British Colonial Tanganyika Police Uniform

[ocpd71]

Hello-

I am trying to find out what the correct head gear for this uniform would be --Peaked cap? Slouch hat? Pith helmet? Any information, or especially pictures, would be helpful.

Also, in the attached picture you will notice there are 2 holes on each epaulet infront of the rank insignia. It looks as if a shoulder title of some kind was attached here. Does anybody know what the correct shoulder title for this uniform would be?

Thanks for contributing, -Jeff

[bsap10535]

My late father (a former wartime British Army officer and later, in the 1970s, a regular officer in the Rhodesian Army) served as commander of the Riot Police detachment in Dar-es-Salaam in the 1950s. I had his uniform, a KD Bush Jacket and shorts virtually identical to the photo you posted, until it got stolen from a “secure” bonded warehouse (along with other items of my own uniform & militaria collection) when we moved from Zimbabwe to the UK in 2000. Thieving swines....may they rot in Hell!

The two pip insignia denoted an “Inspector” (standard UK police rank structure) in the REGULAR police.  My father was a “reservist” and I remember him saying that his rank designation (with the same insignia) was “Lieutenant”. I'm sorry I don't remember the style of the shoulder title with any certainty, but I THINK it was two curved lines "Tanganyika" above "Police".

Full-time “Regular” officers in the Tanganyika Police wore the white-metal badge with the giraffe on a peaked cap (I think black or Navy Blue, as per the neighbouring Kenya Police).   The Riot Police wore this same badge on a Navy Blue Beret. I remember the manufacturer was “Kangol”, who (I believe) are still going.

The Bush Jacket & shorts were worn with blue-topped khaki "stockings" (long socks)......a standard practice among Colonial Police Forces which we also followed in the BSAP.  Alternatively, in the BSAP, leather leggings were worn with drill boots by junior ranks.