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..!