ARP wardens

[Guest bow]

Hello,

does anyone know whether ARP wardens would have had to patrol actually during air raids (i.e be on patrol in the streets) or would they have been given shelters?If so what kind of shelters would these have been?I have read accounts of ARP wardens having to deal with incendaries in which case I would assume they would have had to have been operating whilst a raid was in progress?

Regards

Ron

[dunsbyowl1867]

Hello,

does anyone know whether ARP wardens would have had to patrol actually during air raids (i.e be on patrol in the streets) or would they have been given shelters?If so what kind of shelters would these have been?I have read accounts of ARP wardens having to deal with incendaries in which case I would assume they would have had to have been operating whilst a raid was in progress?

Regards

Ron

Hi Ron,

Is this of any help? London but must have been similar in Sheffield

How to be a First Class

ARP Warden

by Stanley Jupp

The following article was only recently found in an envelope entitled HOW TO BE A FIRST CLASS ARP WARDEN. The author, Stanley Jupp, used it as the basis to train other Wardens in carrying out their ARP duties. Jupp worked at the National Provincial Bank and was a Senior Warden and a Fire Guard Zone Commander in London’s East End. It is reproduced here, verbatim, though I have added a couple of explanatory notes to the text as indicated.

Report of a meeting of D8 Wardens on November 5th 1942

The subject of this meeting was THE WARDENS・DUTY DURING AN AIR RAID. S/W (Ed: Senior Warden) Jupp dwelt upon a few points which are useful to remember, especially for those Wardens who have not yet been on duty during a Blitz. If you are on duty in D8, as soon as the siren sounds, report to the pillbox by the D8 Auxiliary Post phone and pick up the first aid bag which is in the left hand cupboard. It is advisable to have your own small supply of first aid equipment as well (as to the contents of your bag, ask Mrs Hutchins, Mrs Peachey or Mr Jupp for advice).

Contact the fire-fighters at Greenhill but don’t mix with them for any length of time. You are not responsible for their turning up punctually. Always be on the alert all the time and watch you sector carefully, especially after near gunfire, incendiaries may fall. The place to watch is not inside the Auxiliary Post but outside. This, however, must not prevent you from taking cover when you hear near gunfire or falling bombs. Indeed, you should remember the importance of your service so that you will not risk your life unnecessarily. You should go round your sector from time to time if only to 壮how the flag・ The two wardens on duty should patrol, if necessity demands that they

should be in the streets during heavy gunfire, at least 10 to 20 yards distant from each other in order to minimize the risk of both being hurt or killed.

If a bomb falls in your sector, you must make as accurate a report as you can, at once. This report must be got in promptly, for you are personally responsible for setting in motion the necessary machinery to obtain the services required and, even if your fellow warden is injured, it may still be necessary for you to report first before looking after him. This point should be borne in mind.

On your way to the place where the bomb has fallen, try calmly to visualize all the possibilities which may result and the conditions which may exist. This will help you to deal with the situation in a circumspect way.

After the All Clear has sounded, report to the post that the sector is clear of incident and that everything is O.K. and return your first aid bag to the cupboard in the auxiliary. If the siren sounds again the same night, the same procedure of reporting on duty etc must be observed.

In the event of bombs falling in our vicinity, wardens who are not on duty might wish to put themselves on duty. They should get at once in touch with the warden on duty who will report them to the post as on duty and they must not leave until they have received the Post’s permission.

Take care that wardens etc do not crowd together during Blitzes; spread out, say some up High street and some at the back of Greenhill. Don’t forget that you are personally responsible for the people of your sector. They must have complete confidence in you to see that if bombs fall and casualties occur, that they get the greatest assistance in the shortest possible time.

Make their acquaintance whenever an opportunity presents itself. Don’t adopt a domineering attitude towards them, neither during an air raid, nor on your night patrol・but be kind and polite (though firm if necessary). Your authority will increase if in an air raid you behave in a calm and detached way.

If you get excited and afraid or even alarmed (a feeling which is perfectly natural), don’t let people know it, otherwise the danger of spreading panic is increased. On the contrary, you must not frighten people by your terrifying knowledge of what is going on outside but allay their fear, especially if you look in at the shelters (which you

might do from time to time).

Although you should not fool people, it may be necessary in the interests of all to make some understatement of the actual facts e.g. by telling them that bombs that have fallen are miles away etc.

Treat them individually, a young lad can stand more than an old lady. A warning example of lack of detachment and calmness was that of a warden who went in great excitement to a shelter and asked whether the shelterers had heard a bump as he was looking for a D.A. (Ed: delayed action bomb) which had fallen close by.

In time of inactivity, you should go through exercises in your mind, trying to think how you would behave and what one would do if bombs fell in certain parts of the sector.

Finally, remember that there are other people in the sector besides Greenhill who will like to see you for a friendly chat and remember it is up to you to set a good example and to convey that feeling of confidence in the wardens・service which people have come to expect.

In a Blitz, it is possible that you and your partner may be the only ones on the spot for some time, keep the possibility well before you.

[dunsbyowl1867]

Website - duties listed here (have they included shouting "Put that light out" and falling out with the local Home Guard?

The duties of an Air Raid Warden included: Ensuring that the blackout was observed, sounding air raid sirens, ensuring that people went into public air raid shelters in an orderly fashion, checking gas masks, evacuating areas around unexploded bombs as well as helping to rescue casualties from bomb damaged properties, finding accomodation for people who had been bombed out, judging the extent and type of damage and informing the Control Centre to send out the rescue services.

from here

http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/arpwardens.html

[dunsbyowl1867]

Copy of a Sheffield ARP magazine

All Clear ARP Magazine

All Clear Magazine (2)

[Guest bow]

Hello

thanks for the replies.Would the ARP post itself have served as a shelter for the ARP warden,if so what were these made from?

Thanks for any more info

Ron

[Only me]

Here is some typical shelters of the ww2.

The anderson shelters were usually placed away from the house like at the bottom of a garden.

I presume the ARP warden made sure you used your shelter. The ARP warden would have had a bigger role

to play in the larger bunker type shelters that were usualy in town centres etc.