PRISON SERVICES OF RHODESIA

History, Uniforms, Medals & Insignia

Rhodesia Prison Service Uniforms

The RPS uniforms were similar to those used by the B.S.A. Police. The summer uniform consisted of shirt or tunic with shorts, cap, leather belt, khaki stockings and brown shoes. The detail colours were green as opposed to the B.S.A. Police blue, i.e. Green cap band, green tie, green hose tops. Initially the cap badges for all ranks were chrome metal and apart from badges of rank, all ranks wore identical uniforms, Commissioned officers wore no distinguishing headgear for instance. In later years embroidered cap badges were used for Officers. The Winter dress followed the B.S.A. Police pattern of barathea over a green shirt. Mess dress was the standard barathea (winter) uniform and was worn with conventional belts.

The Woman Prison Officer’s uniform was of similar style to that of the Rhodesian army (see photograph below).

Rhodesia Prison Service personnel - Source- Contact II p.153

African members wore starched Khaki tunic and shorts, khaki stockings with green top and brown boots, Khaki pith helmet with green pugaree, brown leather belt with two part buckle (see background of photograph above)..

Band – Khaki pith helmet with green pugaree, green long sleeved tunic and long trousers with brown shoes. Possibly wore green and white ‘Bandsmans’ wings at the shoulders. One assumes that they might have worn bandsmen/drummer trade badges as well! (See band section for photograph of uniform).

• Commissioned Officers wore Sam Brown or cloth belts as appropriate.
• Other ranks usually wore cloth belts in an office situation, or a leather belt elsewhere, instructors wore cloth belts.
• Leather belts were always worn with shorts and shirts. 
• Warder ranks always wore the leather belt. 
• Braces were not worn in prison yards as they became a liability in a fracas.
• The belt clasp was in brass and later chrome and apart from the different badge it was of the same construction as the BSAP type.

• Commissioned Officers lanyards were braided green cord, those stationed at HQ or part of HQ staff wore a braided lanyard of green and silver (the green was central, edged on both sides by the silver). [NOTE: a colour photograph of 826 H. Squair (see collections section), a Prisons Chaplain in Bulawayo, shows him wearing a brown woven lanyard, possibly a photo colour error, this lanyard is an example of those worn by senior officers who were not stationed at or part of Headquarters staff.]
• Other ranks wore the standard lanyard, as with the BSAP, but green in colour.

• It would appear that in the early days the insignia was of brass and gilt. At some stage, possibly the early 1960s, the insignia was changed to chrome / white metal.

RPS cap with officers badge	RPS Chief Supt. tunic - Thanks to Carl Keith for the photograph	RPS tunic - back- Thanks to Carl Keith for photograph	RPS Chief Superintendent cap

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Copyright © Wayne M. Kennerley 2023