A.V.M Sir Hugh Walmsley Inspecting R.A.F Service Police, In Best Parade Dress at No21 O.T.U Moreton-In-Marsh, March 1942.
In 1937, a dedicated pool of investigators was established to make enquiries into all serious RAF offences throughout the UK and so began the RAF Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB). Meanwhile, in Iraq, the RAF Police had formed mounted police sections. Having to patrol vast areas of difficult terrain, the RAF Police saw the value, and indeed the imposing image of authority, of mounted patrols using local Arab horses. A separate RAF trade for policemen (which would be known formally as RAF Service Police) was created in 1939.
In 1939, a specially trained contingent of RAF Police was formed to meet the police requirements of an expeditionary air force. In September 1939, the new unit landed in France as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force and was based in Rheims. The RAF Police unit undertook a range of provost duties in the field. The work of this unit was the first practical indication of how future mobile RAF Police field formations would be organised and would operate. From 1941, WAAFs were recruited for security duties, under the direction of the RAF Police. This was followed in 1942, with the introduction of the new trade of RAF Police. This was designed to promote efficiency by providing the opportunity of gaining experience in the full range of police and security work and to allow flexibility in manning posts.
