London Auxiliary Ambulance Service (LAAS) driver and attendant with their Talbot ambulance in 1939. The LAAS was created to support the existing London Ambulance Service (LAS) dealing with the expected casualties of air raids on London. Whilst the LAS was organised by the London County Council (LCC), the LAAS was managed by individual ambulance stations.
Image Copyright: London Metropolitan Archive
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Here's a montage of a Cardiff Corporation ambulance and interior probably made for a magazine editorial. If you know more about the vehicle shown please let me know.
A very nice portrait of ambulance drivers in March 1940 - sadly location unknown. The enormous letters behind them is rather amazing.
Civil Defence and ARP services could spend a number of hours dealing with an air raid incident. There was the need to dig out trapped people in bombed buildings but also the need to fix broken utilities. To ensure these personnel were fed and watered every local authority had mobile canteens that could attend an incident and dole out copious amounts of tea to the civil defence services. This canteen is from Colne in Lancashire.
Volunteers on the WVS manned hundreds of mobile canteens during the war. This shot shows several WVS volunteers with their canteen.
An interesting photograph of two members of a London County Council LAAS ambulance. The lady (probably the driver) is wearing the standard issue drivers' coat with peaked cap (and a rather fetching dark shirt and light tie). The gentleman is wearing bluette overalls with a LAAS badge above the right pocket and standard black Mk. II helmet with white, two-inch high, letter 'A'. The ambulance is a Bedford.
Six ambulance drivers from Sheffield in front of their vehicles. They all wear the ARP Pattern 71 serge jacket with ARP Pattern 73 slacks.
During the second world war a number of vehicles were requisitioned for use as ARP transport. To communicate that the car was on ARP duty a mascot was often attached to the front bumper. The below example appears to have had black added at some time - the original was probably just plain chrome. This item was made by the Medal Co. of Birmingham.
LCC ambulance crews pose by their vehicles. Probably before the autumn of 1942 given the lack of battledress and the fact that bluette combination suit overalls are being worn. The ladies are wearing the standard issue drivers' cost.
A fabulous photo of an ARP mobile canteen belonging to E District in Northern Ireland.
Photograph © PRONI Reference: CAB/3/G/15/14 |
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