WW2 National Fire Service helmet

[eaglemilitaria]

Hi forum,
I recently purchased this ww2 firemans helmet in an antique shop in the city of York for £20,and was wondering if anyone can tell me what the number 6 stands for on the front of the helmet,is it local to York?
many thanks E.M.

[Battery Command Post]

Hi forum,
I recently purchased this ww2 firemans helmet in an antique shop in the city of York for £20,and was wondering if anyone can tell me what the number 6 stands for on the front of the helmet,is it local to York?
many thanks E.M.

The number on these helmets represents the Fire Force that the wearer belongs to. The NFS was split up into Regional HQs (within each Civil Defence Region), and these were further split into Fire Forces. Fire Force 6 was based in Hessle (basically Hull). I'm not sure which FF York came under, it would have been either FF4 (Leeds) or FF6 (Hessle) I'm sure. The Scottish Fire Force 6 was in Inverness, so it's possible it's that one also.

A list of all NFS Fire Forces is here: Home

Rob

[eaglemilitaria]

Hi Rob,
Many thanks for the information,sounds like the helmet has not travelled far then, i will have a good look at the list too, many thanks again E.M.

[tinlid]

That's a fine looking helmet The red band = leading fireman. A bargain for £20.

[eaglemilitaria]

[I]Thanks Tinlid,looks like it was applied the same time as the number and initials,the chap who sold it to me had only got it the day before from a house clearance so I was lucky

[tinlid]

Just noticed that there's an F under the NFS decal, could be AFS (Auxillery Fire Service) which with the date of the helmet would be right. Or are there other letters under the paint?

[eaglemilitaria]

Wow never noticed that ,so on closer inspection I can see the S to the right and the A just about under the decal, i will get some more pics on tomorrow when the light is better.
Did the A.F.S pre-date the N.F.S then?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Nice lid and now becoming more appreciated.

The Auxiliary Fire Service and the local fire brigades were superseded in August 1941 by the National Fire Service.

Cheers, Ade.

[eaglemilitaria]

Thanks Ade,
I have learnt so much about this helmet in a few short hours ,think i am going to start looking out for more home front collectibles from now on big thanks E.M.

[plbramham]

I have an identical helmet ( except without the red band) which was worn by my grandfather Arthur Waring Bramham of Thurnscoe, near Barnsley. I'll have to take a look, but I think the number on his is 3 for Rotherham. I know that he spent some time at Hull, which would have been a number 6 for Hessle. He later served in the REME in Burma. Showing remarkable logic for unusual lines of military thinking - he was a plumber, so they started him with hoses & pumps in the NFS, then repairing lorry radiators in the jungle!
Looking at the station numbers, I see London, Birmingham, Bradford, Liverpool etc, then my little home town "Kendal". Why on earth did they think Kendal deserved it's own station, rather than say Lancaster or Carlisle? Maybe they had heard of the energy giving properties of the Kendal Mint Cake factory!