^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Palestine Police Force 1923/1932–1948

British Mandate of Palestine 1922–1948

image by Martin Grieve

Description
Palestine Police Force Port and Marine Section Blue Ensign
Car Pennant of the Inspector General of the Palestine Police Force
Badge of Palestine Police
Palestine Police Flag Proposal

See also:

Description

The flag is based on a photograph provided by a member of the Palestine Police Old Comrades Association. I do not known whether the flag was introduced in 1923, when the Force was established, or in 1932 when the Admiralty refused to permit the use of the Blue Ensign on land at Frontier Posts.
David Prothero, 30 April 2004

Palestine Police Force Port and Marine Section Blue Ensign

image by Martin Grieve

Port and Marine Section Blue Ensign was described as having the same badge as the flag. I have not seen any references to it in Admiralty or Colonial Office records and suspect that it was an unauthorised ensign. All that I know about it is from two passages in "A Job Well Done" by Edward Horne:

"The Port and Marine Section of the Palestine Police was formed in July 1935. For the period of the Second World War it came under the control of the Senior Naval Officer at Haifa, its personnel became members of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and its launches flew the White Ensign. One launch was moved inland by rail. The first, last, and only time that the White Ensign has ever flown on the Sea of Galilee."

"Eventually orders came to re-adopt orthodox police uniforms once more and the section severed its connections with the Royal Navy, with whom they had been proud to work. There was some sadness when the White Ensign was hauled down and the blue ensign with the P.P. motif reappeared at the stern of each launch."

David Prothero, 30 April 2004

Car Pennant of the Inspector General of the Palestine Police Force

image by Martin Grieve

The Inspector General of the Palestine Police Force flew a pennant from the wing of his car:

"The pennant was triangular shaped, from memory about 4 inches [10cms] high at the standard end and about 8 inches [20cms] long. It was made of a coarse dark blue cloth and bore the Palestine Police badge about an inch [25mm] from the broad end of the pennant, which was stitched in such a way that it would fit over a short metal staff."

David Prothero, 2 May 2004

What a surprise: when I read about the PP I considered whether the head of the force might have had a car flag and would have asked you. But reading further on I saw that the force was lead by an naval officer, [and] I saw no chance (I should have known that, especially with car flags, everything is possible).
Jürgen Rimann, 2 May 2004

It was only the Port and Marine Section of the Palestine Police that was led by a naval officer, and that was only for the period 1939 to 1945.
David Prothero, 2 May 2004

Badge of Palestine Police

image by Martin Grieve

Palestine Police Flag Proposal

There was a proposal to put a 'P' on a white disc on the Union Flag for Palestine Police Frontier Posts, but as far as I know it was never implemented.
David Prothero, 15 February 1999

In 1932 the Colonial Office proposed the adoption of a Blue Ensign defaced with the badge of the Palestine Police, emphasising that it would be particularly appropriate for the Frontier Posts of Zuweira and Ain Hosb in Beersheba, and Metullah and Khalisa in the Northern District. The approval of the Admiralty, necessary because the Blue Ensign was a maritime flag, was not forthcoming. Three possibilities were considered and the final choice was, "A plain Union [Flag], the character of the station being shown elsewhere, e.g. by an escutcheon with the Police badge over the porch".
David Prothero, 16 February 1999

On 13 February 1932 the Commandant of the Palestine Police requested authorisation for a Blue Ensign defaced with the badge of the Palestine Police, for use at Police Stations. It was emphasised that the Union Flag in the canton would be particularly appropriate for use at Frontier Posts in the Northern District. The Admiralty refused the application, stating that the Blue Ensign was a maritime flag that should not be used on land. It was suggested that a white Palestine Police badge in the centre of a plain blue flag would be suitable, but it is probable that this was not adopted, and that Police Stations flew a plain Union Flag, with the character of the station shown by other means.
David Prothero, 4 March 2002