Civil Defence Hyde Park Review 14 July 1941

Members of the Civil Defence raise their helmets in salute to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, during a review in Hyde Park, 14th July 1941.

Of interest is the white helmet belonging to a member of a London-based Stretcher Party. It has the letters S and P plus the emblem of one of the boroughs - most likely St. Pancras Borough Council with "S.P.B.C." letters above the borough's crest. He has also added, against regulations, chromed 'SP' letters to his epaulettes.

Interestingly, nearly all the battledress blouses have the red-on-blue oval ARP badges on the breast pocket. Next to the man with the white helmet is a gentleman with an arched area title on the flap of his breast pocket. This is most certainly the PADDINGTON area marking.

​If only the photo had been taken from the other side so we could see the helmet markings...

Civil Defence Hyde Park Review 14 July 1941

Stretcher Party helmet

St. Pancras Borough Council ARP helmet decal

The coat of arms features the figure of St. Pancras standing on top of a helmet. The red roses and crossed swords on yellow represented the dean and chapter of St. Paul's Cathedral. The black and white saltire shield featured elements taken from the arms of historical landowners of the borough: the Dukes of Bedford's scallop shells and the Marquess Camden's elephant's heads. The motto is "With wisdom and courage".