A.R.P. Pattern No.41 Overalls
A.R.P. volunteers originally had no uniform other than an armlet and steel helmet; personnel simply wore their own clothes. This lead to undue wear and tear on volunteers' attire, with the result that anti-gas clothing was often worn as a form of overall. The Director of Air Raid Precautions, Wing Commander Hodsoll, was informed of this by volunteers on an inspection visit to Reading in March 1939. Hodsoll subsequently reported:
"There is...a good deal of envy of the Auxiliary Fire Service and the suggestion was made to me that we should provide for every volunteer a cheap suit of overalls on which they can have their badge, indicating the service to which they belong. I believe that this suggestion is a very good one. It will provide them with something to wear, which is an important psychological point, and it would, I am certain, save an immense amount of wear and tear in respect of Protective Clothing. A great many of the volunteers simply cannot afford to have their clothing "mucked up" and there is no doubt that this happens." [1]
The Home Office felt that the overalls used by Post Office personnel would be a suitable starting point and so negotiations were begun with the Post Office (who were already supplying overalls for the A.F.S.) for them to also provide single-piece boiler suits for A.R.P. use.
Although the overalls were for men, it was recognised at this time that a corresponding garment (possibly a coat) for women was also required.
The overalls were given the designation of 'A.R.P. Pattern No.41' as can be seen from the maker's label shown at left.
A denim-based fabric known as "Bluette No. T.500" was chosen as it was found to be more resistant to oil and grease than was the Dungaree Blue T.457 used for the A.F.S. overalls. [2]
The overalls were similar in cut and appearance to the Army's two-piece battledress uniform, with pleated breast pockets, a map pocket on the left thigh and shoulder epaulettes. A simple belt (missing from the overalls at right) was also provided, held in place by a pair of loops at the rear.
Five flat brass buttons formed a fly, with an identical button securing the map pocket. The front of the upper part was closed by a series of three buttons. These, and the breast pocket and epaulette buttons, were secured by passing the button's securing loop through a small hole in the fabric and a small 'keyring' being passed through the loop.
The buttons supplied with the overalls seem to have been simple composite plastic types, but the white metal 'ARP' and later 'CD' buttons could be easily substituted. [Photo left: metal ARP and CD buttons with the reverse of a composite button with 'keyring'.]
At a cost of about 7 shillings each, about 780,000 sets of overalls were required for the following services:
- First Aid Parties
- Rescue Parties
- Decontamination Squads
- Men Staff in First Aid Posts
- Air Raid Wardens (Men)
- Gas Detectors
- Men Staff in Report Centres
- Messengers [3]
An A.R.P. Department Circular of July 1939 announced the contemplated uniforms to local authorities:
For men volunteers, a uniform overall (combination suit) in a heavy drill cloth of dark blue colour, with a red badge consisting of the letters 'A.R.P.' within an oval on the left breast....For women air raid wardens, a special uniform of the same bluette drill, with the same badge, and a blue felt hat." [4]
The bluette overalls were standard issue until the introduction of a military-style battledress uniform.
Greatcoat, Mens' C.D., A.R.P. Pattern No.69a
A heavy-duty greatcoat was required for use by A.R.P. personnel in cold weather, particularly on long winter nights on the streets, in draughty Air Raid Wardens' Posts or in unheated vehicles.
Made of blanket material and dated 1943, this three-quarter-length coat is the 'Greatcoat Mens' C.D. Pattern A.R.P. No.69a.'
The 'a' in the designation stands for 'austerity', presumably meaning that there was an earlier No.69 coat of better quality materials.
The coat was double-breasted, with a series of five large flat plastic buttons to close it. However, although stated to be for men, both the left and right breast flaps have button holes, and two sets of buttons are provided, meaning that the right flap could be closed over the left, as would be the case for a woman's coat.
The collar could be turned up around the neck and buttoned in place.
There were three pockets; two hip pockets with a flap cover, and an internal pocket on the left side.
Armlets
Armlets were a quick and easy form of 'uniform' that were often supplied before full uniforms were available.
The 'Civil Defence' armlet was for personnel such as wardens, and was intended to be carried at all times and put on if a warden was called upon to help out at an incident when not on duty or in an area away from their normal sector.
The armlet was not intended to be worn with uniforms, although wartime photographs do occasionally show personnel wearing the armlet with battledress.
The 'Fire Guard' armlet was the only uniform (apart from a helmet) that members of that service were issued. The term 'Fire Guard' superceded the previous 'S.F.P.' or 'Supplementary Fire Party.'
From examining photographs, it would appear that these armlets were worn on the left arm.
Shelter Marshals were authority figures in shelters, responsible for admitting and maintaining order amongst the sheltering public.
This armlet is made of a coated fabric and secured around the arm using a length of cloth tape sewn to each corner.
In 1940, a clergyman acting as a Shelter Marshal in London refused to admit a man who on previous nights had been disorderly. A policeman arrested the man, who then delivered a blow to the clergyman's left jaw, knocking him to the ground. The assailant was subsequently sentenced to one month's hard labour. [5]
References
- HO 186/176
- Ibid
- A.R.P. Department Memorandum No.14/1939 Uniform Garments for A.R.P. Volunteers 16 May 1939 in HO 186/176.
- A.R.P. Department Circular No.149/1939 Uniform Garments for A.R.P. Volunteers 18 July 1939 in HO 186/176.
- Times 8 October 1940