TOPIC:

Hello to all on this amazing site. I am looking for any information and a good photo on the uniform worn from this unit. My Great, great Grandad was wounded (shot off his horse) at 17 serving in the UMP and I am adding to a museum presentation for the May Natural History Museum. Thank you for any help. His name was James F.W. May

Welcome Lynn.

I don't recall seeing a picture of the UMP but others may be able to assist.

A long shot would be to contact the library in Utrecht. They don't seem to have a website but they do have a Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/Utrecht-library-411094642404771/ ) albeit that it is not updated regularly. They may be able to help?

Best wishes
David

The Utrecht Mounted Police (correctly the Utrecht-Vryheid Mounted Police) was a short-lived unit to police those districts of the Transvaal that had been conquered in General Buller's Natal Campaign. After the districts were formally annexed, the UMP was replaced by the Natal Border Police, which in turn was later incorporated into the Natal Police.

The UMP badge was made in Natal of heavy sheet brass, and was worn on the slouch hat to hold the folded up side brim in position.

There are a few UMP files in the Pietermaritzburg Repository of the SA National Archives, but none relate specifically to your enquiry.

Regards
Brett

I checked in Tylden this morning as sometimes he includes uniform details.

His entry for the UVMP is very short, confirming what Brett said, and adding that they existed between November 1900 and September 1901.

I have the medals to James Brackenbury Marshall, Natal Police, who was their OC for a while. Also those to Louis Caminada, an officer attached to them. Being made up of NP men in the main, it would be my guess that the uniform they wore was that of the Natal Police. The only difference being with the badge shown by Brett

We have a certificate ...it is so ornate I can only send a bit before it's too much for the file size limits!