Bulgaria Bulgaria - Military Police Gorget

[Gordon Williamson]

I took the attached photo many years ago of a Gorget "Voenna Politsiya" in the collection of a friend in Germany. I have also seen a similar Gorget with the plate gilded rather than silvered which I am led to believe was for officer ranks.

Can anyone with knowledge of the Bulgarian forces point me to any further info on these and the uniforms worn by Bulgarian MPs in WW2 ?

[Theodor]

The military police used the ordinary army uniforms. For the purposes of recognizing the MP staff as such among all the uniformed men, they wore a green armband on the left arm. However there were also secret agents of the MP, who wore just uniform, no armband.

Here is an Order of the Commander from June or July 1944 I think, which approves the gorget for the JP Voenna Politsiya, Rail Military Police.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Theodor

[Gordon Williamson]

Excellent ! Many thanks.

Do you have an illustration of the armband ? Just a plain green band, or did it have some text on it ?

[Theodor]

The article that I have does not say anything about text, but I have seen WW2 period photos of a soldier with Bulgarian letters for V.P. on the armband. Just large, white color letters, probably painted. I will try to find the pictures. They are mine, but it will be a big luck to manage to find!

[Gordon Williamson]

Yes, VP would make sense. Love to see the pic if you can find it.

Interesting also that the Gorget was used by the Railway Military Police, sounds like the Bulgarian equivalent of the Zugwache in Germany who also of course wore a Gorget.

[puma77]

Would the gorgets be worn on a tube service ?

[puma77]

Tube service ?

 Should be active service.