French National Gendarmerie gendarme's epaulettes c1990
Entry/Object ID
2239
Description
Blue fabric epaulettes with single silver coloured fabric chevron, embroidered flaming grenade symbol, and single white metal button with embossed grenade symbol
Use
To denote rank on a uniform shirt
Context
Epaulettes are used to denote rank of a person in uniform when just wearing a shirt, where that rank would normally be displayed on the shoulders of a tunic. The are usually attached to loops on the shoulders of the shirt.
These particular epaulettes are from the French National Gendarmerie, a paramilitary organisation that conducts a mixture of police and national security roles in France. They denote the rank of gendarme and are of a style not currently in use, so probably date from c1990, or possibly earlier. They are part of a small collection that was probably formed by a UK police officer during trips abroad. In the past it was common practice for officers to swap uniform insignia with foreign officers.
