Repair party water mkii helmet.

[NCA]

..and heres another.Again 1939 dated.Repair party water this time.
Any ideas what the letters are on the inside rim?Initials?post code?...Thanks for looking.

[NCA]

[tinlid]

That's a great looking RP/WThe letters on the inside brim might be the owners initials or the area he worked at.
Here's mine, a bit tatty I'm affraid.

[davejb]

I would say they are the owners initials, they've been painted on by hand as are the " II ",nice helmet with the "been there seen it " look

[NCA]

Prehaps that number is for a Civil defense region?A bit of quick googling threw up two possibles..Scotland or Stoke newington.

[davejb]

I would be more inclined to say Stoke Newington, bearing in mind that London was more heavily bombed and repair parties would have been more prevalent

[NCA]

So likely to be a London helmet...Interesting.
I've just finished reading 'The Blitz' by Juliet Gardiner.I can highly recommend it.A real eye opener.

[tinlid]

I think the repair services were public utilities & not ARP services.

[NCA]

Makes sense.Correct me if i'm wrong but i imagine the utilites would be called in when the all clear had sounded?These partys would have worked side by side.A different body but connected all the same.
First on the scene would be the fire service and police with heavy&light rescue with first aiders ect..Thats how i see it anyway.

Prehaps water repair had to work to shut off pipes that threatened to flood basement shelters and patch up pipes for the firemen...get peoples taps going again..

Thanks for the interest.

[tinlid]

I'm not all that sure how it all worked, mostly after bombing total confusion reigned. But the wardens were normally first on the scene as they lived & new the area well, probably at the same time as the SFP/FG's. In the fire guards hand book in the back was pages for people to contact, wardens post, first aid, public gas cleansing station,police telephone box, nearest fire station.