Alfred George Jones

[Sarun4519]

Can anyone tell me about the military foot police and what their duties might have been, where they would have served in WW1?

Alfred G. enlisted on 1 Nov 1915 from Birkenhead and rejoined civilian police after WW1.

Any info will be appreciated.

Thank you
SR

[MarkCDodd]

From the first landing in France of the British Expeditionary Force to the end of the war, numbers of M.F.P were attached to each Division no matter where based.

So effectively they were everywhere the British Military were.

They were strategically placed and trained to perform these main functions:

a) Detect and arrest AWOL and deserting soldiers.
b) Aid lost and scattered troops to find their units before and after a battle.
c) Maintain Law and Order.
d) Guard prisoners to and from their places of detention.
e) Escort and protect civilians liasing with and/or travelling with the military. (i.e Press, contractors, engineers etc).

As WW1 became more mechanised and chaotic their duties expanded to traffic control.

Generals soon learned that they needed to liase with the M.F.P and give them enough information to allow the planning of troop movements without the risk of traffic jams.

Although most of their work was done behind the lines, many hundreds were killed and a fair number of them were awarded fairly high military honour.

A large number of civilian police were recruited into the M.F.P as their skills were directly applicable to the military roles.

[beardie]

soldiers died in the great war gives 22 killed in action and 20 died of wounds serving with the m.f.p.

[MarkCDodd]

Including the Mounted Police the numbers who served in WW1 was approximately 5100.

375 casaulties were repoted out of those 5100.

65 received Distinguished Conduct Medals. Probably many more solders who were Military Police received DCMs as many were transferred to and from combat units but 65 is the number given whilst doing Police duties.

About 300 received the Military Medal.

This is a very high percentage compared to a 5000 strong combat unit.

[beardie]

mark,
you sure about the 65 dcms?

walker's list of dcm recipents lists 5 to the foot police and 34 mounted police

beardie

[MarkCDodd]

I have seen those numbers quoted is various forums and from what I remember, the RCM number based on the book "RECIPIENTS OF THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL 1914-1920" by R.W Walker.

I have not actually seen an online list of recipients and the National Archives index does not let you search on medal types.

The fact is that I think you can be as proud of a Military Policemen as much as any other soldier.

They were all asked to be brave under circumstances that our generation can only imagine.

For every act of bravery that was witnessed and rewarded with a medal, I am sure here were hundreds that went unoticed.