At air raid incidents and when reporting activity wardens would use ARP Form M1. When reports had been successfully sent through to the Report / Control Centres they would utilise ARP Form M2 (shown below). It was similar in many ways but should a number of M1s have been received about a similar incident it was the M2 that then took precedence.
0 Comments
Local authorities issued hundreds if leaflets and notices to educate people about staying safe after an air raid. The primary concern was to alleviate pressure on the health surfaces by ensuring people did not fall unnecessarily ill from something that could be easily avoided. This notice advises on how to purify water following an air raid.
A quite scare ARP rescue axe carrier has cropped up on eBay. Not often seen these were usually issued to Rescue Parties. A rescue worker carrying one on his hip can be seen in a photo on the rescue equipment page.
This fine study shows Robert Watson of Soham, Cambridgeshire. Possibly pre-war or very early war is shows how a warden would have been equipped prior to the issue of the first uniform (bluette overalls). He has the silver lapel badge, a Civil Defence yellow-on-dark-clue armband and a black helmet with white 'W'. He appears to have the simple cotton sack to hold his gas mask. Image courtesy of Keith Watson.
An interesting early war 'GW' marked warden's helmet. The use of a rank diamond is quite rare and usually means a date of pre-autumn 1941. Plain black versions with white GW have been seen in period photos. |
Please support this website's running costs and keep it advert free
Categories
All
Archives
May 2024
|