Evening all, Whilst scrolling through the IWM archives. I found the attached photo. Not being up on my tropical combat uniforms, let alone dressier fare, can anyone tell me what nationality the 4 chaps with the brassards are? Does anyone know what designation the P brassard was and who for? A quick google tells me American civilian photographers had green brassard with a small P. Being a Phantom researcher, it obviously jumped out at me, but with the (assumed) white webbing and brassard and probably US 5th Army troops, I wondered if MP's, but why no M? Sorry for the ramble. Thanks
Thanks Temujin, those were the ones I found too. P looks a bit big, wonder if 'togs would have had white webbing though?
Your right......I was wondering that to.....AND, nobody has a camera.....but they seem to be all lined up for some type of ceremony.......except the “sheep” behind them.......doesn’t see to interested in the proceedings......at first I thought “maybe” these men are from another country?....like the two gentlemen wearing turbans and may be part of a Morracan unit or Indian Army unit......but the background MP look like US Troops.......photo is quite a mystery to me, was their any others of this location, or ceremony??
Also, when I look at the photo closely, everyone is Saluting......so someone Important has just arrived.....I wish I could see the street name of avenue more closely.....picture is hard to tell if it North Africa or Sicily or Italy????
If you saw it in the IWM site what was the catalogue number for it & what did the description say. Would have been an idea if you could have used the BBCode they give to link to it. Troops of one of the Morrocan regiments of the French Expeditionary Corps with their regimental mascots, two rams (one of them asleep on the ground), during French celebrations of the Bastille Day at Siena, 14 July 1944. Troops of the US Fifth Army are standing ahead of them. THE ALLIED ARMIES IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN, 1943-1945. © IWM (NA 16836) IWM Non Commercial License
For me, definitely French military police. The whistles are the tell tale sign. Also, from memory I think only postwar the brassard acquired the addition of the "M" as in "PM" for "Police Militaire" in L'Armee Francais. Chaps with whistles to be given a wide bearth. Kind regards, always, (Jules et) Jim.
Policier (regimental policeman)? The Foreign Legion used PLE (Policier Legion Etranger) - definitely to be kept clear of