Royal Papua & New Guinea
Constabulary
New Guinea Police Force
Embedded Files
History of the New Guinea Police Force
1921-1942
In New Guinea shortly before 1914, the German Administration had a police force of a complement of approximately 1.000 New Guinea Locals.The German force was trained by regular Army officers at Rabaul (which was the German Administration HQ) and its function consisted mainly of taking punitive action against tribes which either attacked their administration or resisted their expansion. The dress of the members of the German New Guinea Police Force was a blue serrated lap-lap with a white belt and a white sailor type hat. The New Guinea Police Force was taken over by The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) from the German Administration in 1914 with the defeat on the Germans at the Battle of Bita Paka on New Britain known in the German as Neu-Pommern as part Kaiser-Wilhelmsland. In 1921 the New Guinea Police Force was reorganized upon the commencement of the activities of the Australian Civil Administration. It was not until 1930 that a modern Police Force was established in the territory of New Guinea by Colonel J Walstad DSO, who became its Superintendent.
L P R Johnston, J F Clark, W S Harvey, P J Simnet
D McDougall, H. Theckston, W A. Dix, E A. Ash, P G.Nautly, J H. Palmer
D. Crawley, N B. Blood, W.B. Prior, J Walstab,T Walker, R W Feetum, AM Sinclair (Sandy)
Armed Constabulary for New Guinea.
The first ordinance issued this year by the Legislative Council of New Guinea was to provide for an armed constabulary, to consist of a commandant, commissioned and non-commissioned officers and constables. Bales and regulations for the government and discipline of the force, &c, may impose penalties not to exceed a fine of £10, or imprisonment not to exceed three months, with or without hard labour, for abreach of any of them. The following are some of the penalties:—Any member ceasing to be a member of the force who does not deliver up his arms, clothing, accoutrements, and all property in his possession belonging to the Crown is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding £20; in default of payment, imprisonment not exceeding three months. Any member of the force taking a gratuity, assisting or conniving at the escape or attempted escape of prisoners, deserting his post, or assaulting his superior officer, is liable for every offence to a similar penalty, which also applies to those who, without the commandant's consent, leave the force before serving the term of engagement. A commissioned officer, for disobeying his superior officer, is liable to be dismissed the force, and a non-commissioned officer or constable to imprisonment not exceeding one month nor less than two days, with or without hard labour; and for absence from duty without leave to imprisonment not exceeding three months. For escaping from confinement when under arrest, failing to appear at anyplace of parade, leaving such place before relieved, or failing to report any person committed to his charge, a commissioned officer is liable to be dismissed the force, a non-commissioned officer to be reduced to the rank of constable, and to be imprisoned for any period not exceeding two months, and a constable to be imprisoned a similar period, or be dismissed the force. The penalty for malingering on the part of any non-commissioned officer or constable is imprisonment, not exceeding thirty days, with or without hard labour. Commissioned officers are empowered to suspend non-commissioned officers or constables for misconduct, and in eases of petty breaches of discipline the officer in charge of any station or portion of the force, may inflict a penalty not exceeding fourteen days' confinement, or forty-eight horas' imprisonment. During imprisonment, all pay accruing to a member of the force shall be liable to be forfeited. All fines and penalties may be deducted from pay. Every member of the force shall have the same protection and indemnities in the discharge of duty as any constable or police officer in Queensland, and the Administrator may grant rewards and gratuities to any one whom he may deem deserving of the same. Members of the force are to execute processes and serve summonses and warrants. Persons interfering with the force when in execution of their duty, refusing to assist when called upon, or attempting to induce performance of duty, render themselves liable to a fine of £20, or three months' imprisonment, with or without hard labour. A similar penalty can be imposed on those not enrolled in the force having in possession badges, arms, or uniforms of, or falsely representing them selves to belong to, the force. Two of the sections read as follows:—" In the event of the number of men fixed by resolution of the Legislative Council as that of the force not being obtained by voluntary engagement, every male aboriginal native of the possession who is of sound bodily constitution, and who is, so far as can be ascertained, between the ages of 17 and 40, and unmarried, shall be liable to be enrolled. Due regard shall, in compelling enrolment, be had that not more than • reasonable proportion of men be enrolled from any one district; provided always that the Administrator may from time to time exempt the inhabitants of any specified portion of the possession, or any person engaged in any specified occupation or calling, from the operation of this section." "Every person so enrolled under the last section shall be enrolled for not more than three years, nor less than one year, and shall, unless discharged or dismissed, be obliged to serve for the period of enrolment. No person so enrolled to be liable to a second term of service."
NEW GUINEA CONSTABULARY
Brisbane, Monday.— Mr D. A. M 'Neill, share broker, has been appointed ..to the command of the armed constabulary now being raised for New Guinea.
NEWGUINEA CONSTABULARY
CANBERRA, June 23.-ApplicaUons were called today for a further batch of Australians from whom the New Guinea Administration can select warrant officers for the New Guinea constabulary. Per sons appointed will receive salaries ranging from ÂŁ366 to ÂŁ466 a year. Applications should be made to the Government Secretary at Rabaul not later than September 30.
Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), Wednesday 11 September 1889, page 8
Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Friday 24 June 1938 p 23 Article
Colonel Walstab of the newly established, New Guinea Police Force on a patrol with police,in the Sepik, area of New Guinea, 1924.
The curfew bell - this bell was rung each night at 9 PM each night for all native workers to be in there homes 1928
Prison compound Rabaul 1928
New Guinea police reading for a parade
Visit of GG Lord Stoanhaven Rabaul 15th July 1929
Lance Corporal in patrol kit with Wife ca 1930
Territory of New Guinea Constabulary 1930
Warrant Officer Sid Riley standing, of the New Guinea Police Force
with Medical assistant and armed constables
Taken in Wau 1928
Chris Normoyle, Gilbert Melville Hill, William Bruce Ball, waiting for the arrival of the Governor General, Lord Gowrie - Rabaul 2nd August 1937. Ball was awarded the OBE for services during the 1937 Rabaul volcanic eruption Chris Normoyle went on to become the Police Commissioners of the Royal Papua and New Guinea Constabulary ( a Megan Butel Image)
New Guinea Native Police on parade under the command
of a European warrant officer around 1929 possible the visit of Lord Stonehaven 24 May 1929, Empire Day
Royal salute for Lord Stonehaven Governor General of Australia 1925-1930
Native Police at Rabaul, taking the salute is Supt John Walstab 24 May 1929
The 1929 cruse of the seaplane carrier, HMAS Albatross, to New Guinea, New Ireland and New Britain was unique in that it was the first overseas demonstration of Australian naval air power. was in fact a vice regal visit to the Pacific outposts by Their Excellencies, the Governor-General, Lord Stonehaven, and Lady Stonehaven.
24 May 1929, Empire Day visit of Lord Stonehaven Governor General of Australia 1925-1930
Police at Salamaua New Guinea 19 Aug 1938L/R Barop, Zaepu, Mela Ego and Lo-Peng
Armistice Day at Rabaul November, 11, 1937 Present are The Administer, Colonel J Walstab, Harold Page, Doctor Hoskins.
Governor General walking past covered viewing area, Rabaul, New Guinea, 1937 New Guinea Police Officer Sandy Sinclair at rear
Governor General inspecting assembled police, Rabaul, New Guinea, 1937
Rabaul New Britain Native Police on Parade
June 1927
Warrant Officer William Henry Bird , James Buckingham Stratton, Charles Dawson Bates, George William Waites
24 May 1929, Empire Day
Bugles and drum band Armistice day parade Rabaul
11/11/1937
Unknown Officer of the New Guinea Police Force
This is the older German uniform salior cap and lap-lap wearing the German belt buckle
Gott Mit Uns-God With Us
Armistice day parade Rabaul
11/11/1937
New Guinea Police Force present arms
Armistice day parade Rabaul
11/11/1937
New Guinea Police Force Training March, along Mango Ave Turning into Namanula Rd
NG Police Training March, Yarra Ave China Town passing the Cosmopolitan Hotel
DIFFICULTIES IN UNKNOWN NEW GUINEA.
District Officer Townsend, who arrived in Sydney by the Montero yesterday morning, told an exciting story of his adventures in New Guinea last month, when he discovered the bodies of two gold prospectors and three of their bearers who had been clubbed to death by wild hill tribes in the Morobe district. William Naylor and Emile Clarius were murdered in rugged jungle country on the New Guinea side of the dividing range, which is the boundary between Papua and New Guinea. News of their murder was brought by a native carrier, who staggered, frightened and footsore, in to the village of Otibanda, the last outpost in the district. The native told the patrol officer of the sudden attack on the prospecting party on a path through the jungle. The narrowness of the path and the suddenness of the attack had prevented Naylor and Clarius from using their weapons. Mr. Townsend and his party set out from Salamoa with a detachment of native police for Otibanda, which he left on a three days' journey to the west. The country was among the wildest that the native police had travelled through. Thick scrub covered rugged ridges, and the only chance of travelling rapidly was to follow narrow trails, formed by the frequent passing of natives. Swift, streams between steep cliffs added to the difficulties of the journey. The bodies of Naylor, Clarius, and three of their carriers were found alongside a creek. There were hardly any signs of a conflict, showing that the prospecting party had been taken by surprise. Three native carriers are still unaccounted for, but they probably escaped during the fight. The police party burled the bodies, and searched for the murderers. They had evidently retreated to their fastness in the hills. Mr. Townsend returned, and presented his report, as it was evident that little could be done to bring the natives to justice in less than a couple of months. A well-equipped police party later left for the area, where they will probably remain about three months. It will be handicapped by the fact that the area is practically unknown, and the natives will be able to take advantage of its ruggedness. Mr. Townsend, who is on his way to England on leave, said he did not think that the murders were due to some discreditable act by the prospectors. He said that the natives had probably never seen Europeans before, and that their savagery made visits to them as safe as entering a lion's den.
The Sydney Morning Herald NSW:Friday 17 February 1933 Page 9==========
Kukukuku believed at the time to be Baum’s murderers, surrounded by native police after their arrest
New Guinea Police constable with Prisoners from group who murdered William Naylor and Emile Clarius 1932
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Patrol in Snake River New Guinea police and villagers, Snake River, Buangs
1938 contingent of New Guinea Police l entered the Oksapmin region.
March the 9th 1938 a government patrol set out from Mount Hagen in the New Guinea Highlands. It comprised three European patrol officers lead by, Assistant District Officer James Lindsay and a large number of New Guinea native Police and over 200 carriers and support team and a handful of native cooks. This is the first time a venture so large had been assembled in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea no one had ever seen the like. It resembled an invasion force, the expense was somewhat of a concern to the Australian Administrator, General Sir Walter McNicoll stationed in Rabaul. The expedition, called the Hagen-Sepik Patrol, the goal was to explore the geography and the population of the huge stretch of unexplored territory which lay between Mount Hagen and the Dutch border. It was not totally unknown in the 1930s, occasional Papuan government officers, gold prospectors, missionaries and others had left an obscure criss-cross of their struggled passages. But the general nature of the country, the mysteries of the drainage systems of its great rivers and numbers of its populations remained almost blank. The expedition covered some 3000 kilometres, almost all of it on foot. They did not return until 19th June 1939 fifteen months away from civilisation.
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March the 9th 1938 a government patrol set out from Mount Hagen in the New Guinea Highlands. It comprised three European patrol officers lead by, Assistant District Officer James Lindsay and a large number of New Guinea native Police and over 200 carriers and support team and a handful of native cooks. This is the first time a venture so large had been assembled in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea no one had ever seen the like. It resembled an invasion force, the expense was somewhat of a concern to the Australian Administrator, General Sir Walter McNicoll stationed in Rabaul. The expedition, called the Hagen-Sepik Patrol, the goal was to -------- the geography and the population of that huge stretch of unexplored territory which lay between Mount Hagen and the then Dutch border. It was not totally unknown 1930s, occasional Papuan government officers, gold prospectors, missionaries and others had left an obscure criss-cross of their struggled passages. But the general nature of the country, the mysteries of the drainage systems of its great
General Walter McNicoll reviews New Guinea Police in Rabaul New Guinea
New Guinea Police Force TNG Constabulary ca 1933
A squad on patrol With medical aid
Warrant Officer Alexander Sinclair of the New Guinea Police Force instructs new recruits undergoing training in elevation at the Police Training Depot, Rabaul, 1937.
On 1 November 1926, the armed New Guinea Police Force left Rabaul on a mission of justice. This expedition was led by Colonel Walstab of the New Guinea Police and was in response to the killing of four Australian men in the Nakanai district of New Britain, seventy miles from Rabaul. The Nakanai Massacre, as it was called, was the bloodiest attack on whites in New Guinea for twenty years. Attending the expedition, Dr Cilento joined the trek with an advanced dressing station and carriers. The machine gun section was managed under Colonel Woodman. Guides accompanied DDO Jim Taylor and Number 1 Platoon with Number 2 Platoon under ADO George Ellis, headquarters staff, carriers, cooks, personal staff and Number 3 Platoon.The sentences of death pronounced upon the natives concerned in the Nakanai Massacre were commuted to imprisonment for fifteen years.
Warrant Officer Bob Worman Joined NGPF 1930
went to coronation in 1937
WO Bob Worman in white ceremonial Police uniform ( a Megan Butel Image)
Warrant Officer Arthur Glyuas with Police squad , Madang 1937
Early detachments of NGPF
Below General Walter McNicoll reviews troops in New Guinea
Below General Walter McNicoll reviews troops in New Guinea
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