Bonniface Gurkha Military Police O.R.'s cap badge
 

I have picked up what appears to be a genuine 'Bonniface' O.R.'s Gurkha Military Police badge with a wide slider. I cannot find out much about them other than that they were unofficial and worn for only a brief period.

Being post WW2 it is outside my collecting interest and I cannot find one for sale online so I have no idea what to ask for it. I would prefer to sell it on the Forum, so If anyone wants to make me a realistic offer for it. I will consider it.

I will post pictures in due course.

There had been a Gurkha provost company in existence since 1 June 1950 - they wore the insignia of the Royal Military Police, in September 1955 the Gurkha Military Police came into being . In 1956 Major B Bonniface was the officer commanding 17 Gurkha infantry division Provost Company and took it upon himself to design and produce the insignia for the unit which he described in RMP Journal of 1957. (2nd qtr) He was formally rebuked in the next issue of the same journal as being “premature “ and two years later in June 1959 the design of the new approved insignia were sealed. So the Boniface badges were never “official” but they were the only ones worn for about two years. A relatively small unit the badges are quite rare - the very first ones produced had lugs , the last batch were produced with sliders. O/Rs in Brass or White Metal, Silver/Chrome for Warrant officers and Silver & Gold for officers. I think if you put it on eBay you’d get north of £80 for it. Cheers Tim

Hi Simon, I am interested in your badge and have PMed you :)

I have done a lot of research re GMP with ex members and PRO for an article.

According to my notes the last 'Bonniface' Badge was sold on E bay in July 2011 and went for £310. No idea what bosleys would put on it.

Be aware that two batches of these badges with slider have been made in the UK by a jeweller with sliders for the GMP association at accost of about £30 each. This really makes things difficult as they will eventually be sold as coming from an ex GMP, mudding the waters. According to the ex GMP members originals had lugs not sliders.

Regards

Steve M

In Bosley's May 2007 auction a Chrome Warrant Officers badge with slider went for £396 ! In April 2009 an identical badge at Bosleys went for £149. I suspect that two bidders pushed the price up in 2007 and then the under bidder in 2007 got the next one for half price in 2009!

That's really interesting about the slider versions Steve - I'd always thought that given the small cadre and limited time the badges were worn why would they need a "second batch" to be produced? Your version makes more sense. Here's my two that I picked up in a job lot - the large badge has the correct lugs and smaller officers collar has a pin fastening which I believe is also "correct"? Tim

Steve,

many thanks for sharing your knowledge. The badge appears to be chromed and has quite a wide slider. I will upload some photographs this evening when I get home.

Simon

My badge appears to be the same as the one in post 5 of this thread.

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ight=bonniface

Top right in Oriskany's photograph.

Here is my Bonniface Gurkha Military Police badge.

Steve,

that is very interesting but without wishing to appear pedantic, the badges with sliders may not have been worn on active service, but if they were made for the GMP association and worn by members who served in the GMP then they have technically come from an exGMP.

Do you have any information about when they were made and offered to members of the GMP Association? I imagine that there would have been mention of it in the GMP Association journal at the time.

Simon

Sorry for delay in getting back, but I don't go on line every day.
It is a good point you make, The purist would not want one as it was not ordnance issue. If it was worn in service official or not I'm happy with it, but undecided if for OCA.


The ones for the GMP OCA were apparently made in the 90's (he is looking for the receipt) and were only sold to members of the GMP association at a cost of £30. They are made in Silver but not hallmarked and have the slider, not lugs. The originals apparently are made from an aluminium type metal and cost 50 cent malay!! about 12p!!!! So if alloy its genuine if Silver OCA.

The guys remember this clearly due to the following fact I was unaware of.
At this time the RMP SD caps were Khaki with detachable Red covers. The RMP badge had a slider. They made a hole in the front of the cover, passed the slider thro then fixed it to the cap. This kept the cover taut and smart. The lugs on the GMP badge meant they couldn't do this, so the cap cover lost it smartness!!! They did mention that the unofficial ones were collected in.

Tim,
The Collars were not common issue. It does appear however that the ex members mention these as being sold at the early reunions as 'ladies brooches' and mention made that they were collars. these have the gold scrolls and the pin.

Kind regards
Steve

Steve,

that is very interesting. Thank you for the update.

Simon.

Bonniface Badge
 

I Have been reading some of the post regarding The Bonniface Badge.
I was serving in 17 Div. Pro. Coy. RMP, when the badge was issued.
I have both badges, and I can assure everyone the first issue had lugs, (
useless with the red top.It was OK with the Gurkha hat)
They are made of an aluminium like metal( which were made localy, so no records remain)
A member of The Malaya Veterans Group, RMP had about ten replicas made in solid silver. Not hallmarked, and I have a copy of the receipt I have one of those badges. I also have a small Ladies Brooch, which has some gold lettering on, and I use it as a tie pin.
I have scratched my Last Four, on the slider.

Straight from the horse's - no offence intended, Chobbly - mouth! ;)