Auxiliary Fire Service (c.1940) & National Fire Service (1941-1948) badges
The Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) was formed January 1938 in anticipation of war with Germany and whose role would be to supplement the regular fire brigades. Member of the AFS were volunteers made up of both men and women who came from all walks of life. They were issued with uniforms and equipment but not to the same standard as regulars fire brigade units. The AFS had their own fire stations and these were usually improvised from whatever suitable vacant building were available in the locality, such as schools, halls, etc.
In August 1941 the Home Secretary, Herbert Morrison, authorised a major overhaul of the civil defence organisations including the fire fighting forces. This involved 1,666 fire brigades being amalgamated along with the AFS to form some fifty new ‘fire forces, all under a unified central control rather than Local Authority control as before. The new fire fighting forces were to be known as the National Fire Service (NFS). These arrangements continued until 1948 when the NFS were de-merged and fire brigades units reverted back to Local Authority, as they were before 1941. At their peak, the NFS had over 370,000 personnel including more than 80,000 women employed mainly on administrative tasks.
Both badges are made from die-stamped brass with a pin (brooch) clasp on the reverse, indication these were women’s badges.
AFS – chrome finish with a maker’s name on the reverse ‘H.W.M. Ltd’ (H W Miller of Birmingham). It measures 1” across x 1 1/8” down (about 25mm x 29mm).
NFS – finised wih a tin (?) plating. There’s no maker’s name or mark on the reverse. It measures 7/8” across x 15/16” down (about 25mm x 23mm).
.
beyondtheflamesandmore.home.blog/2022/11/24/the-auxiliary...
www.findmypast.ie/blog/history/auxiliary-fire-service
www.london-fire.gov.uk/museum/london-fire-brigade-history...
'
Auxiliary Fire Service (c.1940) & National Fire Service (1941-1948) badges
The Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) was formed January 1938 in anticipation of war with Germany and whose role would be to supplement the regular fire brigades. Member of the AFS were volunteers made up of both men and women who came from all walks of life. They were issued with uniforms and equipment but not to the same standard as regulars fire brigade units. The AFS had their own fire stations and these were usually improvised from whatever suitable vacant building were available in the locality, such as schools, halls, etc.
In August 1941 the Home Secretary, Herbert Morrison, authorised a major overhaul of the civil defence organisations including the fire fighting forces. This involved 1,666 fire brigades being amalgamated along with the AFS to form some fifty new ‘fire forces, all under a unified central control rather than Local Authority control as before. The new fire fighting forces were to be known as the National Fire Service (NFS). These arrangements continued until 1948 when the NFS were de-merged and fire brigades units reverted back to Local Authority, as they were before 1941. At their peak, the NFS had over 370,000 personnel including more than 80,000 women employed mainly on administrative tasks.
Both badges are made from die-stamped brass with a pin (brooch) clasp on the reverse, indication these were women’s badges.
AFS – chrome finish with a maker’s name on the reverse ‘H.W.M. Ltd’ (H W Miller of Birmingham). It measures 1” across x 1 1/8” down (about 25mm x 29mm).
NFS – finised wih a tin (?) plating. There’s no maker’s name or mark on the reverse. It measures 7/8” across x 15/16” down (about 25mm x 23mm).
.
beyondtheflamesandmore.home.blog/2022/11/24/the-auxiliary...
www.findmypast.ie/blog/history/auxiliary-fire-service
www.london-fire.gov.uk/museum/london-fire-brigade-history...
'