're identified simply as "what's on the tin".

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ictureid=59203
Not mine.
Marc

I saw that there are nine available , also spotted one on a German site but again no details.

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All the one's seen have the "MAJOR" rank badge on. So does this indicate that ALL the wearers held this (honorary) rank??
Has other "ranks" been seen on the brassards??

Presumably the brassard is worn with a shoulder strap looped through, if so I would've thought rank insignia would be worn on the strap.

Possibly to show civilian/police 'rank' when wearing flak jacket/body armour ? :confused:

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I never saw any of them worn in Bosnia during multiple tours across UNPROFOR, IFOR, SFOR and EUFOR either by UK military, UK CivPol with IPTF and certainly not by locally employed interpreters....

Thanks for the help everyone, sounds like they are a real mystery.

Michael

Possibly of interest

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/internat...nwealth-office

https://www.gov.uk/government/organi...ut/recruitment

Thanks Leigh, I'll have a look at those links.

Michael

Not really telling you much that isn't obvious from the design of the badge and wording, but I'm told worn by British Forensic Team members working with the Norwegian Forensec Unit.

One of mine.

Marc

Re. the brassard, I'm told that post the UN IPTF era in BiH British civilian staff were granted military ranks in line with their civilian status and afforded entry to officer's messes.
I'm advised that some "acted like landed gentry and would tell everyone their military rank and would write their 'rank' on their doors, books, etc"

First I've heard of the practise.
So, perhaps the brassard was worn by such personnel granted the status of "Major".

Interesting brassard.

UK civilains were certainly accorded the privleges of 'officer' rank in the early 2000s in BiH and Kosovo but I don't remember any specific rank being given with the exception of the GoC's POLAD (or 'political advisor' - although in reality he was something very different) who was accorded one star status - but behaved impecably. I also don't remember them wearing 'uniform' very much, with the exception of body armour and helmets carried outside the wire, and DPM waterproofs and softee jackets worn during inclement weather - of which there is a fair bit in the Balkans.

I have one of these civilian brassards as well.

I saw an eBay listing for one that said something to the effect that it was worn by civilian contractors to help military personal with new technology equipment that had not been much in use yet, during the Gulf War. The listing further says that these civilians were given the honorary rank of Major to allow them some authority over the military personal they were working with.

I cannot confirm or discount this, but share it as possibly another explanation of the brassard.

Terry

Maybe to show they are working officially for the Crown.

Marc