1922 South African Police Uniform

[sabrigade]

This is the uniform that I have in my collection with equipment that was used during the initail skirmishes in Johannesburg in 1922 between the Strikers and the South African Police. Martial Law was subsequently declared by General Jan Smuts.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Dear Will

Nice to see a complete uniform - outside of museums they just don't seem to exist. I am pretty sure that this helmet is the 1st. pattern - slightly taller than the 2nd. - if it says 'POLITIE' and not 'POLISIE' it is the pre-1926, or 1st.

Now... if everyone else will also post something, I won't feel like I'm staging a coup !!!

Mervyn

[sabrigade]

Dear Will

Nice to see a complete uniform - outside of museums they just don't seem to exist. I am pretty sure that this helmet is the 1st. pattern - slightly taller than the 2nd. - if it says 'POLITIE' and not 'POLISIE' it is the pre-1926, or 1st.

Now... if everyone else will also post something, I won't feel like I'm staging a coup !!!

Mervyn

I have been waiting for a "partner in crime", excuse the pun, to start doing this.

It is the Politie version and I have the second version as depicted in your post.

[milhistry]

Nice uniform! The star above the chevrons indicates the rank of 2nd Sergeant. The SAP had 1st Sgt (crown & 3 chevrons), 2nd Sgt (5-point star & three chevrons) and Lance Sgt (three chevrons) for many years until they were combined into a single Sgt rank in the early 1960s (three cevrons under a castle device). Lance Sgt made a biref comeback in the 1980s (three chevrons).

[milhistry]

A relative of mine was a "Special Mounted Constable" during the 1922 revolt on the Rand. Anyone have any information on the Specials and their uniform (if any)?

[NickLangley]

What was the significance of the switch from POLITIE to POLISIE?

[milhistry]

Politie was Dutch. Up to 1926 Dutch was one of the two official languages in South Africa. In 1926 Afrikaans became an official language in place of Dutch. Previously Afrikaans or "Cape Dutch" had been considered a dialect rather than a language in it's own right. The new government of 1924 set about promoting Afrikaans, setting up a language commission, spelling rules etc. Many Afrikaans words were simplified Dutch words or had the spelling changed to better match the pronunciation. In the case of Politie, I understand it to have been pronounced Pol-i-sh-ie in Dutch hence Pol-ie-sie was nearer in spelling to the way it was actually pronounced The s in Afrikaans is generally said softer than in Dutch (probably due to English influences) hence Polisie rather than Polischie.