Air Raid Precautions

For World War 2

Local History

 

Air Raid Warden, Philip Finnemore of Walcote

 

The picture shows the Warden's helmet, armband, badge, rattle, First Aid Kit, shoulder bag and gas masks.

 

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124 page book

26 page book

 
 

 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

An Air Raid Warden training exercise in Warwick, by my father Philip Finnemore

 
 
 

My father, Philip Finnemore used this pad of Warden's Report Forms to fill in reports of incendiary bombs that dropped in Walcote.

He was at Post No. 26. Extent of Sector, Walcote Hamlet to Cross Lane, taking in "Steele's Farm" (Cross Lanes Farm) & Haselor Grounds, return to Haselor Village.
 

 

Chief Warden   Sir Frederick M. Freake, Bt.
Divisional Warden (Alcester Sub Division) Archibald H. Jephcott
Head Warden ( Haselor Group)   David Goulbourne
Wardens   Fred Baseley
    Philip Finnemore
    Fred Goulbourne

 

  Arthur Litherland
 

Leaflet on gas

 
 

 

The signal for indicating the presence of gas will be hand rattles sounded by wardens, who should go through all streets in the sector which may be affected, sounding the rattles more or less continuously. 

The responsibility on wardens of giving the local gas warning emphasises the need for them to be well trained in anti-gas measures. 

Directly a warden thinks he smells gas, or hears a bomb fall which might be a gas bomb, he should quickly investigate, and if his suspicions are confirmed he should at once sound his rattle; remembering that the danger will be downwind, not upwind. The gas warning should not be extended more widely than is necessary. A warden hearing the rattle used by another warden downwind from him should do nothing. If he hears it upwind he should at once move towards that side of his sector and be ready to sound his rattle at the first sign of gas. A gas warning should not be passed downwind from warden to warden for an unnecessary distance. 

When the wardens sound their rattles on detecting gas, the warden at the post will at once report to headquarters. 

The cancellation of the local gas warning will be by hand bells, rung through the streets of the sector. Hand bells may also be used to repeat the Raiders Passed signal, but only if gas is not about. Hand bells will in fact be an All Clearsignal, which is different from the Raiders Passed signal, since the latter will be sounded by the sirens on receipt of the message from the national centre, whether or not there is gas in the locality. 

Wardens will not go off duty on hearing the Raiders Passed signal, but will remain until they receive instructions from headquarters when the latter has received the Cancel Caution message, meaning that no further raid is known to be within range.

 
 
 
 

 

Inside Identity Card