A combined Authority Card and Record of Training for a Deputy Senior Warden in the City of Liverpool's Civil Defence Wardens' Service (a senior warden would cover a sector of a few streets). I've seen quite a number of these authority cards (also called appointment or warrant cards) but rarely do they include a record of the training the individual warden had received. Oddly, it's not that unusual to find these cards unsigned.
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From early 1940 ARP and Civil Defence vehicles could use the left headlamp as an identification marker (the right lamp had a blackout filter added and the left was initially to be entirely obscured). Lettered masks could be fitted over the headlamp to allow the Civil Defence Services and Police to identify vehicles during the blackout and at air raid incidents. The lettering was in white except for the FIRE which was in amber.
The below image is from Trico that manufactured the illuminated letters. The first set of lettered signs included: ARP - Directing Staff W - Air Raid Wardens FAP - First Aid Parties & Mobile First Aid Units A - Ambulance (stretcher cases) A CAR - Ambulance (sitting cases) R - Rescue Parties DC - Decontamination Squads RP/R - Repair Party - Roads RP/W - Repair Party - Water RP/G - Repair Party - Gas RP/E - Repair Party - Electricity M - Messengers SP - Stretcher Parties in the London CD Region FIRE - Fire Service P - Police Additional letters were added such as BTS for the Blood Transfusion Service, GPO for the General Post Office fixing telephone lines and GIS and GCU for Gas Identification Services and Gas Cleansing Units, respectively. The St. John Ambulance Brigade offered training in Air Raid Precautions (ARP) and First Aid for Air Raid Casualties to its members. This would allow uniformed St John members to wear a yellow ARP badge on the lower right sleeve of their uniform.
The distinction between the St. John Ambulance Brigade and the St. John Ambulance Association, was the brigade provided uniformed first aiders at events, whilst the association trained anyone in first aid. I don't believe I have ever seen a women's ARP Pattern 71 tunic with an I.O. (Incident Officer) sleeve badge but the below course certificate shows that women did indeed attend and pass the course. The certificate was amongst a number of items including other paperwork and insignia that appeared on eBay belonging to a Miss Lilian Taylor from Pinner.
Members of a Rescue Squad stand in front of their car and trailer packed with rescue gear. Likely to be early war going by the bluette overalls in evidence (but these were of course worn throughout the war).
If you happen to know the make and model of the vehicle, pop a comment below. |
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