Woodpolice battens/nightstick . Any one know anything about them

[Doitwithstyle]

Hi all 

 

any one out there into police memorabilia?? 

 

Forgot I had this . Clean out my nans house a couple of years back and came across a wooden night stick . Just wondering if any one know anything About them or a age . 

Will post a picture of it if any of you would know about this stuff

 

thanks 

[islandgun]

would that be a truncheon ? dont they still use them 

[GingerCat]

Not uk issue if a night stick and wood. For a short time they issued synthetic night sticks  but they arent as good as a good old baton and got in the way getting in and out of vehicles. Wooden truncheons haven't been issued for a long time and the collapsible batons are general issue with larger one piece items for public order. They can all be carried however.That's about all I know. 

[Doitwithstyle]

I’ll put a picture up . Will be easyer .. it just under 26” long . Leather strap and the bottom . 

P.s I googled it said 26” is a night stick . . So just assumed 

[GingerCat]

Its a truncheon. From the size its public order. The mounted guys had bigger ones over 30 inchs I think (phnarr phnarr). No idea of age other than quite old. I have a smaller one that I sanded and refinished. Came out well. 

[wisdom]

Some had the collar number stamped on them.

I thought it could be from the mounted division but am now corrected.

[Fuddster]

longer wooden truncheons were issued to mounted branch officers for more 'reach'.

I remember seeing Police on patrol in Newcastle's Bigg market leaning on large wooden staffs-I presume to ward off evil spirits and mad drunk Geordies.

f.

 

[GingerCat]

2 minutes ago, wisdom said:

Some had the collar number stamped on them.

I thought it could be from the mounted division but am now corrected.

It may be mounted but from memory they have got polo stick size truncheons. Public order tend to be between 21 and 26 inch. Under 21 and its general issue (normally about 18 inch). Over 26 and it can only be mounted as everyone else would get tired carrying it. 

[Doitwithstyle]

There is no markings on it . . Either way still wouldn’t like to get hit by it  . 

 

Just wana find out how old it is . 

[MirokuMK70]

It'll make a great priest!

[Muddy Funker]

Have it by the front door for when Capita turn up 👍

[The Mighty Prawn]

11 minutes ago, miroku mk70 said:

It'll make a great priest!

Genius! Those ducks can hang on sometimes...

[Mochastorm]

It appears to be the older type used by the Mounted Sections.  Some Forces experimented with different equipment after the riots of 1981 and all manner of batons could be found in equipment stores.  If the strap is leather look carefully and you may see the remains of a handwritten collar number on the inside.  I also recall that the R.U.C. carried something similar for public order situations many years ago.

[Walker570]

Not a standard trucheon certainly, you would need a long pocket for that one.  28yrs in the job and never come across one that size so cannot help.  Was really miffed when I had to hand mine in as I was told it was rather special made from very hard wood probably lignum vitae. It was heavy and happy I didn't have to use it on anything more than the occasional glass in a doorway.

Edited February 24, 2019 by Walker570

[DoolinDalton]

9 hours ago, Muddy Funker said:

Have it by the front door for when Capita turn up 👍

That...and a bucket full of stale ****

[Rookandrabbit]

Hello just saw three similar truncheons on a website called Trueantiques. all one word ,they are listed as Liverpool City Mounted police , Hyatt MOD riot truncheon and lastly one for the British South African Police all around 24 inches in length and all three had been sold but the other smaller sized truncheons  on the site go for between £70 to over £100 ...... so I think it’s worth a few quid to the right collector of police memorabilia. Good luck

[Rookandrabbit]

4 hours ago, Fuddster said:

longer wooden truncheons were issued to mounted branch officers for more 'reach'.

I remember seeing Police on patrol in Newcastle's Bigg market leaning on large wooden staffs-I presume to ward off evil spirits and mad drunk Geordies.

f.

 

I wonder if these were signalling sticks issued to supervisory officers of sergeant rank and above only certain forces still issue them today. Years ago they were used to “peg”  or call constables by banging them on the stone pavements and they had a distinctive rattle which would alert the patrol officer in the days before radio communications.👮‍♂️.

[Sako7mm]

As others have said, definitely a mounted officer’s truncheon.

[Doitwithstyle]

cool thanks for all of your help  

[mudpatten]

Just to complicate the issue. Some forces, especially the old City constabularies which existed in many parts of the country prior to the amalgamation with County forces - mostly in the late 1960s - were issued with a separate, extra long, night stick. Used as it`s name suggests. These forces also had two helmet badges, a silver coloured one for use during the day, and a black one for night duty.

[kaunda]

This style of baton was also issued to certain Colonial Police Forces,BSAP (Rhodesia) and Hong Kong being cases in point.They were sourced through the Crown Agents for The Colonies,some having leather straps and others a strong cord.In Hong Kong this type was on charge to the first section of a riot squad who carried rattan shields.They were in addition to the normal short baton which was carried by uniformed junior officers either in a leather frog (Hong Kong) or suspended by a metal loop from a baton hook integral to the revolver belt.In Northern Rhodesia the anti riot squads carried pick axe handles and metal shields,the leading edges of which were often found to have been mysteriously sharpened.Ouch.

[Rookandrabbit]

Kaunda these all sound as though they would be very tough places to be a police officer wondering if they were also issued smoothbored rifles such as the Martini Henry or lee Enfield In 410. I know the Egyptian Police were issued special 12/14 bore Greener Martini for riot control

[kaunda]

R & R

         Steel helmet,pick axe handle,shield,respirator and tear smoke grenades,then armed section with 0.303 No 4 Rifle and Federal 1 1/2 inch Gas Gun(tear smoke) , 12 bore Martini action Greener.   Officers (2) Sterling 9mm,Webley 0.38  Bren gun one per platoon.

         Greener Police Gun,firing 3 1/2 inch drawn brass cartridge with  SSG shot used in Hong Kong,latterly replaced by Remingtom 800 Pump.

           Tough ? Commensurate with the problem.

[Westley]

I was beaten to it, but I was going to suggest that it was from Liverpool Mounted Section, (Later to become Liverpool and Bootle) prior to amalgamation and becoming Merseyside Police,  in April 1974 (when I joined). As a dog handler, I worked at the stables and kennels and those 'sticks' were used in training for both the 'jockey's'  and dog handlers. As Walker says, Uniformed Officers were issued with a shorter truncheon which was carried in a pocket on the right side of the trousers. We always had to shorten the pocket because (god forbid) if you had to run, the 'staff' knocked heck out of your right knee. It was some time after the riots in 81 that the side handled baton put in an appearance, but only after you had completed a course in it's use ? At the time of the riots we had no equipment whatsoever and helmets and shields were rushed in from the Army in Northern Ireland. Needless to say we got all of the rubbish, the Army got the best (and kept it). Still it was better that the bin lids we were forced to use on the first 3 nights  !  Oh, happy days   ? 

Edited February 27, 2019 by Westley

[Mochastorm]

Westley you must recall on the first night in ‘81 being given a piece of flimsy clear plastic with a small piece cut out for the front of your custodian helmet, and elastic to hold it in place. They called it a visor.  Static shield lines while wearing long Henley raincoats over a tunic.    We were fully equipped.  As you said, happy days.