PRISON SERVICES OF RHODESIA
History, Uniforms, Medals & Insignia
Rhodesia Prison Service Insignia
Cap Badges –
| SRPD | FPS & SRPS | RPS | RPS | |
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| Also seen in a bullion embroidered version | Also seen without the green enamel | Bullion embroidered badge, worn by rank of CPO and above | ||
| Zimbabwe Prison Service | ||||
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| ZPS Cap badge, Officers | ZPS Cap badge, Other
Ranks courtesy of Patsyfinds on eBay |
Gorgets & Collar Badges –
| Director of Prisons? | Deputy Director of Prisons? | RPS collar badge | ||
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| Purple backing for Chaplains |
Shoulder Titles –
| SRPD | FPS | PRISONS | SRPS | RPS |
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Trades Badges -
| Driver | Dog Handler | FPS (KC) | FPS (QC) | RPS |
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Other badges –
| RPS cuff link | ZPS? Cuff Link | Unknown pin badge | ||
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| WMK Collection – Maker Matthews Mfg Bulawayo – Poss ZPS? | Services Association? Possibly ZPS? |
Ranks & Rank Insignia –
| Ranks:
1959 - Fed Govt Notice Supplements 18/12/1959 |
Insignia (White
metal) |
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| Warder | No insignia | |||
| Lance Corporal Warder | One Chevron | |||
| Corporal Warder |
Two Chevrons | |||
| Sergeant Warder |
Three Chevrons | |||
| Sergeant Major Warder |
Crown in Wreath |
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| Head Warder | Royal Arms in Wreath |
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| Prison Officer on
Probabtion |
One Bar | |||
| Established Prison
Officer
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Two Bars | |||
| Chief Prison
Officer |
Three bars |
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| Superintendent |
Crown | |||
| Senior Superintendent |
Crown over one star | |||
| Assistant Director of
Prisons |
Crown over two stars |
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| Deputy Director of
Prisons |
Crown over three stars |
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| Director of Prisons | Crown over a wreath of
laurel |
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Ranks & Rank Insignia –
| Ranks: circa 1962 | Insignia | Ranks: circa 1975 | Insignia | |
| Warder | No insignia | Warder | No insignia | |
| Lance Corporal | One Chevron | Lance Corporal | One Chevron | |
| Corporal | Two Chevrons | Corporal | Two Chevrons | |
| Sergeant | Three Chevrons | Sergeant | Three Chevrons | |
| Sergeant Major | Three Chevrons surmounted by Crown. | Sergeant Major | Lion & Tusk in a Wreath | |
| Chief Warder | Rhodesian Coat of Arms | |||
| Prison Officer | One Bar | Prison Officer | One Bar | |
| Established Prison Officer (after 2 years) | Two Bars | Established Prison Officer (after 2 years) | Two Bars | |
| Chief Prison Officer (exam) | Three Bars | Principal Prison Officer (exam) | Three Bars | |
| Assistant Superintendent (exam) | Two Pips | Chief Prison Officer (exam) | Two Pips | |
| Superintendent ** (exam) | Crown | Superintendent ** (exam) | Lion & Tusk on Wreath | |
| Chief Superintendent ** | Pip and Crown | Senior Superintendent (later Chief Superintendent) ** | Pip & Lion & Tusk on Wreath | |
| Senior Chief Superintendent (short lived rank) | 2 pips with Lion & Tusk on wreath | |||
| Assistant Director of Prisons | Crossed keys on wreath
with one pip ? |
Assistant Director of Prisons (short lived rank) | Crossed keys on wreath | |
| Deputy Director of Prisons** (1 post) | Crossed keys on wreath with two pips | Deputy Director of Prisons** (1 post) | Crossed keys on wreath with two pips | |
| Director
of
Prisons.***
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Crossed keys on wreath with Crown. Gorget Silver Oak Leaf spray on Green base | Director of Prisons.*** | Crossed keys on wreath with Lion & Tusk on Wreath | |
| Specialist ranks included : | ||||
| Prison Officer (T) stood for temporary. Used for overage (though useful), or men otherwise non-qualifying for regular status. Some were in place for years, keeping establishment figures up. (W) stood for workshop or instructional staff. Usually carpenters, tailors, leatherworkers, foundry etc. | Prison Medical Officer, Chaplain, Chaplain General, Bandmaster (Director of Music), Quartermaster – Bandmaster and Quartermaster later became Superintendents. Area Chaplain? | |||
| There were only ever two Chief Warders at one time, one at Khami and the other at Salisbury Central | ||||
| Crown with green insert Pips – British Bath Star type |
Pips – Rhodesian ‘Sit Nomine Digna’ type | |||
| ** subject to board and approval of Minister of Justice. | Major (see Contact II) probably an error for Sergeant Major? | |||
| *** subject to Cabinet approval. |
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Superintendent
FPS
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Bath Star rank
pip
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Sit Nomine Digna
rank pip
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Prison Officer
RPS
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Sergeant
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Said to be Rhodesian? Possibly Federal
Era
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Said to be
Rhodesian but more likely South African??
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Below Left: Instructors wore a green slip-on over the epaulette, onto which the metal insignia was fixed. Members on courses such as CPO course, wore a white slip-on over the epaulette.
Warder Instructor Grade II sealed
pattern, believed to be Federal Prison Service
Department Rubber Stamps –
| Fed. Govt. H.M. Prison Service - 1961 | H.M. Prison - 1961 |
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| S.R. Govt. – H.M. Prison Service - 1965 | H.M. Prison Service - 1966 |
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Rhodesia Prison Service Blazer Badge –
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| From the Rory Drainer Collection |
Rhodesia Prison Service Plaques –
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Wayne M.
Kennerley Collection
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Wayne M.
Kennerley Collection
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Wayne M.
Kennerley Collection
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Note from Brian
Ruff 2006 - Made in the Prisons workshops around the
time that the new badge was introduced. This is a
smaller version of the badges used above the gate at the
Salisbury Remand Prison & Holding Centre, as well as
on a plinth at Prison HQ. Possibly used on a wooden
shield as an award.
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Scan of a home
made plaque seen on ebay, seller gglover
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Rhodesia Prison Service – Nurses Epaulette –
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Believed to have been used by Nurses in the Rhodesia Prison Service, the rank bars are incorrect as they should be chrome. Provision has been made for the fitting of the Rhodesia Medical Council badge and the RPS title but not for the rank bars, so was probably modified for use by the Prison Service. |
Belt Buckles –
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| Brass Buckle for Federal Prison Service | Chrome Buckle for Rhodesia Prison Service |
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| Brass Buckle for leather belt – Believed to be Zimbabwe Prison Service ?? | Chrome Buckle (Zimbabwe Prison Service) |
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| RPS cloth belt buckle |
Copyright © Wayne M. Kennerley 2023