Preparations for the likely bombing of military installations, industrial facilities and civilian populations led to the creation of many thousands of temporary and permanent air raid shelters. For people caught outside when the siren sounded they were guided to the nearest shelter by the ubiquitous 'Shelter' signs. These would often convey the distance to the shelter in yards and also sometimes the number of people the shelter could accommodate. There were obviously many hundreds of thousands of these enamel signs manufactured. Some are double sided so they could be used from any direction. Following the war many would stay in situ for many years and others were removed and thrown away. Those that remain are highly collectable and can reach many hundreds of pounds at auction.
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This photograph shows an ARP Report & Control officer from the West Ham of London. His shoulder titles are the "CONTROL" variety and he has the two thin bars of an ARP officer. He is wearing the austerity pattern battledress (with exposed buttons) and the photo clearly shows his area marking for West Ham.
Two variations of the enamel badge given to members of the London Auxiliary Ambulance Service to wear on their civilian clothes to show they were 'doing their bit' for the war effort.
A very good portrait of an ambulance driver standing next to her vehicle. She's wearing the drivers' coat and ski cap.
The London Auxiliary Ambulance Service (LAAS) was run by the London County Council. It was initially called the London Volunteer Ambulance Service (until renamed the LAAS on the outbreak of war) and had 5,000 volunteer drivers and attendants. Each ambulance station in London was 'manned' by a staff of approximately 80 people and was run 24 hours a day. Many of their vehicles had been donated and converted into ambulances. Early in the war the drivers were issued with the 'lancer' fronted blue coat but from 1941 they were issued with serge uniforms. CD issue badges replaced the previous LAAS issued hat, breast and shoulder badges. As the German bombing campaign intensified the need to inform the population of how to deal with the aftermath of an air raid became paramount. From the initial reception at Rest Centres through to compensation for injury and repairs to damaged homes and removal and storage of belongings. There was also support for those that had being completely bombed out and replacement of identity and ration cards and new gas masks.
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