British Legion Volunteer Police Force

[mike_vee]

Brief history of the BLVPF

The British Legion Volunteer Police Force was a very short lived police force established in response to the outcome of the Munich Agreement in September 1938. The force was formed on 6 October 1938 and disbanded on 15 October 1938, only ten days later.

The 'Force' consisited of 1200 men and their uniform consisted of Police blue peaked caps and greatcoats (supplied by Metropolitan Police) and dark blue three piece suits.

A special cap badge was produced with epaulette badges for the greatcoats , an armband in the legion colours of gold (yellow ?) and blue was also issued. A standard British Legion badge was to be worn in the left lapel buttonhole of the suit.

Provenance of badges

The badges were part of an auction lot consisting of the Boer War/WW1 medals awarded to Lieut/Capt (later Major) H.S.L Wolley which was sold on 30th April 2021.

On 15th May the items were listed on eBay but split into three lots (Medals/British Legion badges/Gold BL badge). I had a 'gut feeling' that the BL badges were for the BLVPF and did some serious research which proved my feeling was correct.

I put in a bid and now the badges are mine ! (they arrived this morning).

Major Wolley was an active member of the British Legion becoming Vice Chairman of the Cheltenham branch, during WW2 as part of the Local Defence Volunteers he was a staff officer at the HQ of General Sir Reginald Stevens, he passed away on March 3rd 1957 at Godalming in Surrey.

Note : Unfortunately for me , his basic BL badges are part of the "Medal" lot and his Gold award badge (hallmarked for 1952 or 1954) is from a time before the "unique identification numbers" were stamped on the Gold badges and as such can't be positively linked to him (and as money is tight I won't be going for it )

Still , I now have a very nice set of BLVPF badges in my collection.

.