Australian Military Police in WW2
Researched and written by Antony Buckingham, MP History Web Site
Prior to WW2, the
Australian Army Military Corps did not exist as a functioning Corps of the
Australian Army and was only to be raised in times of war. In 1939, the
Australian Army Provost Corps was resurrected for "war time" service
and supported the Australian Army in battle and Australia throughout WW2. WW2
would see the Corps expand into a professional and diverse organisation that
was required to learn and develop new skills and procedures to support and
police a modern mechanized Army at war.
Sadly, very
little has been written about the Australian Military Police during WW2;
however, the best book on the subject at this time would be the book titled The
Other Enemy by Glenn Wahlert (ISBN 0 19 551189 1) published by Oxford
Military Press and covering topics about Australian soldiers and their
relationship with the Australian Military Police. This book would give the
reader enough information to understand the basic Military Police organisation
and operations during WW2.
For
a full and accurate list of Australian MP units that were raised during WW2,
read this:
Complete list of MP units 1939 - 1951
For
information about Australian MP operations in Greece and Crete during WW2, read
this:
9 DIV Provost Coy - Cyranaica Withdrawal
Diary 7 DIV Provost Company LAMIA
For
information about Australian MP operations throughout the Islands of the
Pacific and fighting the Japanese, read this:
Provost Report Operation OBOE 1
Execution of Japanese War Criminals
For
information about Australian Military Police, policing the Australian Army
inside Australia during WW2, read this:
Report of Cairns L of C Provost Company WW2
Provost Locations - North Qld WW2
Brisbane Telegraph Story 1942
"MP is Guide, Philosopher and Friend to the Soldier"