WW2 Civil Defence Uniforms, Insignia & Equipment
WW2 Civil Defence Uniforms, Insignia & Equipment
  • Uniforms
    • Bluette Overalls
    • ARP Wrapover Overalls
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    • Battledress & Trousers
    • Greatcoats
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    • ARP & CD Buttons
  • Insignia
    • Rank Badges
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    • Shoulder Titles / Flashes
    • War Service Chevrons
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    • Miscellaneous ARP
  • Equipment
    • Documentation
    • First Aid
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    • Hand-Cranked Air Raid Sirens
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    • Goggles
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    • Helmets of the Home Front
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    • Fire Guard History
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    • Links
  • Contact
    • About
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  • Uniforms
    • Bluette Overalls
    • ARP Wrapover Overalls
    • Tunic, Slacks & Skirt
    • ARP Wardens' Coat
    • Battledress & Trousers
    • Greatcoats
    • Ambulance Uniforms
    • Nursing Uniforms
    • Women’s Voluntary Services Uniforms
    • Hats, Berets & Caps
    • Footwear & Gaiters
    • ARP & CD Buttons
  • Insignia
    • Rank Badges
    • Breast Badges
    • Beret / Cap Badges
    • Area Markings
    • Shoulder Titles / Flashes
    • War Service Chevrons
    • Armbands
    • ARP Instructors' Badges
    • Incident Officer
    • Bomb Reconnaissance
    • Wound Stripes
    • ARP Whistle & Lanyards
    • Lapel Badges
    • Medals & Ribbons
    • Civil Defence Reserve
    • Miscellaneous ARP
  • Equipment
    • Documentation
    • First Aid
    • Gas Air Raid Warning
    • Hand-Cranked Air Raid Sirens
    • Fire Tackling
    • Anti-Gas Equipment
    • Rescue Equipment
    • Goggles
    • Lamps & Torches
    • Respirators (Gas masks)
    • ARP Penknife
    • ARP Water Bottle
  • Helmets
    • Helmets of the Home Front
  • Fire Guard
    • Fire Guard History
  • Resources
    • Books
    • Re-enacting
    • Buyers' Guide
    • ARP Memo 17
    • Civil Defence Pattern Nos
    • Uniform Sizes
    • Original WW2 Photographs
    • Re-enacting Photos
    • Fake & Reproduction ARP Badges
    • Links
  • Contact
    • About
  • Blog
  • Donate

WW2 Tinted ARP Fire Fighter's Googles

10/28/2019

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ARP fire fighter's goggles which have blue tinted lenses and are GR and crown marked.
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles Open
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles Open
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles With Tin
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles With Tin
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles With GR and Crown Mark
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles With GR and Crown Mark
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles Packed in Tin
WW2 Tinted Fire Fighters Googles Packed in Tin
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WW2 Royal Life Saving Society Respiration Service Civil Defence Badges

10/26/2019

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During the second world war the Royal Life Saving Society offered training to civilians in first aid and artificial respiration. Those who were members of the Civil Defence service were entitled to wear the society's woven 2" x 2" red on dark navy blue badge on their right breast pocket of battledress and the Pattern 71 tunic. There was a separate oxidised metal badge that could be worn on civilian clothing (though at least one photo shows a full colour enamel badge being worn on bluette overalls early in the war).
Picture
WW2 Woven Royal Life Saving Society Respiration Service badge for wear on Civil Defence uniforms
WW2 Woven Royal Life Saving Society Respiration Service badge for wear on Civil Defence uniforms
Oxidised Metal Royal Life Saving Society Respiration Service pin badge for wear on civilian clothing
Oxidised Metal Royal Life Saving Society Respiration Service pin badge for wear on civilian clothing
A lady warden wearing the Royal Life Saving Society's woven badge on her tunic
A lady warden wearing the Royal Life Saving Society's woven badge on her tunic
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Destruction Of Air Raid Shelters, London April 1945

10/25/2019

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The most interesting photo and description shows the destruction of street level air raid shelters. Dated April 1945 it shows that by this late stage of the war there was no longer any threat from the Luftwaffe or V-weapons (obviously the remaining airfields were way inside Germany and the range of V2s (about 200 miles) could no longer reach the UK).
Destruction Of Air Raid Shelters April 1945
Destruction Of Air Raid Shelters April 1945
Demolition Reveals Strength of London's Surface Shelters
Demolition Reveals Strength of London's Surface Shelters
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Fire Guard Notice Of Requirement To Attend Training

10/24/2019

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Of all the civil defence services, the Fire Guard was to have the most members during the second world war. Compulsory registration was brought in during 1943 and hundreds of thousands of people were required to join Fire Guard parties. The below is an example of a training notification. Read a short history of the Fire Guard
Fire Guard Notice Of Requirement To Attend Training
Fire Guard Notice Of Requirement To Attend Training
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Reissued WW1 Fire Guard Helmet For Deryy & Toms Department Store

10/23/2019

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This helmet is currently for sale on eBay (at time of writing bids had already exceeded £175). The seller claims that it is a first world war vintage helmet that was reissued in the second world war. It has 1938 dated chin strap lugs.

Derry & Toms was a London department store on Kensington High Street founded in 1853. It was renown for its roof garden. It closed in 1973 and the building was subsequently developed into smaller retail spaces and office space. 

Derry & Toms is also Cockney rhyming slang do bombs, as in "A Tom dropped on my house..."
Reissued WW1 Fire Guard Helmet
Reissued WW1 Fire Guard Helmet
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Interesting American Car Converted For A Rescue Squad

10/18/2019

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This photo was sent to my Facebook page and shows a group of rescue workers lined up in front of their vehicle. It's thought this may be from the Derbyshire area. The car is probably a pre-war American import that has been requisitioned by the local authority and converted for the use by a rescue squad (there's a ladder and stretchers on the roof). Unsure what the make of the car is - some think a Packard and others have said an Auburn. 
Interesting American Car Converted For A Rescue Squad
Interesting American Car Converted For A Rescue Squad
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Interesting WW2 Lady Deputy Group Warden Authority Card

10/15/2019

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A very interesting air raid warden's authority card cropped up on eBay recently. For the City of Birmingham and dated in 1940 it is for a Mrs. B. F. Jones who was the Lady Deputy Group Warden.
WW2 Air Raid Warden Authority Card Of Lady Deputy Group Warden
WW2 Air Raid Warden Authority Card Of Lady Deputy Group Warden
WW2 Air Raid Warden Authority Card Of Lady Deputy Group Warden Details
WW2 Air Raid Warden Authority Card Of Lady Deputy Group Warden Details
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WW2 Sheffield Division Civil Defence Ambulance Service Photos

10/12/2019

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I am indebted to a visitor of this website for allowing me to share the following marvellous photos. They include his mother, Kathie Noble, who was an ambulance driver for the Civil Defence service in Sheffield during the war. She was stationed at Corporation Street but they also used Pye Bank School Yard. On one particular evening of a blitz on Sheffield her ambulance was stopped from attending an incident as it was going to an area from where she lived. I have previously included a photo from Sheffield that included Kathie Noble. She is on the far right in that photo.
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WW2 London County Council (LCC) Evacuee Helper Armband

10/4/2019

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Preparations for the possible evacuation of children from areas likely to be bombed started in 1938. After September 1939, children who had been previously registered for evacuation were gathered at schools and transported to stations for onward travel to their destinations.  Staff employed by the London County Council to assist the evacuees would where armbands like below.

Consisting of a green cotton section with white tapes with tying together on the upper arm. Printed with L.C.C. & EVAC. it has a further number added, probably by the person it was originally issued to. The coat of arms is for London County Council. It is described as "
Barry wavy of six azure and argent, on a Chief of the last the cross of St George charged with a lion of England, the shield ensigned with a Mural Crown gold". The blue and silver waves represented the River Thames and the Port of London. The English lion on a St George's cross was to show that London was the "Royal centre of England", encompassing the nation's capital city. The gold mural crown indicated that the arms were those of a municipal body.
WW2 London County Council (LCC) Evacuee Helper Armband
WW2 London County Council (LCC) Evacuee Helper Armband
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