Hand-Cranked Air Raid Sirens

Little evidence exists of the use of hand-cranked air raid sirens (also called hand-wound, portable and manually-operated sirens) during the war. The majority of people lived in urban areas which had electrically-powered sirens - in catalogues these are often called "electro-motor syrens" (syrens was an often used alternative spelling of siren during the period). Many businesses and factories also had electrically-powered warning systems of connected sirens.

According to records (e.g. EPRG Pub. No. 1/94) hand-cranked sirens were issued to some rural areas during the war. It is also reported that hand-cranked sirens were issued to Observer Corps (later the Royal Observer Corps from 1941) posts but this is incorrect. The ROC did get sirens as a post-war measure though.

British manually-operated sirens had a crank that was revolved in a clockwise direction. A twist grip on the top was used used both to steady the siren and also to operate the opening and closing of a vent that changed the siren's tone. A rising and falling tone to alert people to 'Take Cover' for an impending raid and a continuous siren tone for the 'All Clear' signal.

1939 advert for electro-motor siren (syren) and time switch

Gents and Carter Hand-Cranked Air Raid Sirens

There were a number of manufacturers of hand-wound sirens - Gents of Leicester and Carter of Nelson in Lancashire. There was a company called Leach in London that may also have produced sirens. Smaller hand-held sirens from a company called Klaxon are known but their usage appears to be for commercial purposes such as in smaller-sized factories.

Gents were and remain a business making electrical equipment. They made a series of hand-cranked sirens called "Tangent". They were painted grey and those in red may have been for use by fire services. These Tangent sirens had a four-legged base.

Carter air raid siren maker's plate.

Tangent air raid sirens made by Gents of Leicester

A large number of Carter sirens are claimed to be WW2 vintage but the vast majority are actually from the Cold War. It would appear that Carter sirens carrying the "Home Office Property" or "Scottish Home Office Property" plates were made after 1945. These sirens have an angle-iron tripod. Examples from the war appear to have a tubular tripod (see below) and are much rarer to find. It is unknown if WW2 sirens were reissued in the Cold War but it seems unlikely.

Carter air raid siren with tubular tripod legs

Hand-cranked sirens in use

There are hardly any period photographs of hand-cranked sirens being used or stored during the war. A few catalogues of ARP equipment do list the electro-motor versions. There is one pre-war photo of an air raid exercise that shows a hand-cranked siren being used by someone dressed head-to-foot in anti-gas oilskins; it appears they are using a Carter-style siren with the tubular legs.

If you have any information on the use of hand-cranked sirens during the war or any photographs, please drop me a line via the Contact page.

Hand-cranked siren being used in a pre-war exercise

Cold War Home Office Type 447 Air Raid Sirens by Carter & Secomek

All Carter and Secomek type 447 air raid sirens date from the Cold War, most manufactured in the 1960s. The Carter model is thought to have been a better model being more robust and using higher-quality bearings.