About WW2 Civil Defence Uniforms, Insignia, Helmets & Equipment
Creating a resource for all Civil Defence collectors and re-enactors
WW2 Civil Defence Uniforms, Insignia, Helmets & Equipment is a comprehensive resource covering the British Civil Defence Services (ARP Wardens, Fire Guard etc) active during the second world war (1939-1945). Much of the information has been collected from official publications, books, local history archives and the plethora of files at the National Archives at Kew in London.
The website is divided into four main areas - Uniforms, Insignia, Helmets and Equipment plus a section on the largest volunteer organisation in Britain during the war, the Fire Guard.
I am also indebted to many collectors, historians and re-enactors who have been extremely generous in sharing Civil Defence and ARP items from their collections. Though this website contains a lot of information, new (to this author) Civil Defence items appear every month, especially industrial/factory ARP badges.
A lot of original insignia and badges are covered on this website but many local authorities produced items that are unique to that location. This is certainly true of the plethora of armbands issued early in the war.
Due to the way that local authorities adopted insignia, and the different commercial manufacturers they bought from, differences exist in the manufacture of insignia - from the backing materials used to the quality of the wool and colour of the uniforms produced.
Creating a dedicated resource for all the various helmets (and the markings applied to them) would probably be a website unto itself. Hence, covered here are the more commonly encountered helmet markings.
I am always interested to hear from anyone with an interest in the Civil Defence General Services active in the war.
The website is divided into four main areas - Uniforms, Insignia, Helmets and Equipment plus a section on the largest volunteer organisation in Britain during the war, the Fire Guard.
I am also indebted to many collectors, historians and re-enactors who have been extremely generous in sharing Civil Defence and ARP items from their collections. Though this website contains a lot of information, new (to this author) Civil Defence items appear every month, especially industrial/factory ARP badges.
A lot of original insignia and badges are covered on this website but many local authorities produced items that are unique to that location. This is certainly true of the plethora of armbands issued early in the war.
Due to the way that local authorities adopted insignia, and the different commercial manufacturers they bought from, differences exist in the manufacture of insignia - from the backing materials used to the quality of the wool and colour of the uniforms produced.
Creating a dedicated resource for all the various helmets (and the markings applied to them) would probably be a website unto itself. Hence, covered here are the more commonly encountered helmet markings.
I am always interested to hear from anyone with an interest in the Civil Defence General Services active in the war.
