Civic Guard Uniform South Africa

[sabrigade]

I have not been able to find much out about this force. The uniform has South African Police buttons and the wearer was obviously a WW1 veteran. The blue brassard with the letters CG obviously indicate "Civic Guard" and the blue service chevrons 3 year World War 1 service. The chevrons are on the wrong sleeve cuff according to military dress regulations.

[sabrigade]

South African Police Force button on CG tunic.

[milhistry]

Nice uniform. I have been trying (for some time) to find out about the various "Home Guard equivalient" organisations in South Africa during the Second World War. Not much available on the subject it seems. Great to find a picture of a uniform.

There were the "Civic Guard" and "Civil Protection Services", each with their own badges but seemingly similar duties (?), which seemed to have been controlled by the Police. There was also a police reserve.

Then there were the Essential Services Protection Corps which guarded key points,the Reserve Brigade (mainly guarded airfields), the Coastal Defence Corps (coast gunners), National Volunteer Brigade and National Reserve Volunteers (essentially the home guard) - part-timers who fell under the Army for control.

[milhistry]

Getting back to the Civ. Gd. Apparently their cap was light khaki with a black cap band.