The RMP, always first in and last out of conflict

The incident in Amara marks the greatest blow to the Royal Military Police since 1946 when its members were among 28 Britons killed in a terrorist bomb attack on the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

The incident in Amara marks the greatest blow to the Royal Military Police since 1946 when its members were among 28 Britons killed in a terrorist bomb attack on the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

Known as the "Redcaps", the Royal Military Police (RMP) are responsible for providing policing support to the Army during times of peace and war. From the Gulf to Bosnia and Rwanda, the RMPs have been active in every major British conflict since the First World War. There are currently more than 2,100 military policemen stationed in the UK and around the world, with an average of 46 serving soldiers to every member.

Operating according to their motto "Exemplo ducemis" (By Example We Lead), they are traditionally the first in and the last out of military operations abroad. Their wartime duties in Iraq included guarding and directing lines of supply, handling refugees and providing information by controlling routes. When fighting ceased in Iraq, the RMP officers switched their attentions to policing and traffic duties across the country.

The officers, who are trained as soldiers before specialising in military police work, find roles in two main branches. The General Police Duties Branch, which is made up of 85 per cent of the officers, is dedicated to law enforcement, uniformed patrols and security assistance.

An elite selection of 190 officers form part of the Special Investigations Branch (SIB), the military equivalent of the CID, which deals with more serious crimes including serious assault, murder and fraud.