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A recent addition to my collection is this small (1.5" square) Exeter Housewives Service Civil Defence badge. Established in 1938 by the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS), the Housewives Service organised housewives (who could not work fulltime due to family commitments) to assist their local Civil Defence services (formerly Air Raid Precautions (ARP)). In 1939 the service was formally established within the WVS Civil Defence organisation and expanded rapidly across the country. Volunteers were trained in air raid precautions measures, first aid and home nursing and assisted at rest centres and canteens. Members also helped with evacuated children. During the Second World War, Exeter suffered heavily from German bombing and it was the first city to be bombed in the so-called 'Baedeker' raids. These raids targeted cities for their cultural and historical, rather than their strategic or military, value In the first raids on the nights of 23-24 and 24-25 April 1942, 80 people were killed and 55 badly wounded. A further attack on 4 May, saw 90 aircraft drop high explosives, parachute mines and incendiaries. Exeter had been poorly prepared for air raids on this scale and the local fire services were quickly overwhelmed. Fires devastated the city's shopping centre with over 600 shops, pubs and offices destroyed. The Baedeker raids on Exeter left over 230 people dead and almost 600 injured. The Royal Voluntary Service has an online PDF that covers the Housewives' Service in detail.  Exeter Housewives Service Civil Defence Badge
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A pair of badges marked "CIVIL DEFENCE AMBULANCE SERVICE" recently sold on the tat bazaar for just over £50. I've not come across these before and I'm currently unsure of the date of issue. Interesting that a white cross was used instead of the more common red cross for first aid. If you happen to more about these badges, please drop me a line.
I have a low issue coloured-enamel badge numbered 810 and another numbered 48375. Of the three badges with the larger rear brooch pin, two appear oxidised silver (numbers 32026 and 36566) and one much brighter silver in appearance (number 38124). Lastly, the badge with the smaller pin is numbered 40667. All badges are issued by J. A. Wylie & Co. London, apart from the small pin badge, which was made by B.H. Collins & Co, Birmingham. Looking at badges that are available and have sold on eBay we see a rough pattern in numbers:
I'd be interested in the numbers on the rear of any visitors' badges.  Various Royal Life Saving Society Respiration Service badges  Various Royal Life Saving Society Respiration Service issue badges An unusual design for an ARP badge from Chaucer Press. The silver hallmarks are for Birmingham (anchor symbol) and 1940 (date letter 'Q'). The maker initials are A.F. and are thought to be for Arthur Fenwick. Richard Clay (1789-1877) founded what was to become the Chaucer Press. From 1818 he managed Burton & Briggs, a London-based printer, later acquiring the business. His sons, Charles and Richard, formed R, Clay, Sons & Taylor and in 1876, bought the Suffolk-based (Bungay) business of Childs & Son. They renamed the firm the Chaucer Press undertaking printing and book-binding.  Chaucer Press Silver ARP Badge 1940 A nicely detailed ARP badge issued by The Birmingham Co-Operative Society Limited. There is no maker's mark on the reverse, but a number has been stamped. It features the standard half-moon button-hole fitting. The badge features the crown, arm and hammer emblem for the city of Birmingham at the top. On either side of the shield are two figures representing industry and the arts. The motto on the scroll at the base is "FORWARD". The Birmingham Industrial Co-operative Society was established in 1881, and in 1925, it acquired the failing Soho Co-operative Society, subsequently changing its name to the Birmingham Co-operative Society Limited. During the Second World War, over 3000 employees joined the forces. The society also had numerous vehicles requisitioned for use by civil defence. During the bombing of Birmingham, several buildings owned by the society were badly damaged.  Birmingham Co-Operative Society Limited ARP Badge  A Birmingham Co-Operative Society Ltd shop front |
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