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British Legion
Volunteer Police Force |
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The British
Legion Volunteer Police
 The Force was formed on the 6th October
1938, and was entitled The British Legion
Volunteer Police Force. It was disbanded
on the 15th October 1938, some ten days later.
To set the formation of the British Legion
Volunteer Police Force into context
it is necessary to briefly mention the
International affairs on the go at that time.
The Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia was about to
be claimed and annexed by the German Chancellor
Adolf Hitler and to this end Hitler had demanded
the withdrawal of all Czech troops and police by
the 1st October 1938. This alarmed the other
European countries and after discussion Hitler
agreed to a Plebiscite controlled by an
International Commission. Several plans were put
forward which ended by the British Government
authorising the British Legion in agreement with
Hitler to organise a force of Legionaries to
supervise the voting, and its anticipated
transfer of the territory to Germany.
 So on the 25th September 1938 The British Legion
HQ in London began preparations to form what was
described as a ''Volunteer Police Force'' to
police the plebiscite area. Personnel had to be
found, equipped and prepared for overseas
travel. It was suggested that 1000 members of
the British Legion would be required and a
further 200 would be required for transport and
supporting tasks.
British Legion HQ circulated all ten area
branches asking for lists of men who would be
prepared to serve in the new British Legion
Volunteer Police Force, and the
first two floors of Olympia in London were taken
over to provide a mobilisation centre, where the
volunteers would enrol on the 6th October 1938.
The British Legion Volunteer Police Force Commander was named as Major Sir
Francis Fetherston-Godley OBE, DL, the then
National Chairman of the British Legion. The
volunteers would be paid £3.15 shillings per
week for married men and £3 per week for single
men.
By the 7th October 1938 all 1200 personnel had
been sworn in and for the next week they were
quartered in Olympia, where they were instructed
as to their expected duties.
The British Ambassador in Berlin had stated that
it was essential that all personnel should be
uniformly dressed in, for example: blue suits
with armbands, and commissioner (sic) hats.
 The
British Legion Volunteer Police Force was subsequently issued with its own
uniform which consisted of Police blue peaked
caps and greatcoats which were provided by the
London Metropolitan Police, and dark blue three
piece suits as worn by civilian municipal
employees of that time. They were also issued
with white soft collar shirts, two pairs of
boots and a kit bag. Ties were either regimental
or British Legion pattern. A special British
Legion cap badge was produced for the force,
with lapel, shoulder or epaulette badges for
wear with a greatcoat. An armband in the British
Legion colours of blue and gold was also issued.
Thus equipped, the British Legion Volunteer
Police Force was as scheduled to
proceed to the Sudetenland on the 12th October
1938.
 They were taken to Tilbury Dock where they
embarked on two ships, The MS Naldera and The MS
Dunera to sail to Bremen, where they were to be
conveyed by train to the Sudetenland. The ships
anchored off Southend to await further
instructions.
On the 13th October 1938 Hitler's representative
on the International Commission openly declared
against a plebiscite. The Czechs having always
opposed the idea, concurred and the plebiscite
was formally abandoned. On the following day the
British Government gave instructions that the
British Legion Volunteer Police Force was no longer required and that it should
disband. The two ships returned to Tilbury Dock
and the Legionaries disembarked and dispersed to
their homes on the 15th October 1938.
Narrative contributed by Mrs Tracy Fowler
See British Legion
Cap Badge, Collar Dogs and Shoulder Titles
exhibition
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British Legion Memorabilia
Collectors Club
a dedicated web site for the serious collector of British Legion History. |
