MOD Security cap badge.

[Martin Hughes]

Hello everyone,

I recently acquired a "M.O.D Security" cap badge and I'm hoping to gather more information about it. I've been curious about its origins and significance. Could anyone provide insights or direct me to resources where I can learn more?

From what I understand, this cap badge might be connected to the forerunner of the MOD Guard Service. However, I haven't been able to find much information about the badge or the organization it represents. I've also been attempting to find a picture of the cap badge, but my search has yielded no results.

I'm wondering if this badge is considered rare due to the lack of available information and images. If anyone has any details, pictures, or even personal experiences related to the "M.O.D Security" cap badge, I would greatly appreciate it if you could share them.

Thanks Martin

[Phil2M]

I have one, and I know of a couple of others, they are very scarce. I think they were meant to be handed in at the end of service. As I understand it, yes, they were the predecessors of the current MoDGS.

[Martin Hughes]

Thanks Phil for confirming, much appreciated.

[sailorbear]

Martin, I've replied in the post which for some reason is also in the South African Police section?

[altcar73]

The late Cedric Heys had a box of these MOD Security cap badges (chrome plated with slider marked "Firmin"). I'd estimate 100 plus which were the residue of Firmin's stock. The badge had become obsolete when the MOD Guard Force was formed. His stock has been consigned to Marlows/Bosleys for disposal. So, I suspect that in due course they will begin to appear on eBay.

Dave.

[sailorbear]

Hi Martin. If you are talking about the white metal, cap badge with Queen's crown and ER, with M.O.D Security in a circle, I wore one on a blue peaked cap with a blue uniform with white metal ER buttons. It was worn when I was serving in the Defence Research Agency Guard Force at DRA Haslar (formerly the Admiralty Research Establishment - ARE Haslar) in Gosport. Previous to this, we wore a white metal crown on a midnight blue beret. The DRA Guard force was created when the ARE, was amalgamated with other government defence research organisations to become the Defence Research Agency, which was an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence. we were designated as Civilian Security Officer and held Non Industrial Civil Servant Status at MOD Administration Assistant grade. A previous organisation existed, known as UK MOD Industrial Patrolmen, they wore grey uniforms and peaked caps, with blue shirts and navy blue pullovers, and wore a gold crown cap badge. later some wore MOD Security white metal shoulder titles, they were designated as Industrial Civil Servants and had Labourer status. In 1994,(I think), the DRA Guard Force, along with all other MOD security guarding organisations, industrial and non industrial were amalgamated into a new force, the MOD Guard Service, that would hold status as Non Industrial Civil Servants and would be trained by the MOD Police and Services Police at the MOD training school at Wethersfield, Essex and would be one of a number of Defence Security Guarding forces including the Northern Ireland Security Guard Service, the Gibraltar Defence Guard Service, Germany Guard Service and Security Force Police Cyprus (formerly Army Depot Police). Phil2M has an example in his album of MOD security related cap badges, I think they are fairly rare, apart from the one I have, that I was issued with and wore, I have so far, never seen one for sale?

Hope this helps

Regards
Tony

[Martin Hughes]

Thanks Tony for the reply, sorry it's late. That's really interesting am still digging around for pictures (still no luck). Thanks again Martin

[Martin Hughes]

Big thank you to all that reply. Cheers Martin

[sailorbear]

Originally Posted by Martin Hughes

Thanks Tony for the reply, sorry it's late. That's really interesting am still digging around for pictures (still no luck). Thanks again Martin

Photo's of it being worn may be very hard to find! I initially wore it on a beret, then later on a peaked cap. It was worn by all Defence Research Agency Guard Force staff, which as I remember covered sites which included DRA Portsdown (old Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment) DRA Portsdown West (old Admiralty Research Establishment), DRA Haslar (old Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment), DRA Funtington (formerly ARE), DRA Fraser Range (originally Fraser Gunnery Range, moved from ARE Eastney Fort East), DRA Bincleves and DRA Southwell, (both formerly the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment) , DRA Farnborough (formerly the Royal Aircraft Establishment), DRA Fort Helsteads and DRA Holton Heath (formerly the RN Cordite Factory), I believe the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment became part of the DRA as well. It may be possible to find a photo in the individual establishment archives, if you can locate them?, as many of the sites no longer exist, the DRA became the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), then was split with one part becoming a commercial enterprise with the MOD having large shares - QinetiQ, and the other part becoming the Defence Science and Test Laboratory (DSTL) . Hope its of some help.

Tony