​GLOBAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  RAF  POLICE  
1918 - 2018
By   Stephen   R   Davies   (RAFP 1975 – 2000)   © 2017

This potted history of the Royal Air Force Police has been compiled from over 4,000 pages of text in my manuscript (See My Books). I hope it gives you an insight into this unique branch of the Royal Air Force. The text in this web page is the copyright property of Stephen R Davies and the copying and use of this material is prohibited without the written consent of the author. The photographs on this web page and in the external links remain the property of the various copyright owners.
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Following the formation of the RAF in 1918, the new service remained dependent on Army military police skills until an integral RAF Police organisation could be established. In 1919, Air Ministry Order No 1111, authorised the transfer of responsibility for policing the RAF and the Army officer at the Air Ministry responsible for police matters was replaced by an RAF officer. In 1920, the Air Ministry approved the appointment of 2 Assistant Provost Marshals; Flt Lt F E Bishop in the UK and one other in Mesopotamia. The first members of the RAF Police were initially trained by the Military Police at Wendover and from these, instructors formed the first RAF Police School at Halton under the command of Flt Lt Bishop. One of the first instructors was Cpl W I G Kerby, who would eventually hold every rank on the way up to becoming Provost Marshal in 1956. At the conclusion of the first course (14 February - 7 March 1921) 15 RAF Policemen successfully graduated. ​

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With the increase in RAF units being established at home and abroad it became common for airman from the trade of Aircraft Hand to be employed on police duties and RAF Police sections were managed by a senior NCO, responsible to the station adjutant. Following the ratification of the Anglo-Iraqi treaty in 1924, the RAF were stationed at RAF Hinaidi, an airfield, situated 8 miles east of Baghdad. The unit and vast perimeter was constantly patrolled by RAF Police and the Indian Army but as the terrain was difficult to patrol by mechanical means, 10 RAF Police NCOs, riding large Arabian horses, formed the first RAF Police Mounted Section. RAF Police were also stationed out in India.

RAF Police became involved in counter-intelligence in 1929 when the security services claimed that the British Communist Party were trying to infiltrate the armed forces. The Provost Marshal was tasked to ensure that no such elements were retained or recruited to spread their subversive propaganda and Flt Lt Bishop set about establishing a working liaison with the security services in London and special branch officers around the country in an effort to highlight those suspected of being communists. At the end of each month he reported progress on his inquiries to the Provost Marshal, who in turn, briefed the Deputy Chief of Air Staff and the Air Member for Personnel at the Air Ministry. In 1931, after being steered by 5 part-time RAF officers, the appointment of Provost Marshal (RAF) & Chief of Air Force Police was approved by King George V and Gp Capt F G Stammers was appointed to command the RAF Police. In 1936, RAF Police provided evidence to arrest Dr Hermann Gortz, a German spy and intelligence officer with the Luftwaffe Reserve, as he re-entered the country for the 8th time to gather intelligence about British defences. After interrogation, he was charged under the Official Secrets Act 1911, tried, convicted and sentenced to 4 years imprisonment. Although, the case highlighted the effectiveness of the RAF Police, it also highlighted poor security awareness throughout the RAF. In 1938, the long-standing wish of Gp Capt Stammers for a separate RAF Police trade group in the RAF was approved.

WWII generated a need for a mobile tactical RAF Police squadron capable of providing support to an air force operating under field conditions close to the front-line. 50 RAF Police NCOs were selected and trained and the unit formed part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) which landed in France on the day war was declared and based its HQ at Rheims 15 miles north of Paris. War also brought about a rapid expansion of the RAF Police which were stationed overseas in India, Ceylon, Malta, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, South Africa, West Africa, the Bahamas, Gibraltar, the Azores, Iceland and up until the Japanese occupation, Hong Kong and Singapore. At the time, there were 2 variations of RAF Police; those employed outside bases known as provost who were responsible, through their own superiors, to the Provost Marshal, while those employed within bases, known as station police were accountable to their own station commander. Those on provost duties wore peaked service dress caps and a black and red banded brassard on their right arm, displaying the letters RAFP on the central red band, while station police donned forage caps, and wore a blue brassard on their left arm, displaying the letters RAF SP. In 1940, to improve security and prevent subversion, espionage and sabotage, the RAF School of Security was formed at RAF Halton staffed by RAF Police instructors. The appointment of Provost Marshal was raised to Air Cdre and the Special Investigation Branch (SIB) was formed with another mobile tactical unit supporting air operations in N Africa, Italy and Greece. In 1944, RAF Police took over the Ministry of Aircraft Production Guard Dog School and began utilising dogs to protect RAF assets, releasing thousands of airmen from guard duties. Specially formed RAF Police provost & security units accompanied the invasion of France on D-Day and thereafter joined the advance towards Germany. After the liberation of France and Belgium they assisted in the training and formation of the Belgian Auxiliary Air Police Service, staffed by former Belgian soldiers, to assist with guarding and security tasks.

At the end of WWII, the establishment of the RAF had reached 1.2 million personnel and the RAF Police had 500 commissioned officers (55 WAAF) and 20,000 non-commissioned officers (267 WAAF), making it one of the largest police forces in the country, however, post war demobilisation soon reduced those numbers. The commonly used term Station Police was scrapped and all police NCOs became known as RAF Police, wearing the black and red brassard. The end of 1945 saw National Service introduced, the start of the Cold War, and the successful RAF SIB investigation into the execution in 1944, by the Gestapo, of 50 RAF officers who had been recaptured after the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III. RAF Police NCOs adopted white caps and white webbing equipment and quickly became known as Snowdrops. RAF Police joined the occupation forces stationed in Germany and Japan. In India and especially in Calcutta, RAF Police and RMP were at the forefront in not only protecting UK troops during serious and widespread sectarian violence, but also providing protection and medical assistance to British and Indian civilians caught up in the troubles throughout 1946. Likewise in Palestine, RAF Police were again in the firing-line as Jewish and Arab terrorist factions waged war against each other and against the British.

The subsequent growth of the officer corps at home and abroad justified the formation of a specialist branch and in July 1947, the Provost Branch was authorised by King George VI, and during the same year, the RAF Police journal Provost Parade was published. In September 1950, the King approved a badge for the RAF Police, which depicts a griffin passant, the heraldic device associated with guardianship, courage and audacity. The motto, 'Fiat Justitia', may be translated as 'Let justice be done'. In 1949, an impressive turn-out of 88 personnel from the dog training school appeared for the first time at the Royal Tournament in London. The public loved them and they quickly became ambassadors for the branch. The world-wide reputation for training and use of police dogs would continue to grow, during which RAF Police dog handlers would be called upon to train dogs for foreign military forces and at home, the USAF, HM Customs & Excise and an array of other organisations. During the same year, the Air Ministry announced that security matters within the RAF would remain the responsibility of the Provost Marshal and policing under his control was re-titled as RAF Provost & Security Services (P&SS).

In the early 1950s RAF Police began training and deploying locally employed Auxiliary policemen in the Middle East, Far East, Egypt, Cyprus and Germany, that were tasked with providing security protection for various RAF installations. Post-war nationalism in many of Britain's colonies developed into armed conflict and the RAF Police played a vital role in force protection and the fight against insurgents in Malaya, Egypt, Kenya, Cyprus and Aden. Indeed, a number of NCOs were killed and wounded. From 1953, the RAF Police were entrusted with the armed security protection of RAF nuclear weapons at units and during transit, a task they carried out until 1997. They were also responsible for enforcing security regulations designed to protect the weapons, the storage sites and the aircraft on immediate standby loaded with nuclear weapons. Since 1944, the day-to-day routine of feeding, grooming and exercising police dogs had been carried out by the WRAF, acting as kennel assistants, from the trade of Administration Orderly. However, in 1957, the trade of Kennel Maid was authorised and the WRAF serving at the Police Depot, became part of the RAF Police trade group. The first Annual UK RAF Police Dog Championship Trials were held in May 1957; It was open to all RAF Police dog handlers within the UK and the object was to encourage them to take a keen interest in the continuation training of their dogs and to improve their overall efficiency.

The 1960's marked the draw-down of the British Empire and closure of many overseas RAF bases. The continued expansion of RAF Police specialist roles included Travel Control Security (TCS) measures. Up until then, the majority of troop movements around the empire had been undertaken using troop ships. However, as UK military bases closed, it became cheaper and faster to carry out troop movements by RAF transport aircraft or civil aircraft chartered for the purpose. The new TCS (Later changed to Air Transport Security) system was designed to counter any terrorist action intent on hijacking or sabotaging the aircraft. At the end of 1960, the last young men to be conscripted into National Service were called up for duty. On 1 April 1968, the RAF Police, celebrated their Golden Anniversary and had grown from humble beginnings to become a well-disciplined and professional branch supporting the RAF around the world. They were also honoured when the March of the Royal Air Force Police was composed earlier that year and played for the first time in public to accompany the appearance of the dog demonstration team at the Royal Tournament in London. Later in the year a new tactical RAF Police Support Squadron was formed which was able to deploy quickly to provide provost and security support to RAF deployments at home and overseas. The following year witnessed the RAF Police dog demonstration team successfully touring Canada and the USA at the invitation of the Parachute Regiment.

Operation Banner between 1969 and 2007, was the deployment of UK armed forces to confront republican and loyalist terror groups and sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. RAF Police had not only enhanced security at RAF Ballykelly, RAF Bishops Court and RAF Aldergrove but had provided an array of specialist skills to assist the Army and civil police during counter-terrorism operations. Between 1972 and 1974, RAF Police had also deployed to assist the RMP in carrying out police patrols throughout the Province.

In the early 1970s, in an effort to combat the illicit use of drugs by service personnel, RAF Police dogs were successfully trained to detect controlled drugs (DD) and trained to search for firearms and explosives (FX) used by terrorists. In April 1972, the RAF withdrew from Singapore and later that year a decision was made to disband the last RAF Police Mounted Section at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

In June 1973, HRH Princess Margaret, carried out the first Royal Review of the RAF Police and RAF Police Auxiliaries who represented the branch serving around the world. As she arrived at the RAF Police Depot she was met by Air Marshal Sir Harold Martin (Air Member for Personnel), Air Cdre H M Shephard (Provost Marshal), Colonel Sir John Ruggles-Brise (Lord Lieutenant of Essex) and Gp Capt R D England (Depot Commandant). Cpl Phillips RAFP and LCpl James Nylan RMP were shot in Londonderry the following month by 2 IRA gunmen. Both men survived and although Phillips returned to work some months later, he still carried a bullet embedded in his shoulder. Nylan was more seriously injured and spent several months undergoing medical treatment before being discharged from the Army in 1975. In Londonderry, later in the year, Cpl D Ianson was seriously injured and his dog killed when a booby trap bomb exploded in a house being searched for weapons and explosives.

During the late 1970s and 1980s RAF Police, along with other service personnel, deployed on fire fighting duties when the fire brigades in England, Wales and Northern Ireland went on strike, likewise, when prison officers, instigated industrial action and walked away from their posts, RAF Police were deployed to HM Prisons in England and Northern Ireland. RAF Police also deployed to RAF (USAF) Greenham Common, to ensure that anti-nuclear protesters occupying a large peace camp around the base, did not breach high security areas where cruise missiles were stored and protected by live-armed US personnel. Armed RAF Police counter-terrorist patrols were increased in Germany when the IRA killed and wounded a number of UK military personnel and their families. The beginning of 1989 brought about the sudden end of the Cold War when a peace accord between the US and USSR was signed to reduce the arms race and the massive stock of nuclear and conventional weapons. It was followed at the end of the year by the demolition of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the USSR. With the exception of kennel-maids, dog handling in the RAF for 50 years, had been a male dominated affair but as 1989 came to an end, females were trained as dog handlers.

In early 1991, UK forces joined the US-led Gulf war to evict occupying Iraqi troops from Kuwait. RAF Police working in co-operation with coalition counterparts provided a wide range of support services at all bases used to launch RAF air strikes and rendered close personal protection for senior commanders. After a swift victory, RAF Police dog handlers deployed to guard thousands of Iraqi POWs. In April 1991, RAF Police and Army dog training merged to form the Defence Animal Centre, under the control of the Royal Veterinary Corps at Melton Mowbray. UK forces had been involved in the bloody civil wars within the former Yugoslavia between March 1993 and 2010, tasked with multilateral peacekeeping and conflict missions mandated by the UN and NATO. Throughout, RAF Police deployed and supported RAF operations in Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo and Macedonia.

In April 1993, the RAF Police celebrated its 75th Anniversary while the pressure to reduce the defence budget and manning continued. Acknowledging the branch, Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon sent a message to the Provost Marshal: “Police work is never easy, but when it involves integration with aircraft operations and their associated support, it places special demands on an individual. The usual contact that the majority of us have with the RAF Police is the Cpl smartly performing control of entry duties at the main gate, a function which, so often provides the public with its first impression of our service. That is only the outward show, as the RAF Police are involved in a great many other activities; counter-intelligence and counter-espionage; criminal investigations, the prevention of drug abuse and, perhaps of most importance today, the defence of stations against the scourge of terrorism. All of these activities and many more, have provided commanders at all levels throughout the history of the RAF with a firm basis for security and discipline in the hands of a thoroughly professional police force. I congratulate the RAF Police on the role they have played over the past 75 years, and I have no doubt that they will continue to provide the RAF with outstanding service in the challenging years ahead.”

In September 2000, after a call for assistance from the UN, UK paratroopers deployed to Sierra Leone on board RAF aircraft, each containing RAF Police ATSy teams. On arrival, the force seized control of the airport and began evacuating trapped Britons to the safety of the waiting aircraft and RAF Police. With the evacuation completed the paratroopers continued to hold the airport to allow UN supplies to be flown in. The rapid intervention of UK forces quickly helped to bolster the fading image of the UN peace-keeping mission and Sierra Leone's government. A Joint Service Police Unit, attached to the Joint Task Force formed in Sierra Leone, in May 2001, with 2 RAF Police NCOs and one RNP regulator.

On 11 September 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington DC, killed and injured several thousand people. 4 commercial airliners had been hi-jacked and 2 were crashed into the World Trade Centre in Manhattan, while the 2 other aircraft headed for Washington DC. One crashed in Pennsylvania, after passengers tackled the hijackers and the other crashed into the Pentagon building. Intelligence indicated that Osama bin Laden, leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist group was responsible. In response, US and UK forces commenced Operation Enduring Freedom on 7 October, and launched raids against Al-Qaeda and Taliban targets in Afghanistan. Later, RAF Police were among the first UK ground troops to enter Afghanistan.

Since the end of the Gulf war, President Saddam Hussein had been frustrating UN efforts to disarm. In late 2002, in response to his refusal to co-operate with UN weapons inspectors, US and UK forces began planning further military action. US President George W Bush, called for world support in helping to eliminate the Iraqi leader's weapons of mass destruction (WMD). On 20 March, US and UK forces launched air strikes against targets in Baghdad and the south of the country to prepare for a full military invasion. As in the first Gulf conflict, Operation Telic saw the rapid formation of RAF Police close protection teams to ensure the safety of UK force commanders. RAF Police joined the UK Special Courier Team, responsible for the packaging and safe transportation of items concerned with WMD, from Iraq, to the UK government laboratory at Porton Down for analysis, and RAF Police specialists also provided a computer forensic capability in the search for WMD. In April, the RAF took control of Basra airport in southern Iraq and RAF Police set-up a secure airhead. By the end of the month, coalition forces controlled most of Iraq and began restoring order and an interim system of government. While the war to defeat Saddam Hussein had been swift and straightforward, the war to win the peace proved more difficult. RAF Police would remain in Iraq supporting RAF operations until UK forces withdrew in May 2009. Since 1990, under UK command, 234 UK/foreign troops, (including 35 RAF personnel) and civilians lost their lives in Iraq.

In 2004, RAF Police were based in Afghanistan, providing security protection for RAF aircrew and carrying out ATSy duties at Kabul and Kandahar airheads. In northern Afghanistan RAF Police were detached to Mazar-E-Sharif, where they joined forces with RAF and Army personnel tasked with gathering intelligence on behalf of the UK’s Provincial Reconstruction Team. RAF Police would remain in Afghanistan supporting NATO, RAF and Afghan security operations, from Camp Bastion, against Al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents until 2014. During that time, many had been embedded with front-line army units carrying out a wide variety of specialist tasks. Since the invasion in 2001, 453 UK military personnel lost their lives, including one RAF Police NCO, while 2 others had sustained life changing injuries.

In April 2005, an Air Cdre was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff Force Protection (FP) & Air Officer RAF Police, while the appointment of Provost Marshal was down-graded to Gp Capt. The change allowed the Air Cdre to concentrate on the wider aspects of FP, while the Provost Marshal independently managed the RAF Police. In October 2005, RAF Police, RMP and RNP training combined at the newly established Defence Police College at Southwick Park in Hampshire. Since the mid 1950's, the majority of RAF Police serving on stations, as opposed to P&SS, had been over-trained and mis-employed as security guards. The situation came about initially with the need to guard the nuclear deterrent. As the Cold War gathered pace, those employed on stations became responsible for providing security rather than police work. The use of dogs at night enhanced security, but other forms of physical security were basic and relied on a human presence to maintain the deterrent. Following a major reorganisation of the branch in 2007, all RAF Police, with a few exceptions, fell under the command of the Provost Marshal as opposed to RAF commanders. In addition, RAF Police were no longer responsible for routine security tasks and armed guarding which was taken over by the Military Provost Guard Service. With no requirement to staff stations with police flights in the traditional way, 4 RAF Police squadrons; No 4 Squadron (Lossiemouth), No 5 Squadron (Waddington), No 6 Squadron (Marham), and No 7 Squadron (Brize Norton) were formed to undertake general police duties, higher level security and ATSy, and all provided police support to station commanders within their areas. In addition, the 3 Tactical Police Squadrons based at RAF Honington, were responsible for all tactical operations and global commitments. The RAF Police also began recruiting and employing full-time reservists. HRH Prince Edward carried out the second Royal Review of the RAF Police at RAF Henlow on 5 September 2008.

Since September 2013, HQ RAF Police has been co-located at RAF Honington with HQ Force Protection. In 2016, Project Phoenix outlined further restructuring of the Special Investigation Branch (SIB) and Counter-Intelligence Squadron (CIS) to ensure the RAF Police continued to manage and deliver the best professional investigative and intelligence service to RAF commanders. SIB (North) is based at RAF Cranwell, under the command of No 1 Wing RAF Police, while SIB (South) is based at RAF Halton, under the command of No 2 Wing RAF Police. CIS elements under the command of No 3 Wing RAF Police, operating as CIS (North) are based at Cranwell while CIS (South) operate from Halton. Today, RAF Police are serving in the UK, Northern Ireland and overseas in Cyprus, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands, the Middle East, Diego Garcia and with NATO HQ. The establishment of the RAF Police in 2017, stood at 1,150 regular service police personnel, 990 military provost guard service personnel, 160 reserve police personnel and 89 civil servants.

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RAF POLICE - SIGNIFICANT EVENTS FROM ITS FIRST 100 YEARS

JANUARY

01 Jan 1931 – Flt Lt C R Richdale, a former Army officer and Detective with the Kent Police, took command of the RAF Service Police School at RAF Halton and began establishing the nucleus of the Special Investigation Branch (RAF SIB).

01 Jan 1945 - Establishment of RAF Police is 500 officers (55 WAAF) & 20,000 ORs (267 WAAF).

01 Jan 1947 - Authority was granted for the establishment of a specialised RAF Provost Branch. Consequently, all serving provost officers were transferred into the new branch and new officers entering the service could choose a career as a provost officer.

FEBRUARY

11 Feb 1985 – RAF Germany Band Disaster - A coach carrying members of the RAF Germany Band crashed into the rear of a stationary petrol tanker on the autobahn at Langenbruck some 60 kilometres south of Munich. Escaping fuel was instantly ignited and in a few tragic moments, 20 of those travelling on the coach were killed and others were seriously injured. One of those killed included Cpl George S Crawford, RAF Police, serving with HQ P&SS (Germany). Because of the continuing IRA threat, Cpl Crawford, had been detailed to accompany the band on tour as the security NCO.

14 Feb 1921 – The first formal RAF Police training course was conducted at RAF Halton (previous courses had been conducted by the Army’s Military Police). Records show that at the conclusion of the first qualifying course, which ran between the 14 Feb and 7 Mar 1921, 15 airmen successfully graduated as RAF Service Policemen.

18 Feb 1956 – An Avro York passenger aircraft taking off from RAF Valetta in Malta, on route to the UK, crashes killing all 50 personnel onboard including 14 RAF Police NCOs.

MARCH

05 Mar 1957 – A Blackburn Beverley, belonging to No 53 Squadron, crashed in the village of Sutton Wick, Drayton, after leaving RAF Abingdon on route to Malta and Cyprus. On board were 11 RAF Police dogs and 18 people. Sadly, 8 RAF Police dog handlers and the 11 police dogs were amongst the 17 people killed. In addition, 2 civilians were killed and another injured.

24 Mar 1944 - The wartime Ministry of Aircraft Production's Guard Dog School at RAF Staverton near Gloucester was taken over by the RAF Police and re-titled as the ‘RAF Police Dog Training School’.

01 Mar 1995 - After 40 years of being protected by the RAF Police, the task of providing security for the nuclear weapons, held by the RAF, was taken over by the RAF Regiment.

16 Mar 2009 – For the first time in the history of the RAF Police, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary carried out a formal inspection of the Headquarters RAF Police at RAF Henlow.

APRIL

01 Apr 1918 – The Royal Air Force (RAF) was formed, under the command of Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard, by combining the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). RFC personnel at Halton Park and Blandford Camps, employed on internal camp policing duties became the first members of the RAF Service Police. Major J A Pryor, an Army Officer, was detailed to act as the first part-time 'Provost Marshal' for the RAF.

01 Apr 1931 – The Air Ministry, placed an entry in the London Gazette, which announced that HM King George V, had approved the appointment of Sqn Ldr F G Stammers, as the first dedicated RAF Provost Marshal & Chief of Air Force Police.

1 Apr 1968 – With the 50th Anniversary of the RAF, the RAF Police were honoured when Flt Lt D Stevens from the RAF Central Band, composed a piece of music entitled ‘March of the Royal Air Force Police’ which was first played in public to accompany the appearance of the RAF Police Dog Demonstration Team at the Royal Tournament at Earls Court.

10 Apr 1984 - Tragedy struck the Falkland Islands when a fire completely destroyed the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Port Stanley, claiming 8 lives. As a result of actions at the scene, Cpl Kevin Clark, RAF Police, was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal.

1 Apr 1991 – The RAF Police dog training element merged with the Army’s Dog training unit to form the Defence Animal Centre (DAC), under the control of the Royal Veterinary Corps at Melton Mowbray.

Apr 2008 - With Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS) established on RAF stations to undertake guarding and routine security commitments, 4 RAF Police squadrons were formed around the country, as part of No 2 (General) RAF Police Wing, to undertake general police duties, higher level security tasks and Air Transport Security operations on and off RAF stations within their respective area of responsibility. RAF Lossiemouth (No 4 Squadron), RAF Waddington (No 5 Squadron), RAF Marham (No 6 Squadron) and RAF Brize Norton (No 7 Squadron), with elements of Special Investigation and Counter-Intelligence expertise from No 1 Specialist Police Wing (SPW), established at HMS Caledonia, RAF Cranwell and RAF Halton.

MAY

27 May to 4 Jun 1940 - The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) including the RAF Police mobile unit, were evacuated from Dunkirk and other ports in France as the Germans swiftly invaded Belgium and France.

1 May 1943 - The German Rhur dams are attacked by No 617 Sqn using ‘bouncing bombs’. RAF Police had been involved in the security operation during the secret development and testing of the new bombs.

01 May 1947 - The first edition of ‘Provost Parade’ is published and sold for a shilling: The magazine would quickly become the global RAF Police journal.

15 May 1957 - The Pacific program of British thermonuclear tests code-named, ‘Operation Grapple’, began on Christmas Island, following on from the earlier atomic trials conducted on the Monte Bello Islands and at Maralinga in South Australia. RAF Police provided provost and security functions during the program and maintained a close working liaison with the civil police officers from the Gilbert Islands Police Force stationed on the island. (Christmas Island UK tests ended in 1964)

19 May 1957 - The first Annual UK RAF Police Dog Championship Trials were held at the RAF Police Depot Netheravon, before an audience of service personnel and members of the public. The trials were designed to encourage all RAF Police dog handlers serving on stations to take a keen interest in the continuation training of their dogs and to improve their overall efficiency. The strict standards of the trials equalled those imposed on the various civilian German Shepherd dog training societies within the UK. The winner of the first trial and the Sabre Trophy was Cpl D Hodgson and Air Dog Cindy from RAF Waddington. Second place was taken by Cpl Cruickshank and Air Dog Raksha, and third place went to Cpl Davies and Air Dog Lassie. The Sabre Trophy donated by Lt Col and Mrs Douglas Bain, was presented to the winner by Air Cdre C M Stewart CBE, Air-Officer-Commanding No 27 Group. The judges were Lt Col Baldwin DSO, Mrs G Hester of Croydon, Mr R M Montgomery of Guilford and Mr C H Belcher of Bingley.

JUNE

01 Jun 1940 - The wartime RAF Security School was established at RAF Halton, were security officers and RAF Police were trained in counter sabotage, subversion and espionage skills.
06 Jun 1944 – Tactical RAF Police units join the D-Day Invasion Force sent to Normandy to Liberate Europe from the Nazi tyranny.

29 Jun 1946 – A RAF Dakota aircraft of No 48 Sqn, left Singapore and after brief stops at Kuala Lumpar and Butterworth, took-off again for Rangoon in Burma. On board were a total of 4 crew and 14 passengers of whom, 10 were RAF Police, members of No 20 RAF Police District Detachment. On route the aircraft disappeared without trace and all on board were later presumed killed.

20 Jun 1971 – After raising the sum of £1,200, the RAF Police presented newly commissioned silver mace heads to the RAF Chaplain-in-Chief at St Clement Danes RAF Church during a ceremony attended by over 400 people. The mace heads, simply inscribed Presented by the RAF Police – 20th June 1971, were replacements for a pair previously stolen from the church in London’s Strand.

5 Jun 1973 - HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, arrived at the RAF Police Depot Debden to carry out the first Royal Review of the RAF Police and Provost Branch. In fact, it was only the fourth Royal Review of the RAF. As the princess stepped out from her aircraft she was met by Air Marshal Sir Harold Martin the Air Member for Personnel who presented the Provost Marshal Air Cdre H M Shephard, Colonel Sir John Ruggles-Brise the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Gp Capt R D England the Depot Commandant, and Gp Capt A A Witherington the officer in charge of the parade.

23 Jun 2007 – The National Memorial Arboretum (NMA), situated at Alrewas, Staffordshire, was created in 1995 on a 150 acre site within the national forest and is a living and lasting focus of remembrance for people from all walks of life. The RAF Police Memorial, which in early 2006 was planted with thousands of snowdrops, was dedicated during a formal ceremony. The simple but impressive slab of polished black granite standing just over 2 metres high on a polished black granite base, displays the RAF Police badge on one side under the words ‘Royal Air Force Police’ with the inscription ‘Let Justice be Done’ on the base. On the other side of the memorial, the RAF Police Association badge is displayed under the words ‘For Those Who Served’ with the inscription ‘Perpetual Comradeship’ on the base. Both engraved badges are in colour while the inscriptions are engraved and embossed in gold leaf. A black, red, black, band representing the RAF Police brassard surrounds the bottom of the slab and snowdrop flowers adorn the edge of the slab.

JULY

7 Jul 1949 - 88 personnel from the RAF Police Dog Training School Staverton appeared for the first time at the Royal Tournament in London, along with 59 adult dogs and 12 puppies. Of the dogs that took part in the display at Olympia, 42 were bred by the RAF and 29 were dogs donated as gifts by the public. Marching smartly into the arena the team was lead by Flt Lt R D Cooper and RAF Police Mascot Leading Air Dog Storm, a pure white German Shepherd dog. The dramatic commentary throughout the performance was delivered by Deputy Provost Marshal, Gp Capt C Richdale, who described the RAF Police German Shepherd dogs as ‘£2,500 worth of high explosive dog’. The public loved them and as such, they were an instant success, proving to be a first rate publicity campaign for the branch and indeed the service.

AUGUST

1 Aug 1953 – Shrouded in secrecy, Bomber Command Armament School formed at Faldingworth, Lincoln. The role of the new organisation was to train RAF personnel in handling the first generation of atomic weapons that were due to enter service with the RAF. At the same time, a sister unit at RAF Barnham, on the Norfolk/Suffolk border was established as the future storage facility for RAF atomic weapons. RAF Police became responsible for the security of these new nuclear weapons.

SEPTEMBER

22 Sep 1948 - The Nuremberg Tribunal, established in 1945, was abolished with a considerable number of Nazi war criminals escaping international prosecution. The Stalag Luft III murder investigation, which began at the end of WWII, was also brought to an end. Three of the senior officers commanding the RAF Police Special Investigation Branch (RAF SIB) were honoured by HM King George VI, in the 1948 New Years' Honours List. Gp Capt Nicholas was made a CBE, while Wg Cdr Bowes and Sqn Ldr McKenna were awarded the OBE. 72 Germans had been implicated in the conspiracy and murder of 50 RAF prisoners of war, and 26 had been personally tracked down and arrested by the RAF SIB. Others, who had been detained in the Russian sector and Czechoslovakia were tried and executed for various other war crimes. The complex investigation had been the only major war crime entrusted to a single service police organisation of the British forces. In return, the RAF SIB proved themselves to be part of a very competent and professional organisation during the long and at times, extremely frustrating enquiry.

01 Sep 1960 - Cyprus was granted independence and the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) Police Force was formed. However, because of manning shortfalls, 35 RAF Police NCOs were sworn in as special constables and attached to establish and run the new force for the first 6 months of its life.

Sep 1969 – The RAF Police Dog Demonstration Team go on tour of Canada and USA with the Parachute Regiment.

5 Sept 2008 - HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, arrived at RAF Henlow to conduct a Royal Review of the RAF Police at the Headquarters of the Provost Marshal. The prince was welcomed to the unit by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Mr Samuel Whitbread, the Station Commander Gp Capt Smith and the Provost Marshal Gp Capt G Horscroft, before carrying out his review of 100 RAF Police personnel on parade.

OCTOBER

1 Oct 1945 - RAF Police NCOs were authorised to wear white webbing equipment and cap covers and in doing so become known as ‘snowdrops’. RAF Police command worldwide was re-structured as follows:
No 1 Wing - Situated in the UK, under command of Gp Capt Newbury.
No 2 Wing - BAFO in Germany, under the command of Gp Capt Brown.
No 3 Wing - In the Middle East, under the command of Gp Capt Grove.
No 4 Wing - In the Far East, under the command of Gp Capt Champion.

1 Oct 2005 - After being at RAF Halton for 10 years the RAF Police School moved to what was formerly HMS Dryad, renamed as MOD Southwick Park, Fareham, Hampshire, where it merged with the training schools of the Royal Naval Regulating Branch and Royal Military Police to become the Defence College of Policing.

NOVEMBER

11 Nov 1918 – End of the Great War (1914 – 1918) & Remembrance Day. Remembering all RAF Police personnel listed on the RAF Police Roll of Honour.


DECEMBER

1 Dec 1950 - HM King George VI, graciously approved the Griffin Badge & Motto ‘Fiat Justitia’ (Let Justice be Done) for the RAF Police. The badge was designed by Wg Cdr Henniker-Heaton and Flt Lt McMahon.

31 Dec 1989 – The ‘Cold War’ which started in 1947, came to an end.

1 Dec 2007 - The Provost Marshal (RAF) along with his Army counterpart, became members of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). ACPO's members are police officers who hold the rank of Chief Constable, Deputy Chief Constable or Assistant Chief Constable, or their equivalents, in the 44 forces of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, national police agencies and certain other forces in the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, and certain senior non-police staff.​


WHY NOT TAKE A PICTORIAL TOUR THROUGH 100 YEARS OF THE RAF POLICE
​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO3pbtxYJ8I 
​

SUPPORT  TO  RAF  OPERATIONS

RAF  PROVOST  MARSHALS

Since April 1918, the RAF Police have striven to provide a wide range of services and specialist skills to RAF commanders at home and overseas.
Over the years, they have adapted to take on new challenges, while undertaking:

Foot and Mobile Patrols - Control of Entry to Units - Basic and Specialist Search Dog Handling – Kennel Managers/Assistants – WRAF Policing - Guardroom and Detention Room Duties - Mounted Patrols – Travel Control Security - Air Transport Security – Immigration/Customs & Excise Duties – Anti-Vice – Cash in Transit Escorts - Armed Security of Nuclear Weapons/Convoys - Security Container Checks - Special investigations - Counter-Intelligence - Crime Scene Investigations - Force Protection - Lines of Communications Policing - Close Personal Protection / Royal Aircraft Protection – Counter-Terrorism - Passes & Permits – Special Weapons Intelligence - Crime & Drug Abuse Prevention - Traffic & Breathalyser - Temporary Special Constables - UN Peace-Keeping - Aid to the Civil Powers - Tutors – Practical Training Assistants - Investigation of Flying Complaints – Covert Surveillance & Human Intelligence Gathering – Security Vetting of Personnel – Specialist Search Teams – Evidence Managers – Child Protection – Computer Forensics – Computer & Cyber Security - Security Surveys, and sadly, Escorting Home the remains of UK Troops Killed in Action.

LOCATION OF RAF POLICE SCHOOLS:

RAF Halton 1919 - 1937
RAF Uxbridge 1937 – 1942
RAF Halton (Security School) 1941 - 1942
RAF Weeton 1942 - 1946
RAF Great Sampford 1946
RAF Staverton/Pucklechurch 1946 - 1948
RAF Pershore 1948 – 1952
RAF Police Depot Netheravon 1952 - 1960
RAF Police Depot Debden 1960 - 1974
RAF Newton 1974 – 1995
RAF Halton 1995 – 2005
MoD Southwick Park 2005 -

RAF POLICE DOG TRAINING SCHOOLS:

​Woodfold Down Hatherly 1944 - 1946
RAF Staverton 1946 - 1951
RAF Netheravon 1951 - 1963
RAF Debden 1963 - 1976
RAF Newton 1976 - 1994
Dog Training Germany (Wahn) 1952 - 1958
Dog Training Egypt – Heliopolis, Wadi Ysira, Kasfareet. 1945 - 1953


CHIEF TRAINING OFFICER (DOGS):

Lieutenant Colonel J Y Baldwin DSO 1944 – 1953
Mr C E Fricker 1953 – 1976
​Mr T McHaffie 1976 – 1992

01 Major J A Pryor 1918 - 1919
02 Wing Commander G T Brierley 1919 - 1922
03 Wing Commander S Grant-Dalton 1922 – 1923
04 Wing Commander L L MacClean 1923 - 1925
05 Wing Commander A H Jackson 1925 - 1927
06 Wing Commander W J Ryan 1927 - 1931
07 Group Captain F G Stammers OBE 1931 - 1942
08 Air Commodore O W de Putron CBE 1942 - 1951
09 Air Commodore B C Yarde 1951 - 1953
10 Air Commodore N Carter 1953 - 1954
11 Air Commodore H J G E Proud 1954 - 1956
12 Air Commodore W I G Kerby 1956 - 1960
13 Air Commodore W S Gardner 1960 - 1961
14 Air Commodore J C Millar 1961 - 1965
15 Air Commodore W I C Inness OBE 1965 - 1968
16 Air Commodore A D Panton 1968 - 1971
17 Air Commodore H M Shephard OBE 1971 - 1974
18 Air Commodore B C Player CBE 1974 - 1976
19 Air Commodore G Innes 1976 - 1978
20 Air Commodore I Young 1978 - 1981
21 Air Commodore M J David 1981 - 1984
22 Air Commodore A E G Hales 1984 - 1986
23 Air Commodore G E Winch 1986 - 1989
24 Air Commodore A C P Seymour 1989 - 1993
25 Air Commodore J L Uprichard 1993 - 1998
26 Air Commodore R McConnell 1998 - 2000
27 Air Commodore C R Morgan 2000 - 2004
28 Air Commodore P J Drissell 2004– 2005
29 Group Captain E J Scaplehorn 2005– 2006
30 Group Captain G D Horscroft 2006– 2009
31 Group Captain J W Whitmell 2009– 2011
32 Group Captain M Sexton 2011- 2013
33 Group Captain K R Bailey 2013- 2016
34 Group Captain S R Horne 2016 - ​2019
​35 Group Captain D J Wilkinson 2019 - 2021
​36 Group Captain R Foster-Jones 2021 -  2024
37 Wing Commander D Davies 2024 - 2024 (temp appointment)
38 Group Captain Samantha Bunn 2024 -  (First Female PM)
​
​

COMMANDER FORCE PROTECTION:

Air Commodore P J Drissell RAF Regiment 2005
Air Commodore S Abbott RAF Regiment 2007
Air Commodore R La Forte RAF Regiment 2010
Air Commodore N Bray RAF Regiment 2012
Air Commodore A J Hall RAF Regiment 2013
​Air Commodore F Clifford RAF Regiment 2016
​Air Commodore S Miller RAF Regiment 2019 
Air Commodore J Thompson RAF Engineering Branch 2022
​(FORCE PROTECTION ORG DISBANDED IN 2023)

RAF POLICE UK HEADQUARTERS:
​
Provost Marshal RAF, Air Ministry London.
1918 – 1947
RAF Uxbridge, Middlesex. 1937 – 1941
RAFP HQ Hitcham House, Burnham Breeches, Bucks. 1941 – 1947
HQ SIB Princess Gate Court, Kensington. 1941 – 1947
HQ P&SS (UK) Bromyard Ave, Acton, W London.
​1947 – 1977
MOD (Norman Shaw Bldg Old Scotland Yard then Metropole Bldg Whitehall). 1977 – 1995
PM Rudloe Manor, Wilts then HQ Strike Command High Wycombe. 1997
HQ P&SS(UK) Rudloe Manor, Wilts. 1977 – 1998
HQ RAF Police Henlow, RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire. 1998 – 2013
HQ RAF Police Honington, Suffolk. 2013 -​