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Members of various Civil Defence services pose for a photo during an ARP exercise somewhere in Manchester in 1941. We have four double-diamond helmets; three white helmets for Decontamination (DC), Casualty Service (CS) and Rescue (R) plus a yellow-helmeted Gas Identification Service (GIS). The Rescue Squad Leader also has a peculiar armband. The two gents are the right are from a Rescue Squad and the gentleman far left has a Civil Defence armband. A few bluette overalls are being worn by the Decontamination and Rescue Leaders and the gent on the far left. Image from the Manchester Libraries collection (CC BY 40).  Members of various Manchester-based Civil Defence services during an ARP exercise, 1941  Detail of four Civil Defence helmets with two diamonds
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A rare survivor is this REGIONAL COLUMN helmet. See this page about the Civil Defence Reserve (Mobile Reserve & Regional Columns). The helmet sold for £135 (incl. shipping) on eBay, in February 2025.  Regional Column Helmet A fine study of a typical early-war ARP Warden. This unnamed gentleman is wearing bluette overalls with the oval ARP breast badge plus a LAMBETH area title. His whistle is attached to a white lanyard. He has the standard black helmet with a white 'W'.  Lambeth ARP Warden In the London Civil Defence Region, senior supervisory positions within the Wardens’ Service wore white helmets with black bands front to rear (with space for a two-inch high "W" on the front and rear of the helmet).  The London Civil Defence helmet-marking scheme A Chief Warden wore a white helmet with two black bands, each one inch wide and placed ½ inch apart. The role of a District Warden (in London) or Divisional Warden (everywhere else after mid-1942) wore a single two-inch black band (although this was reduced to one inch later in 1942). The general rule was that the second in command would wear the same marking on their helmet as their boss, the idea was that if, for example, the Chief Warden wasn't present, the Deputy Chief Warden could be easily identified at an incident. It appears some Chief Wardens were not overly happy with this arrangement and their deputies were instructed to add "DEP." or "DEPUTY" above the "W". This would also cascade to the junior supervisory positions with the Deputy Head Warden having DH above the W or similar.  Deputy Head Warden helmets © Adrian Blake Before standardisation was introduced across the country in mid-1942, outside of London senior ranks used one, two or three diamonds. Although an attempt was made to use the London marking across the whole country in the middle of 1942 it’s surprising how many helmets have survived bearing the rank diamonds.  Pre mid-1942 Civil Defence helmet-marking scheme outside of London Thanks to Adrian Blake for the content idea. Adrian is co-author of "Helmets of the Home Front".
ARP Industrial Bulletin No.4 includes a section covering helmet markings (factories were to follow this outline but add their business name above the service letters, hence the slightly smaller height of the service letters at 1 and 1½ inches). As per Home Security Circular No. 139/1942 dated 9th July, 1942 a standard system of marking helmets for Civil Defence General Services under the control of Local Authorities was issued (it followed much of the standard set in London). Omitted from this list are the markings for Fire Services.
Service Lettering on Helmets
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