A very nice original example of a

British WW-II Home Front

Fire Guard

Screen-printed Cotton Armband.

Originally formed under the auspices of the 

Air Raid Precautions Organisation (ARP)

the need for Civilian Fire Parties to

support our Fire Services was identified in 1935,

in the event of war against Germany and the probability

of its new Air Force dropping incendiary bombs on our cities.

In 1939 the first men & women volunteer

Supplementary Fire Parties

were created in support of the

National & Auxiliary Fire Services

and were highly active in the 

Battle of Britain & First Blitz on London.

Then in 1943 a separate

Fire Guard Organisation

(conscripting men up to the age of 63)

was created in time for the 

Second Blitz of 1944 

and

the ensuing V-1 & V-2 rocket attacks on Britain.

By the time of the ARP/CD & Fire Guard's disbandment on May 2 1945,

some 1.9 million men & women had served in the various branches of

 

Air Raid Precautions/Civil Defence Organisation.

With a yellow-on-blue screen-printed

FIRE

GUARD

 on the front of the cotton band,

and with two original fixing safety pins still in situ,

and measuring approx 7.5" x 3.5",

this lovely armband from the 1943-45 period 

is in an almost mint-condition, 

and so making for a smashing piece of 

WW-II Home Front ARP/CD history..

 Thanks for looking..!