gendarmerie

[Kentucky Horseman]

Where these units police or military in the 18th and 19th centuries? or with they another form of militia cavalry, like the British Yoemanry? I know in the 14th century to the 16th French service they were heavy cavalry.

[unclearthur]

Where these units police or military in the 18th and 19th centuries? or with they another form of militia cavalry, like the British Yoemanry? I know in the 14th century to the 16th French service they were heavy cavalry.

Good question. In Napoleon's time they were police and military - I assume similar to British provosts, though on the mainland (ie not on campaign) the latter operated in conjuction with local constables. It's difficult to find references but interestingly Adkin's Waterloo Companion lists the Gendarmes D'Elite, police of the Imperial Guard, from 1802. They are described as forming part of the Guard heavy cavalry, so that would fit with the earlier role you've indicated.

There was also the Gendarmerie Nationale whose horses the emperor requisitioned to remount his cavalry after the Russian disaser in 1812 but I can't find any specific references to them. Because France was basically a military state at the time I suspect there was crossover between national and military police, and Adkin says auxilliaries from the Nationale were drafted in to reinforce the Guard police if required.

I'm sure I've seen a reference to Gendarmerie in the 1813/14 campaign in southern France but can't seem to find it at the minute

Hope this is some use.

http://cavalrytales.wordpress.com

[Kentucky Horseman]

I also wanted to know where units of that name of similar units used in other countries of that time period.

[mhminor]

The term is somewhat ambigious, depending on a country's tradition of managing their military and police.

Initially, gendarmarie referenced heavy cavalry, as the term comes from "gens d'armes" which means men at arms. By Napoleon's time the term meant military police. In the mid 19th century the term morphed again, this time it could equate to simply police i.e., "gendarme". They were not always mounted, though they often were.

Different nations call their gendarerie by different names; the Italians call them Carbarinieri (carbine), the French term for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is "Gendarmerie royale du Canada". Until 2005 the Austrians called their federal police force "Bundesgendarmerie".

Hope this helps.

[roy elderkin]

In the former Rhodesia the BSAPolice were a para military police force, its rank structure was military. It was required under law that every policeman was required to be able to ride. It also required them to carry out one man mounted patrols, I was amongst the last to carry out a six week mounted patrol, when stationed on the Eastern Border. In 1950 the military rank structure ceased, and the Police was brought into modern police rank structure ie a Trooper became a constable and so on. Even up to 1980 policeman had to be able to ride, although by then it became mechanised.