Catalogue Number
NMLH.1992.372.1
Object Name
Armband
Title
FIRE GUARD
Place
London
People
Tribe, Ivy
Events
War & World War II & Blitz
Date
circa 1939
Description
During the Blitz of World War II, fires destroyed more buildings than the blasts of bombs. Stick-shaped fire bombs, called incendiaries, which were dropped in clusters, destroyed many buildings in Manchester's Piccadilly area and London's docklands. It was therefore neccessary to appoint reliable local people as fireguards or watchers to inform the fire emergency services at the first sight of incendiaries falling and to direct the firemen to the location. It was especially important that this was done quickly because combined fires in the night time attacks pin-pointed targets for follow-up German bombers. Day time bombing attacks were less common. This armband was worn by a fireguard in London's East End.
It was the sterling work of the fireguards and other members of the Air-Raid Precaution and emergency services teams that contributed to the term 'The People's War' being coined. An historian's term, it implied, amongst other things, the often heroic work of the British people on the Home-front during World War II.
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