Description
Description: Royal New Zealand Provost Corps – Shoulder Flash.
Condition: Very Good
Comments: Royal New Zealand Provost Corps – Shoulder Flash.
The Corps of Royal New Zealand Military Police (RNZMP) provide military police services to the New Zealand Army, including criminal investigative services. It consists of one major unit, 1st (New Zealand) Military Police Company; though members of the Corps are included in other units within the New Zealand Army. The Corps is a Combat Support element responsible for the Policing, Investigation, Custodial, Security and Battlefield Circulation Control support to New Zealand Defence Force Land elements. Personnel within the Corps include Commissioned Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of both the Regular Force and Territorial Force.
During World War I NZ Military Police served on all fronts where NZ soldiers fought as part of 1 NZEF. They were all mounted, and the MP squadron with the Mounted Rifle Brigade in the Middle East was allegedly the subject of a very favourable report from Major-General Chaytor, commander of the NZ Brigade. After the Armistice, the NZ Military Police were disbanded.
During World War II, the NZ Military Police were re-established. The first detachment of NZ Military Police sailed for the Middle East in January 1940, where they served on all fronts and in all engagements with 2NZEF. Duties mainly included Battlefield Circulation Control, Policing and Investigations. Major E.W. Hayton was awarded the DSO for outstanding Provost Duties at the Battle of El Alamein as Assistant Provost Marshal, while Major R.R.J. Jenkin was commanding the NZ Divisional Provost Company at the same battle. Major Jenkin was later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed Deputy Provost Marshal in Italy. After the war ended, the Military Police were again disbanded.
On 18 February 1949 the New Zealand Military Police were re-gazetted, and re-formed on 24 March 1951. On 18 July 1952, Her Majesty the Queen granted assent for the title “Royal”, and the Corps became the Royal New Zealand Provost Corps (RNZ Pro).
In 1952, a Colonel Commandant was appointed to the Corps. The first was Colonel E.W. Hayton, DSO, ED and on his death in 1957 was succeeded by Lieutenant Colonel R.R.J. Jenkin, MBE until 1968.
In August 1955 the first peace-time Regular Force Commissioned Officer was appointed to the Corps. This was Captain D.J. McLeod who had first seen service with the Scots Guards and later with the Special Investigation Branch (SIB) of the Royal Military Police. Captain McLeod was appointed Head of Corps RNZ Pro at Army Headquarters and held this appointment until October 1962 when a reorganisation of the Corps took place.
RNZ Pro personnel served with the New Zealand elements sent in support of the British response to the Malayan Emergency and in the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation. RNZ Pro personnel were also sent with NZ troops to the Vietnam War.
On 1 October 1962, the first peace-time Provost Marshal of the New Zealand Army was appointed: Lieutenant Colonel R.H.F. Holloway, OBE, RNZA. Following this, in 1964 the first Regular Force Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal, Lieutenant Burton, was appointed.
RNZ Pro personnel were stationed with 1 RNZIR in Singapore as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve from about 1972 until 1989. They formed part of a multinational Military Police unit, along with Royal Military Police, Royal Australian Corps of Military Police and service police from the Royal New Zealand Air Force and Royal New Zealand Navy.
From 1979 until the mid-1980s, RNZ Pro / RNZMP personnel provided security at the New Zealand Embassy in Moscow.
On 18 December 1981, HM Queen Elizabeth consented a title change and a new corps badge. The title was changed to the Corps of Royal New Zealand Military Police.
