WW2 Fire Guards & Fire Watchers Insignia, Armbands, Lapel Badges & Helmets
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The Fire Watcher Service was formed in September 1940. However, following the London blitz on Sunday 29 December, 1940 it was found that many offices and buildings had been left completely unattended. This led to incendiaries causing fires that could have been dealt with if detected sooner.
To combat this, in January 1941, a Fire Watchers scheme was instigated. This new decree meant buildings within certain designated areas had to have a fire watcher present 24 hours a day. They were to deal with incendiaries as best they could and call on the assistance of the fire and rescue parties as need be. For some businesses finding cover for their buildings was difficult and so the Government implemented a compulsory scheme of fire watching. Fire Guards (men (aged 16-30) and women (aged 20-45) were to be called up for duty and volunteers were also accepted (men up to age 70 and women to the age of 60). Generally the duties of watching buildings was tedious, with long nights, and proved highly unpopular. Fire Guards did not receive any official uniform but generally wore civilian clothes or a boiler suit. They would be issued with a helmet, armband, torch and a means of dealing with small fires (a stirrup pump) and a scoop for picking up incendiaries and a bucket of sand to put them out. Read a history of Fire Watchers and Fire Guard |
Staged photo of two Fire Guards on duty during second world war. They are wearing the Zuckerman helmet, Fire Guard armband and have civilian respirators gas masks. |
Supplementary Fire Parties / Street Fire Parties - SFP Armbands / Armlets
In the summer of 1940, Supplementary Fire Parties were organised by local fire brigades to assist in dealing with the outbreak of fires caused during air raids (from incendiaries mainly). They wore a dark blue cotton armband with red SFP letters. From August 1940, these armbands were then issued to the Street Fire Parties that were organised by the Wardens service. There were also armbands with the word FIRE in red issued.
Both Supplementary and Street Fire Parties were reorganised into the Fire Guards. Existing SFP armbands were updated with a FIRE GUARD patch sewn over the SPF letters.
Both Supplementary and Street Fire Parties were reorganised into the Fire Guards. Existing SFP armbands were updated with a FIRE GUARD patch sewn over the SPF letters.
Street Fire Party (SFP) receiving instruction
WW2 Fire Guard Armbands / Armlets
ARP Pattern 39 armlets featuring FIRE GUARD in gold/yellow lettering on dark blue cotton were introduced in August 1941. 1.8 million were ordered, as well as 1 million patches for sewing over the existing armlets worn by Street Fire Parties. White lettering on dark blue cotton was introduced during 1943 reorganisation to differentiate itself from the Wardens' Service. From March 1944 members of the Fire Guard were officially allowed to add war service chevrons to their armbands. The chevrons were to be placed to the left of the writing when viewed by another person. Additionally, wound stripes could be sewn to the right of the FIRE GUARD lettering; if both gold and red wound stripes had been awarded just a single red was allowed placed to the right of any old gold ones.
Fire Guard wearing the patch above a SFP armband
WW2 Fire Watcher Badges
A large variety of Fire Watcher badges were manufactured and issued by companies to people undertaking fire watching duties.
WW2 Fire Watcher lapel badges.
For information about Fire Guard Instructors' badges see this page.
Fire Guard Helmets - Zuckerman Helmet & Mk. II Helmet
Many Fire Guards were issued with the Zuckerman helmet. This helmet, with a high dome to withstand impact, was relatively cheap to manufacture and used a mild steel of a much lower quality than that in the typical Mk. II helmet.
It featured a simple leather lining that was attached with a bootlace string through holes in the helmet. Helmets were marked M & L (Medium and Large) and had two loops for a chinstrap but none was included. A makers stamp and date of manufacture appear on the majority of examples.
A number of helmets were issued with SFP (for Street or Supplementary Fire Party) but were replaced with FG from August 1941. However, many examples of SFP continued to be used throughout the rest of the war. Seniority within the Fire Guard service was denoted by black bands around the helmet. There is photographic evidence of some Fire Guard personal with the Mk.II helmet and "W/FG" for "Warden/Fire Guard".
It featured a simple leather lining that was attached with a bootlace string through holes in the helmet. Helmets were marked M & L (Medium and Large) and had two loops for a chinstrap but none was included. A makers stamp and date of manufacture appear on the majority of examples.
A number of helmets were issued with SFP (for Street or Supplementary Fire Party) but were replaced with FG from August 1941. However, many examples of SFP continued to be used throughout the rest of the war. Seniority within the Fire Guard service was denoted by black bands around the helmet. There is photographic evidence of some Fire Guard personal with the Mk.II helmet and "W/FG" for "Warden/Fire Guard".
Two Fire Guards wearing the Zuckerman helmet and Fire Guard armlets (IWM). |
Pressed Steel Company logo and date (June '41) on a Zuckerman helmet. The helmets thin metal shown by how the stamp imprints. |
Fire Guard Area Officers (three black ½" bands on white helmet) and SFP fire guards in Zuckerman helmets.
WW2 Fire Guard Ranks, Zuckerman & Mk. II Helmet Markings & Colour
Rank |
Helmet colour/type |
Helmet marking |
Fire Guard Officer |
White - Mk. II |
1 broad (1") band under 2 narrow (½") bands |
Deputy Fire Guard Officer |
White - Mk. II |
1 broad (1") band under 1 narrow (½") band |
Assistant Fire Guard Officer |
White - Mk. II |
1 broad (1") band |
Fire Guard Area Officer |
White - Mk. II |
3 narrow (½") bands |
Fire Guard Area Captain |
White - Mk. II |
3 narrow (½") bands |
Sector Captain (lowest uniformed FG rank) |
White - Zuckerman/Mk. II |
2 narrow (½") bands |
Fire Guard Area Instructor |
White - Zuckerman/Mk. II |
2 narrow (½") bands |
Fire Guard Block Leader |
White - Zuckerman |
1 narrow (½") band |
Fire Guard Street Party Leader |
White - Zuckerman |
1 narrow (½") band |
Fire Guard Inspector |
Grey - Zuckerman (as issued) |
2 narrow (½") bands |
Fire Guard Reserve Centre Superindendent |
Grey - Zuckerman (as issued) |
1 narrow (½") band |
Street Party Leaders, Captains, Head & Senior Fire Guards
Street Fire Party Leader – in charge of approx. 150 yards of street or 30 houses and between 10 and 30 individual Fire Guards (organised into Stirrup Pump Teams of three people). They are not a member of an individual team.
Fire Guard Street Captain – in charge of no more than six Street Fire Party Leaders and about 50 to 150 Fire Guards.
Senior Fire Guard – in charge of no more than six Fire Guard Street Captains or about 500 Fire Guards (with around 75 on duty at any one time).
Head Fire Guard – in London there would be a Head Fire Guard for every District Warden in charge of no more than six Senior Fire Guards or about 2,500 Fire Guards. Outside London, a Head Fire Guard would be in charge of approx. six to eight Senior Fire Guards.
Fire Guard Staff Officer – responsible to the Chief Warden for the efficiency of the local authority’s Fire Guard Organisation. Inspects Head and Senior Fire Guards to ensure compliance.
Fire Guard Street Captain – in charge of no more than six Street Fire Party Leaders and about 50 to 150 Fire Guards.
Senior Fire Guard – in charge of no more than six Fire Guard Street Captains or about 500 Fire Guards (with around 75 on duty at any one time).
Head Fire Guard – in London there would be a Head Fire Guard for every District Warden in charge of no more than six Senior Fire Guards or about 2,500 Fire Guards. Outside London, a Head Fire Guard would be in charge of approx. six to eight Senior Fire Guards.
Fire Guard Staff Officer – responsible to the Chief Warden for the efficiency of the local authority’s Fire Guard Organisation. Inspects Head and Senior Fire Guards to ensure compliance.
Fire Guard Battledress Blouse Uniform Insignia
As members of the Wardens' Service, all ranking Fire Guard officers (for example Head and Senior Fire Guards) were entitled to wear the same dark blue battledress and trousers seen worn by other Civil Defence services. To signify their role within the Fire Guard service distinct insignia was available; these included specific shoulder titles, rank badges (three chevrons for Head Fire Guards, two chevrons for Senior).
When the Fire Guard service was reorganised in August 1943, new shoulder titles - white lettering on blue (but a lot of old gold yellow versions exist) - replaced the previous title of Warden:
When the Fire Guard service was reorganised in August 1943, new shoulder titles - white lettering on blue (but a lot of old gold yellow versions exist) - replaced the previous title of Warden:
Warden / Fire Guard Shoulder Titles
WW2 Fire Guard Shoulder Titles
Senior Fire Guard (variation)
WW2 Fire Guard Officer, Deputy, Assistant, Staff, Area and Captain Shoulder Titles
Fire Guard Officer shoulder title
Assistant Fire Guard Officer shoulder title
Area Fire Guard Captain shoulder title
Fire Guard Sector Captain shoulder title
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Deputy Fire Guard Officer shoulder title
Area Fire Guard Officer shoulder title
Fire Guard Sector Captain shoulder title
Fire Guard Staff Officer shoulder title
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Fire Guard Instructor shoulder title
WW2 Fire Guard Identity Warrant Cards
As the role of Fire Guards allowed them to enter premises to deal with fires, they received identity warrant cards for the purpose. Similar to the cards issued to ARP wardens these cards usually carried the holders name, the local authority and the measures that individual could undertake.
Fire Guard Identity Card
Fire Guard Sector Captain and assistants
WW2 Fire Guard recruitment poster
