Article from Stand To! No. 6, 1982
During the Great War, the Corps of Military Mounted Police and the Corps of Military Foot Police expanded from a peacetime strength of three officers and 508 warrant officers and other ranks to 5000 all ranks. In the BEF an Assistant Provost Marshal with the rank of Major and a few Military Policemen (MPs) were attached to each division. The latter were distinguished by an armband and a red cap cover, hence the nick-name 'Red Caps.' The first Provost Marshal of the BEF was a Colonel but in 1915 the appointment was upgraded to Brigadier General rank.
The Military Police should not be confused with regimental police (or provost) who were merely men detailed to carry out police work within their own battalion, etc.
During the Retreat from Mons, MPs did useful work by rounding up men who, through exhaustion or in the confusion, had become detached from their units. When static warfare set in, the Red Caps set up 'stragglers' posts' or 'battle-stops' immediately behind the front line to collect and sort deserters or others leaving the line such as those who were genuinely lost, confused or suffering from temporary fright and who could be returned to their units, sometimes after a short rest or some refreshments. MPs in the back areas were, of course, vigilant to detect deserters or absentees.
Traffic control by MPs became increasingly important and Military Police Traffic Control Companies were formed as 'Army Troops.' Traffic control was usually very good but during the Battle of Loos (September 1915) poor staff work resulted in the lack of proper control that materially contributed to the ordeal of the 21st and 24th Divisions.
Military Police duties in the BEF became both numerous and varied. In general, not only did they provide security at formation HQs (held to be a mis-use of trained personnel), maintain stragglers' posts and control traffic but they were also responsible for the detection of crime and the arrest of offenders, the maintenance of order in all circumstances, the surveillance and control of civilians in their areas, the custody of prisoners of war until transferred at railhead or handed over to a PW Work Company and the protection of civilians against violence by soldiers and camp followers.
By the very nature of their disciplinary role, the Red Caps could not expect to be popular with the troops and were frequently maligned by them. Nevertheless they performed vital work, sometimes under heavy fire. The Military Police in the BEF, who reached a maximum strength of over 4000, suffered 375 casualties and many Military Policemen received awards for gallantry or devotion to duty: sixty-five, for example, were decorated with the Distinguished Conduct Medal and 260 with the Military Medal.
In his final despatch, the Commander in Chief paid tribute to the efforts of the MPs in controlling traffic and maintaining good relations with the civilian population.
In 1946, the Corps of Military Police became the Corps of Royal Military Police in recognition of its work during World War II
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