Police uniform question
 

Can anyone help with the uniform in this photo? Is it Met Police? The W division of the Met was Clapham which would make sense with ‘Balham’ noted on the image.

Given the dates, I wondered if it could possibly be the Volunteer Training Corps but the armband and whistle do look very ‘police’ to my untrained eye. Any clues with the cap badge?

Hopefully the link works:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/mediaui-v...&usePUBJs=true

PCs in the met would have their number on their shoulder, preceded by the division letter.
They would tend to wear capes, rather than that natty coat your chap has on.

I don't know much about uniforms, but could it be that he left the police to join the army in June 1916 and was wearing his army coat and cap?

I wondered about that, but this cap:

https://www.gunstar.co.uk/ww1-metrop...ssories/716159

does look pretty similar.

The coat looks a bit plain for police (specials?) uniform, and I thought the armlet was usually worn just above the wrist rather that at bicep level, but I'm not certain.

This doesn't help directly, but he appears in the Absent Voters lists 1918/19 at Lynn Street, the same address he had for the 1911 census and the 1939 Register:

Name: George Frederick Richardson
Rank: Gnr
Electoral Date: 1919
Electoral Place: Wandsworth, London, England
Branch of Service or British Army Corps: RGA
Regiment: 124th Heavy Bty
Service Number: 101167

Medal Card:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti...cklabel=Return

Medal Roll:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti...&usePUBJs=true

Unfortunately, I can't find a service record, so it may not have survived.

Ooh, well done Glen!

Thanks all!

A good find, Glen!


My grandfather was in the Met and was not wearing that clothing, I am sure.