Posted 10 years ago
battlegear
(69 items)
French Gendarmerie M51 steel helmet with badge, the shell is mfg by Carpentier Cusset and dated 1964 , This helmet is complete with matching blue liner & chin straps. The same type of helmet they would have used during the Paris riots back in 1968 as shown in news photos.
The Gendarmerie Nationale is one of France’s oldest institutions. They are the Military police forces of France
- Military missions
Even in peacetime, the Gendarmerie takes part in the protection of particularly important places that can be of vital interest for the nation. It exercises the government control over the nuclear armament and provides the escorts of the nuclear weapons convoys. Moreover, it contributes to the preparation of the mobilisation of sister units and to the management of the reserves. Finally, the Gendarmerie accompanies the French armed forces stationed or committed abroad military criminal police) and is included in peace missions (both military and civilian) all over the world, at the request of the United Nations or the EU.
That sure sounds good, but in SXM, it's a different matter. The gendarmes here have been told to lean toward the locals in conflicts because the of fear uprisings. Locals consider themselves St. Martiner's 1st & French 2nd (or 3rd). The gendarmes are afraid of them & normally rotated every 3-4 months. I could tell you things I've seen that you would find hard to believe! I watched a couple of gendarmes buy cocaine & as the pusher passed me, said, "We control them". They will control traffic violations (mostly of whites).
I'm not talking "out of the top of my hat" as I know them & work with them some as gunsmith etc.. I deal mostly with the secret police & a few investigators. The gendarmes here were militarized about 15 yrs ago so they can possess military weapons, such as machine guns, grenades etc.. They aren't what they appear to be!
very very beautiful helmets and history!!
Thanks for looking, Im glad you enjoyed the helmet and the history!
blunderbuss, thats interesting to know you have personal experience with Gendarmes and actually worked with them, thanks for the info!
Still do.
youe very welcome battlegear!!