VN092 ‘Australian Military Police’

Today’s Royal Australian Corps of Military Police is a corps within the regular Australian Army.

Originally known as the Australian Army Provost Corps it began in WW1 and was then (and today) responsible for traffic control, security duties, prisoner handling, investigation of service offences, maintenance of discipline and running military prisons.

It was granted the ‘Royal’ prefix in 1948 and adopted its current name in 1974.

During the Vietnam War it was an integral part of the Australian deployment with the first Aussie MP’s arriving in Saigon in mid 1965.

Eventually they operated in and around three separate ares, Vung Tau... Nui Dat... and Saigon of course.

Among their many duties were:

Armed Convoy Escort

Collection and Guarding Enemy Prisoners

Mobile Patrols and Road Surveillance

VIP Escorts

TAOR (Tactical Area of Responsibility) patrols checking base perimeter defences and strong points

and

Manning and Operating Road Check Points

Our two ‘Digger MP’s’ are doing just that... As the senior NCO stops traffic, his #2 covers him and the approaches to the check point with his M16.

The little ‘Check Point’ sign is also included.