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Old 06-08-11, 09:25 AM
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Praepositus Praepositus is offline
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If I may add to the debate - CMP consisted of the follwoing Wings & Branches during the 2WW period: ATS Provost - 1st allocation to Commands of ATS Pro made in Feb 42; WRAC Provost in 1949 with formation of WRAC; Traffic Control Wing formed in 1940 as direct result of lessons identified with BEF - distinguished by white band painted round steel helmet with blue diamond flash bearing the letters 'TC' - but these were not the "Whitecaps" that Tony mentioned as they were 'Ports Provost' sub-units formed in 1941, and much in evidence at during Op TORCH, HUSKEY, OVERLORD etc; "Bluecaps" appearing in the ORBAT in late 1940 were the Vulnerable Points Wing CMP, whose modern equivalent is the MPGS; "Redcaps" CMP proper - discipline, escorts & traffic control etc "Special Investigation Branch" (SIB) formed in Feb 1940 providing a detective capability with its Officers wearing General Service Corps cap badges etc; and finally "Greencaps" the Field Security Police (FSP) - with CMP responsible for the provision & training of FSP from 1937 onwards. On mobilisation FSP were regarded as CMP and were so badged wearing a Green stretch top to the SD cap and a GVIR CMP cap-badge HOWEVER, soldiers being soldiers, FSP NCOS tended to grind off the letters forming 'Military Police' on the scroll, whilst retaining the scroll itself. I have a FSP shoulder title (bought from Bosley's) but sadly no modified CMP capbadge albeit I have seen one. FSP became part of the Int Corps in December 1940.
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