Military Police centre of museum’s new exhibit

The glass showcase displays a fingerprinting kit, evidence bags, a current military police cap (far left), and a historic military police cap (far right).

Private Jeffrey Baker brushes away a piece of lint from an immaculate Military Police (MP) uniform, one of many adorning the mannequins at the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum as part of a display celebrating the MP unit’s 75th anniversary.

“As a MP reservist, I feel proud that we are being represented at the museum with both reservist and regular force displays,” says Pte Baker, who helped curate the exhibit with museum exhibit designer Clare Sharpe and fellow Military Police member Master Corporal Ian Beswick.

When Pte Baker brought his seven-year-old son, Joshua, into the museum one day, a query to Sharpe about including more army representation turned into challenge.

Sharpe invited Pte Baker to turn his personal knowledge of the military police into a display. 

As a self-professed military history buff, he says curating is not out of character for him.

For the past eight months, MCpl Beswick and Pte Baker have been collecting Military Police antiques, memorabilia, and artefacts for the display, which now takes up almost half of one display room.

“We have head gear, helmets, Second World War uniforms and battle dresses on loan from my own unit, (1 MP Regt/12 Platoon), and courtesy of LCol Leaker at Ashton Museum,” he says.

A large glass display case holds a mix of modern and historical artefacts, including a fingerprinting kit from the 1990s, air force MP arm bands, evidence bags, and antique cap badges.

Many of the artefacts were borrowed from MCpl Beswick’s private collection and the Ashton Armoury Museum, some of which originally belonged to Provost Marshal George Wilkinson.

The Provost Corps was the military branch that evolved into the modern day Military Police in 1999. Provost Wilkinson, a Second World War veteran, is one of the last surviving Provost Marshals in Canada.

“A cornerstone of the display is dedicated to George.  Much of his collection has, over the years, been donated to the Ashton Museum,” says Pte Baker.

Final touches on the display were completed in the last two weeks, and the display is now open for viewing.

“It’s been an interesting challenge, but a very enjoyable and rewarding experience,” says Pte Baker.

Rachel Lallouz
Staff Writer