WW2 Civil Defence ARPS, LARP and LAGC Instructors' Badges
Thomas Alderson - George Cross recipient with Instructors lapel badge and Instructors cloth badge on sleeve.(Image:IWM HU 66004)
Although instructors had been trained in the pre-war years, no insignia or badges were produced to recognize their training. As more and more people qualified as instructors there was pressure to create badges and in January 1942 a series of official badges was released.
Three classes of instructor were created:
A Ministry of Home Security Circular (No.15/1942) in late January 1942 detailed the badges. It mentions a badge featuring the letters CAGS (for Civilian Anti-Gas School) but to date no badge featuring these letters has come to light. The Civilian Anti-Gas School opened in 1936 at Eastwood Park in Gloucestershire. During the second world war it was renamed "The Ministry of Home Security Air Raid Precautions School".
Those who passed the training course could purchase a badge from their local authority. Badges featured the brooch fitting for women and the half moon lapel buttonhole fitting for men. Badges could be worn on both civilian clothes and uniforms (usually on the left lapel, collar or breast pocket).
Lastly, there exists a green lapel badge with INSTRUCTOR surmounted by the letters CD and a King's crown and with the word RESCUE at the bottom. This is possibly an unofficial rescue training badge.
Three classes of instructor were created:
- ARPS - Air Raid Precautions School (nationally trained gold badge)
- LARP - Local Air Raid Precautions (locally trained silver badge)
- LAGC - Local Anti-Gas Course (locally trained silver badge)
A Ministry of Home Security Circular (No.15/1942) in late January 1942 detailed the badges. It mentions a badge featuring the letters CAGS (for Civilian Anti-Gas School) but to date no badge featuring these letters has come to light. The Civilian Anti-Gas School opened in 1936 at Eastwood Park in Gloucestershire. During the second world war it was renamed "The Ministry of Home Security Air Raid Precautions School".
Those who passed the training course could purchase a badge from their local authority. Badges featured the brooch fitting for women and the half moon lapel buttonhole fitting for men. Badges could be worn on both civilian clothes and uniforms (usually on the left lapel, collar or breast pocket).
Lastly, there exists a green lapel badge with INSTRUCTOR surmounted by the letters CD and a King's crown and with the word RESCUE at the bottom. This is possibly an unofficial rescue training badge.
Cloth Badges - Instructor and LARP
Although no cloth versions of the above badges were officially released, a number of unofficial versions can be seen in period photos. The word 'INSTRUCTOR' in old gold inside a an oblong can be seen worn on the lower left sleeve (see photo top right)
There are a number of LARP cloth badges that may be for LARP instructors. These are yellow letters inside an oval (to date no photographic evidence shows this being worn). No cloth badges for the other types of instructor have been found on photographs.
There are a number of LARP cloth badges that may be for LARP instructors. These are yellow letters inside an oval (to date no photographic evidence shows this being worn). No cloth badges for the other types of instructor have been found on photographs.
Fire Guard Instructors' Badges
To recognise the training that Fire Guard instructors had undertaken, two badges were produced from July 1944.
The gold-coloured, nationally trained Fire Guard Instructors Course (FGIC) and the silver-coloured, locally-trained Local Fire Guard Instructors (LFGI).
The gold-coloured, nationally trained Fire Guard Instructors Course (FGIC) and the silver-coloured, locally-trained Local Fire Guard Instructors (LFGI).
Metal ARP Instructor Lapel Badges
Local-authority approved and semi-official metal instructor badges turn up from time to time. It's likely that officially trained instructors may have purchased them in addition to the standard official badges listed above.
