Interwar British Police

[The Gray Ghost]

I just received Artizans British pulp police, one pack of each, two of the men come with service caps instead of a helmet. Are these supposed to be higher ranking officers?

[joroas]

Check this thread:

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=6714.0

[Thunderchicken]

Yep, if you're using them for interwar then the chaps in the peaked caps will be senior officers.

[Trooper]

Just a couple of points on this. As the Police became motorised to a certain extent in this period, caps would be worn by constables and sergeants if in that role, certainly in England. Most Scottish forces were wearing caps at all levels, and these would more than likely have chequered bands too. I have found very little evidence of any Scottish force wearing helmets in the 20th century. Irish officers, at least, the RIC/RUC wore caps, although the mounted branch wore a helmet similar to the British Army home service helmet. Police in the republic wore caps as well. Although mainly Inspectors and above would wear caps, it would not be unrealistic to have sergeants and constables in caps. Also, even in the 1930's most Inspectors would have worn the "number one" tunic with the high collar. Police motorcyclists would wear caps as well. The crash helmets did not come in until much later after WWII.
Hope this helps.

[Rob_bresnen]

the 1938 souce book by Solway says "it is unusual but not unkown for consatbles to wear the distinctive policeman's helmet: Peaked caps are the norm." This means the caps can be of any rank you like. I suspect it says this in the sourse book becasue when the game was developed there were very few armed police figures from the period, so most people converted them from other ranges, noticably empress and musketeer, and it was easyer to get hold of 'police' in caps. Now Artizan has made those excillent minis, I think the old helmest will be back in vogue.

[Arlequín]

the 1938 souce book by Solway says "it is unusual but not unkown for consatbles to wear the distinctive policeman's helmet: Peaked caps are the norm." This means the caps can be of any rank you like. I suspect it says this in the sourse book becasue when the game was developed there were very few armed police figures from the period, so most people converted them from other ranges, noticably empress and musketeer, and it was easyer to get hold of 'police' in caps. Now Artizan has made those excillent minis, I think the old helmest will be back in vogue.

It should of been the other way round imo. 'Special Constabulary' and 'Auxiliaries' would be unlikely to have been issued helmets though.

Trooper's comments are on the mark. The open necked tunic with shirt and tie didn't come into use by anyone below Inspector rank  until after WW2, some time after too in the case of some forces. While Scots had a chequered band on their caps, I don't believe English forces used it until later, the cap just having the force badge and no band (I'm not certain when this change happened, but iirc it was after WW2). Of the 'regular' police, only dedicated car personnel would be issued caps. Sergeants and Constables being 'transported' in a vehicle were allowed to remove their helmets while in the vehicle, otherwise were to wear their helmet at all times.

[Trooper]

Thanks Jim. As to chequered cap bands in English forces, the change was made in the late 1960's and early 1970's I think it coincided with the changes to county and borough boundaries in 1967, when many smaller Police forces were amalgamated into the 47 larger organisations we have today. In the 1930's the Special constabulary didn't generally wear much in the way of uniform, at least not in mainland Britain, often they had little more than the blue and white duty armlet. But to get back to the main point, it would be ok to have Police units with some officers wearing caps, although the majority would be helmeted. As a side note Inspectors and above did not start wearing helmets until the late 1970's when the re-inforced "riot" beat helmet was introduced. These were distinguished  from the helmet we grunts wore by two silvered helmet bands.

[jnr]

My dad says the Scottish police wore the pointed hat in the 30s, officers wore flat hats, he also said the highway police driver wore a flat hats with the cheques on them, but his partner wore the pointy hat, motor cycle police wore flat hats to, this was prior  WW2 then they all went flat hats, and the car they drove was a Woseley .
He think the change over was around 38 to 40.

[Mr.Dodo]

 This morning I saw 'The '30's in colour' on the 'Yesterday' channel on UK freeview. There was a Scottish Policeman directing traffic wearing a helmet and what looked like a white labcoat!

[paul c]

I saw that too; it was a dust coat. Bus drivers in open cabs wore similiar coats.

[Arlequín]

Some forces also appear to have had white helmets (along with the obligatory white gloves) for traffic duty. The Drill Sergeant at Ruyton PTC had a party-piece of doing all the traffic hand signals to music in his, back in the day. 

[Trooper]

Ok, so some Scottish forces wore helmets. That was something I didn't know, interesting. My thought was that, because Scottish forces don't seem to use beat helmets now, I didn't think they did then. Certainly in movies of the day, like 39 Steps for example, the bobbies all wear caps. I seem to recall that Brighton Police constables and sergeants all wore white helmets, not just for point duty. Certainly the Brighton guys in the Mods and Rockers punch ups are all wearing them, although that is later than the 1930s, as it was a small borough force I expect they wore them back then as well.