Squad Photo Archive

The following squad photographs were originally compiled by Ian Dixon on his excellent website RMP World, with individuals submitting squad photographs over the years. Unfortunately the images have dropped from the original site due to the data files becoming corrupted. Information on the squad numbering system is shown at the bottom of the page.  There are gaps with the archive and I have added a place holder where relevant.

If you have a copy of a missing image or a better quality image, please submit them on the email link below and we will add them.

Information taken from RMP70 Website compiled by Ian Dixon, which explains the original numbering process.

During the 1950’s, an intake of three squads, numbered consecutively, would be formed up every fortnight at Inkerman Barracks. There were at least twenty-four squads at the Depot at any one time. Some would be at Warburg Barracks, Aldershot on MT training; on parades such as CO’s, 2i/c’s, Adjutant’s or RSM’s.

Squads of between 35 and 40 men would be lined up two deep, and cover the whole Inkerman parade ground. The intakes were larger than in later decades because of the availability of cheap manpower through National Service and the need to meet the military contingencies of the time. Training courses then varied in duration from twenty-two weeks (332) down to eighteen weeks (348), and depended on how long the squads spent on MT at Warburg or elsewhere. This was much longer than the 90 days training period of 1948/9 (122). The MT period in turn was influenced by the type of training required, i.e., numbers required to undertake motor cycle or truck (or both) instruction.

Those Probationers who already held car, motorcycle or both (A & D) licences would, after a brief familiarisation period with “Double-D-Clutching” on heavy vehicles, be required to assist the Instructors for anything up to four weeks, thus extending the length of their course period. If contingencies did not require a certain number of drivers, Probationers were returned to Inkerman, and so could be forward-squadded for earlier pass-out.

To add to the confusion, dates of courses cannot be taken from Squad “Pass-out” photo’s because photographs could be taken at any time during the course, depending upon the availability of the “official” photographer until June 1957 (Mr.P.J. Hart at Inkerman-whose business and records in Streatham have long since gone!).

Some photo’s were “touched up”, in that chevrons were “painted” on the photo, since the chevrons had not been issued to Probationers at the time the photo was taken! (I know this because it happened in my squad and Stuart Brown said that the same thing happened to members of R39c too)!

Any intake (refer next paragraph) numbers that I have placed against squads mean an entry into that squad two weeks after basic training with another unit. i.e.,If you spent longer than two weeks with another unit your particular number will differ!  After much contradiction from various sources, I have come to the following conclusion, which is derived from a concensus of former RMP who served during the period 1947 to 1991, and who submitted answers to questions, and from general debate on the matter.

National Service “GROUP INTAKES” were numbered with four digits.

·     January was 01 & 02;

·     February 03 & 04;

·     May 09 & 10;

·     August 15 & 16;

·     December 23 & 24.

The first two digits denoted the year and the second two digits denoted the 21st intake (first for November), for 1952 etc., People often confuse their intake number with their squad number. Intakes varied in the numbers of personnel each fortnightly period and the apportionment to RMP depended on VT’s (colloquially known as “Retreads”) and DT’s. each period to satisfy operational requirements. NOTE:The Intake Group number can be found on the Discharge Certificate AB111.

`Simple numerical sequence numbering (001 to 819) was used for all squads until National Service ended in March 1961 with squad 819 (Intake 6020), when the numbering method was changed to “R” to denote “Regular” Intakes, beginning with R1 in March 1961.

“a” (basic + police) & “b” (police only), was also used to denote whether RMP trainees had had previous military training with another army unit (voluntary=VT and directed=DT transfers for National Service), or the AAJLR (Junior Leaders Regiment), and then joined an RMP course for the police training element only. (E.g., 332a, 332b, R10a, R10b & 7313a etc.,).

In the early 1950’s, when large intakes were split up, “A”, “B” & “C” was also associated with Company training stages. E.g., “A” Company represented the first eight weeks of initial training, “B” referred to the four weeks MT training at Woking (first) then later (1950) at Warburg Barracks, Aldershot, and “C” was the final eight weeks of training prior to pass-out. “D” referred to Depot Coy. Not all RMP were returned to the depot either for transfer or demob but those that were would be included in “D” Coy. along with all permanent staff. Still confused? Sometimes a & b squads were joined together! ‘A’ was also used when a larger than normal intake would be split up as in 619 & 619a later to become 619 as people were RTU’d; backsquadded (BS) etc.,

From 1957 organisation at the D&TE changed. Only two Company’s A & B existed. This ended the moves between Companies as before. A & B each received intakes where probationers remained throughout their training. All courses now ran for sixteen weeks, (seven for basic; three for MT and six for final passing out). Also, new ‘wings’ were added to accomodate Signals; WT; Provost Officer’s; SIB; AER and MT (the former ‘B’ Coy). The SIB course consisted of 67 periods of military and criminal law and investigation procedures.

An advance party led by Lt. (later Brig.and PM) Norman Allen, marched the sixty Kms from Inkerman to Roussillon, followed by SSgt. Denis Trattles with squad R39b in 1964, and R41a was the first “R” (Regular) squad to be formed up at Roussillon in April 1964 under SI SSgt. Richard Slack.

The numbering method was changed again in January 1967 when “D099 to D199” was used. This changed yet again in January 1971 to denote the year, E.g., 7101 for 1971, 7301 for 1973, 7401 for 1974 and 8301 for 1983 etc., the first two digits being the year allocation (start of course date), and the second two digits the intake of that year. i.e., 8409 began in October 1984 and passed out in April 1985. There were slight variations to this to allow for Christmas and waiting time for enough to form a squad etc.

So far as I understand, this method changed again in 2000. E.g., 0104 represents the first intake for 2004 which Passed-out Friday 27th August 2004.

Compiled by Ian Dixon