Civil Defence Rank Markings on Steel Helmets 1942

​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.

​Index Letter	​Schedule of Rank Markings
A	​White helmet with 2 black bars, 1” wide and ½” apart, painted across the middle of the helmet from front to back, the bars broken at front and rear for the insertion of the appropriate Service lettering in black.
B	White helmet with 1 black bar, 2” wide painted across the middle of the helmet from front to back, the bars broken at front and rear for the insertion of the appropriate Service lettering in black.
C	​White helmet with 1 black bar 1” wide painted across the middle of the helmet from front to back, the bars broken at front and rear for the insertion of the appropriate Service lettering in black.
D	​White helmet with Service lettering in black at front and rear.
E	​Black helmet with Service lettering in white at front and rear.
F	Yellow helmet with Service lettering in black at front and rear.
G	Civilian Protective Helmet (Zuckerman) battleship grey.

Schedule A

Schedule B

Schedule C

Schedule D

Schedule E

Schedule F

Schedule G

Service Lettering on Helmets

​Service	​Appointment	​Rank Marking	Service Lettering	​Size of Letters
​CONTROL	​CONTROLLER DEPUTY CONTROLLER P.A.D. / A.R.P. OFFICER ASST. P.A.D. / A.R.P.O. STAFF	A A B C E	CONTROLLER CONTROL P.A.D.O. / A.R.P.O. P.A.D.O. / A.R.P.O. CONTROL	1 inch '' '' '' ''
WARDEN	​AREA OR SECTOR WARDEN SENIOR WARDEN WARDENS (incl. SHELTER WARDEN & SHELTER MARSHALL	C D ​E	W W W	​1½ inch '' ''
FIRST AID	SENIOR MEDICAL OFFICER ASST. MEDICAL OFFICER HEAD FIRST AID SERVICE LEADER FIRST AID PARTY MEMBER FIRST AID PARTY STAFF FIRST AID POST LEADER STRETCHER PARTY MEMBER STRETCHER PARTY AMBULANCE DRIVER AMBULANCE ATTENDANT LEADER CLEANSING STATION MEMBER CLEANSING STATION	C D C D E E D D E E D E	​DOCTOR DOCTOR F.A.P. F.A.P. F.A.P. F.A.P. S.P. S.P. A A C C	1 inch '' 1½ inch '' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' ''
RESCUE	HEAD RESCUE SERVICE LEADER RESCUE PARTY MEMBER RESCUE PARTY	C D E	​R R R	1½ inch '' ''
​DECONTAM- INATION	LEADER DECONTAMINATION PARTY MEMBER DECONTAMINATION PARTY	​D E	​DC DC	​1½ inch ''
MESSENGER	​HEAD MESSENGER MESSENGER	D E	M M	​1½ inch ''
RAID SPOTTER	​RAID SPOTTER / OBSERVER	E	SPOTTER	1 inch
GAS ID	​GAS IDENTIFICATION OFFICER ASST. TO G.I.O.	F ​F	​G.I.O. G.I.	​​1½ inch ''
​REPAIR SERVICES	LEADER REPAIR PARTY MEMBER REPAIR PARTY	D ​E	RP ​RP	​1½ inch ''
FIRE GUARDS	​MEMBERS OF FIRE BOMB PARTY (STIRRUP PUMP TEAMS)	G	F.G.	​1½ inch