![[Palestine Police Force Flag]](../images/m/mpe_gbpf.gif)
image by Martin Grieve
Last modified: 2023-12-09 by martin karner
Keywords: british mandate of palestine | union flag | police | great britain | car flag | pennant | blue ensign (defaced) |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
image by Martin Grieve
The flag is based on a photograph provided by a member of the
Palestine Police Old Comrades Association. I do not known whether
the flag was introduced in 1923, when the Force was established,
or in 1932 when the Admiralty refused to permit the use of the
Blue Ensign on land at Frontier Posts.
David Prothero, 30 April 2004
![[Palestine Police Force Port and Marine Section Blue Ensign]](../images/m/mpe~gbpe.gif)
image by Martin Grieve
Port and Marine Section Blue Ensign was described as having the same badge as the flag. I have not seen any references to it in Admiralty or Colonial Office records and suspect that it was an unauthorised ensign. All that I know about it is from two passages in "A Job Well Done" by Edward Horne:
"The Port and Marine Section of the Palestine Police was formed in July 1935. For the period of the Second World War it came under the control of the Senior Naval Officer at Haifa, its personnel became members of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and its launches flew the White Ensign. One launch was moved inland by rail. The first, last, and only time that the White Ensign has ever flown on the Sea of Galilee."
"Eventually orders came to re-adopt orthodox police uniforms once more and the section severed its connections with the Royal Navy, with whom they had been proud to work. There was some sadness when the White Ensign was hauled down and the blue ensign with the P.P. motif reappeared at the stern of each launch."
David Prothero, 30 April 2004
![[Car Pennant of the Inspector General of the Palestine Police Force]](../images/m/mpe_gbc.gif)
image by Martin Grieve
The Inspector General of the Palestine Police Force flew a pennant from the wing of his car:
"The pennant was triangular shaped, from memory about 4 inches [10cms] high at the standard end and about 8 inches [20cms] long. It was made of a coarse dark blue cloth and bore the Palestine Police badge about an inch [25mm] from the broad end of the pennant, which was stitched in such a way that it would fit over a short metal staff."
David Prothero, 2 May 2004
What a surprise: when I read about the PP I considered whether
the head of the force might have had a car flag and would have
asked you. But reading further on I saw that the force was lead
by an naval officer, [and] I saw no chance (I should have known
that, especially with car flags, everything is possible).
Jürgen Rimann, 2 May 2004
It was only the Port and Marine Section of the Palestine
Police that was led by a naval officer, and that was only for the
period 1939 to 1945.
David Prothero, 2 May 2004
![[Badge of Palestine Police]](../images/m/mpe)gbp.gif)
image by Martin Grieve
There was a proposal to put a 'P' on a white disc on the Union Flag for Palestine Police Frontier
Posts, but as far as I know it was never implemented.
David Prothero, 15 February 1999
In 1932 the Colonial Office proposed the adoption of a Blue
Ensign defaced with the badge of the Palestine Police,
emphasising that it would be particularly appropriate for the
Frontier Posts of Zuweira and Ain Hosb in Beersheba, and Metullah
and Khalisa in the Northern District. The approval of the
Admiralty, necessary because the Blue Ensign was a maritime flag,
was not forthcoming. Three possibilities were considered and the
final choice was, "A plain Union
[Flag], the character of the station being shown
elsewhere, e.g. by an escutcheon with the Police badge over the
porch".
David Prothero, 16 February 1999
On 13 February 1932 the Commandant of the Palestine Police
requested authorisation for a Blue Ensign defaced with the badge
of the Palestine Police, for use at Police Stations. It was
emphasised that the Union Flag in the
canton would be particularly appropriate for use at Frontier
Posts in the Northern District. The Admiralty refused the
application, stating that the Blue Ensign was a maritime flag
that should not be used on land. It was suggested that a white
Palestine Police badge in the centre of a plain blue flag would
be suitable, but it is probable that this was not adopted, and
that Police Stations flew a plain Union Flag,
with the character of the station shown by other means.
David Prothero, 4 March 2002
