Yeovil's Virtual Museum

In September 1935, local authorities were encouraged to organise Air Raid Precautions (ARP). In April 1937, an Air Raid Warden Service was created and by the middle of 1938 this had some 2,000 recruits. By September 1939 there were more than 1.5 million ARP Wardens nationwide. Women as well as men joined the emergency services as an ARP warden.

The ARP was responsible for the issuing of gas masks, pre-fabricated air raid shelters (such as Morrison shelters and Anderson shelters), the upkeep of local public shelters and the maintenance of the blackout. The ARP also helped rescue people after air raids and other attacks, and some women became ARP Ambulance Attendants whose job was to help administer first aid to casualties, search for survivors, and sometimes help recover bodies.

At the start of the War, before uniforms had been issued, ARP Wardens wore their own clothes, plus a steel helmet and wellington boots. They also wore a locally produced armband and a silver badge - as in the centre poster at left. The bottom photograph at left is my granddad's hallmarked silver ARP badge - I used to have his steel helmet with the 'W' on it which I wore as a young lad when playing 'war' with my friends in the early 1950's.

Later in the War they wore a one-piece boiler suit in dark blue with their steel helmet and wellingtons - as in the lower poster at left. The rubber Wellington boots were worn as protection in case mustard gas was used. Men could wear a woolen serge battledress (waist length jacket and trousers). Women wore a jacket with trousers or a skirt and a battledress blouse and tie. An ARP warden had to carry three electric torches, three whistles, two hand rattles and a bell.

Many ARP Wardens were volunteers and had to use their own coupons to get their uniforms. There were around 1.4 million ARP wardens in Britain during the war, almost all unpaid part-time volunteers who also held day-time jobs. Initially, wardens were expected to be on duty three nights a week, but this increased as the bombings grew worse.

The Civil Defence Service was a civilian volunteer organisation established by the Home Office in 1935. In 1941 the Civil Defence replaced the pre-existing ARP. The Civil Defence Service from this time onwards included the pre-existing ARP as well as wardens, the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS), latterly the National Fire Service (NFS), fire watchers, rescue, first aid post, stretcher parties, etc.

Members of the various services were issued with service gas masks and helmets - often marked with an abbreviation of their specific role. For example, W for Warden, FAP for First Aid Post, SP for Stretcher Party or FG for Fire Guard. Over 1.9 million people served within the CD and nearly 2,400 lost their lives to enemy action. The Civil Defence Service was disbanded on 2 May 1945.