658:
484:
538:
29:
395:
512:
455:
366:
316:
426:
339:
289:
115:
151:
834:
Pay parity with equivalent police ranks was established from the outset for male officers (Company
Officer and above). Firemen and Section Leaders were given parity with police Constables and Sergeants by Industrial Court Decision 2076, 18 December 1946, with Leading Firemen receiving an intermediate
215:
War service meant considerable risk, and members of the NFS were called to attend the aftermath of German bombing raids and coastal shelling from France, or often whilst these attacks were still ongoing. Casualties were inevitable, and there is one record of one volunteer who died on duty aged just
211:
When they were on duty, but in the frequent long stretches between calls, many firemen and firewomen performed vital wartime manufacturing work, in workshops in the fire stations or adjacent to them. This was entirely voluntary, but since many of the wartime personnel had worked in factories before
865:
170:
being an early example of a Police Fire
Brigade. Amalgamating roles continued for some time until the need for a separate police and fire service was brought to the attention of the
1654:
1639:
1567:
1248:
651:
An eleven-minute Second World War documentary that chronicles the birth and work of the NFS survived the war and is available to view on the
British Pathe website.
1618:
1154:
1659:
1649:
1318:
788:
233:
The NFS was divided into about forty Fire Forces. These were subdivided into
Divisions. Each Division had two Columns and each Column had five Companies.
1363:
1644:
1613:
1241:
676:
196:
The NFS had full-time and part-time members, male and female. Its uniform was the traditional dark blue double-breasted tunic, and it adopted the
1368:
1338:
1603:
1234:
703:
1525:
1358:
1333:
1551:
1423:
1438:
1433:
1383:
1353:
1286:
1281:
230:
At peak strength the NFS had 370,000 personnel, including 80,000 women. The women were mostly employed on administrative duties.
1493:
1428:
1398:
1291:
501:
185:, with fire services reverting to local authority control, although this time there were far fewer brigades, with only one per
163:
1473:
1458:
1373:
919:
1478:
1403:
1348:
1276:
1535:
1530:
1488:
1443:
1343:
1296:
1257:
963:
681:
1448:
1413:
1393:
1378:
1328:
223:
The Chief of the Fire Staff and
Inspector-in-Chief throughout the war (until 28 February 1947, when he retired) was
1509:
1313:
1303:
1190:
869:
1572:
1463:
1453:
1418:
1323:
166:
fire brigades (about 1,600 of them). Prior to this, many police forces were charged with attending fires, with
1468:
671:
186:
1388:
1271:
217:
657:
277:
1483:
1164:
741:
1132:
1127:
412:
720:
483:
1215:
956:
896:
644:
446:
1598:
1308:
1195:
537:
182:
175:
159:
846:
700:
1210:
1200:
1185:
167:
1577:
1180:
475:
93:
394:
8:
1408:
1139:
638:
205:
511:
28:
1144:
949:
891:
634:
Members of the NFS who were well known in civilian life (or later became so) included:
630:(career firefighter - later successor to Delve as chief officer of London Fire Brigade)
88:
1226:
661:
Certificate of
Service for Leading Fireman, Randall Whitford Roach of Troon, Cornwall.
454:
1593:
1101:
1006:
766:
1081:
1122:
1096:
1076:
1061:
1001:
793:
365:
315:
224:
216:
19, and was awarded the
Certificate for Gallantry as a result. He is buried in the
139:
923:
812:
425:
338:
1091:
1066:
1051:
1026:
707:
621:
417:
174:
whom, on the report of a Royal
Commission, brought about the NFS as a result of
1149:
1086:
1036:
1031:
1011:
797:
190:
158:
The NFS was created in August 1941 by the amalgamation of the wartime national
782:
150:
1633:
1159:
1106:
1071:
1021:
1016:
996:
135:
52:
986:
627:
288:
154:
Second World War poster encouraging women to join the
National Fire Service
142:; a separate National Fire Service (Northern Ireland) was created in 1942.
131:
114:
1046:
171:
1041:
991:
201:
197:
1056:
972:
527:
383:
304:
641:, boxer and civil rights activist (served in Manchester and Cumbria)
354:
204:
which had been worn by many pre-war fire brigades (including the
212:
the war it was work with which they were familiar and skilled.
208:). The peaked cap was retained by fire services after the war.
654:
Service personnel received
Certificate of Service documents.
941:
866:"Pub Colour Bar Is Removed: Len Johnson wins another fight"
181:
The NFS existed until 1948, when it was again split by the
16:
Unified fire service in Great Britain during World War II
1655:
Civil defence organisations based in the United Kingdom
1256:
848:
Ranks and Badges in the Navy, Army, RAF and Auxiliaries
1640:
Defunct fire and rescue services of the United Kingdom
854:. London: George Philip & Son, Ltd. p. 32.
624:(career firefighter and fire service administrator)
227:, former Chief Officer of the London Fire Brigade.
781:
1614:Ministry of Civil Aviation Aerodrome Fire Service
783:"Firebrace, Sir Aylmer Newton George (1886–1972)"
677:Ministry of Civil Aviation Aerodrome Fire Service
1631:
597:Chief of the Fire Staff & Inspector-in-Chief
892:""Boy Who Bowled Bradman" Dies of War Injuries"
721:"Liverpool City Police Fire Brigade 1836-1939"
1660:United Kingdom home front during World War II
1242:
957:
773:
1650:1948 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
1604:Defence Fire Training and Development Centre
844:
792:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
647:, cricketer (served in London and Coventry)
1249:
1235:
964:
950:
825:Industrial Court Decision 2088, 1 May 1947
1645:1941 establishments in the United Kingdom
1552:Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
656:
243:
200:worn by the AFS instead of the peakless
149:
113:
1619:Firefighters killed in the line of duty
789:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
718:
1632:
1230:
945:
779:
701:Bangor Fire Brigade: A Brief History
1258:Fire services in the United Kingdom
922:. British Pathe Ltd. Archived from
682:Fire services in the United Kingdom
13:
614:
14:
1671:
835:rate. Women never had pay parity.
1510:Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
1191:American Ambulance Great Britain
780:Haley, Reginald (January 2012).
536:
510:
482:
453:
424:
393:
364:
337:
314:
287:
27:
1573:Defence Fire and Rescue Service
920:"The Birth of a Service (1940)"
912:
884:
746:The Firefighters Memorial Trust
1319:County Durham & Darlington
858:
838:
828:
819:
767:"Casualty Details | CWGC"
759:
734:
712:
694:
672:1941 Old Palace School bombing
489:Assistant Fire Force Commander
1:
971:
118:NFS apparatus preserved today
900:. 29 January 1946. p. 1
813:UK public library membership
687:
495:Regional Woman Fire Officer
244:National Fire Service Ranks
218:Hamilton Road Cemetery, Deal
7:
1364:Hampshire and Isle of Wight
872:. 3 October 1953. p. 9
845:Talbot-Booth, E.C. (1943).
719:Dellius, Peter (May 2013).
665:
543:Chief Regional Fire Officer
10:
1676:
145:
1586:
1560:
1544:
1518:
1502:
1264:
1216:Women's Voluntary Service
1173:
1115:
979:
256:
253:
250:
248:
176:The Fire Brigade Act 1938
104:
99:
87:
79:
71:
63:
58:
48:
40:
35:
26:
413:Sub-Divisional Inspector
349:Senior Leading Firewoman
236:
100:Facilities and equipment
1155:Evacuation of civilians
377:Assistant Group Officer
1599:Auxiliary Fire Service
1369:Hereford and Worcester
1339:Dorset & Wiltshire
1196:Auxiliary Fire Service
1160:Starfish (decoy) sites
798:10.1093/ref:odnb/66852
742:"Police Fire Brigades"
662:
437:Assistant Area Officer
400:Senior Company Officer
183:Fire Services Act 1947
160:Auxiliary Fire Service
155:
119:
1609:National Fire Service
1568:Airport fire services
1211:War Damage Commission
1206:National Fire Service
1201:Civil Defence Service
1186:Anti-Aircraft Command
660:
274:Number in April 1947
268:Number in April 1947
168:Liverpool City Police
153:
124:National Fire Service
117:
22:National Fire Service
1578:Fire Service College
1181:Air Raid Precautions
561:Senior Staff Officer
517:Fire Force Commander
476:Chief Superintendent
225:Sir Aylmer Firebrace
94:Sir Aylmer Firebrace
1140:Battle of the Beams
206:London Fire Brigade
138:in 1941 during the
23:
1526:Mid and West Wales
1359:Greater Manchester
1334:Devon and Somerset
706:2007-09-27 at the
663:
460:Divisional Officer
257:Police equivalent
156:
120:
89:Chief Fire Officer
21:
1627:
1626:
1594:Army Fire Service
1300:
1224:
1223:
811:(Subscription or
612:
611:
326:Leading Firewoman
130:) was the single
112:
111:
1667:
1545:Northern Ireland
1424:Northamptonshire
1294:
1251:
1244:
1237:
1228:
1227:
1133:Morrison shelter
1128:Anderson shelter
1123:Air raid shelter
980:Towns and Cities
966:
959:
952:
943:
942:
936:
935:
933:
931:
916:
910:
909:
907:
905:
888:
882:
881:
879:
877:
870:The Daily Worker
862:
856:
855:
853:
842:
836:
832:
826:
823:
817:
816:
808:
806:
804:
785:
777:
771:
770:
763:
757:
756:
754:
752:
738:
732:
731:
729:
727:
716:
710:
698:
540:
514:
502:Deputy Commander
486:
457:
428:
397:
368:
341:
318:
291:
241:
240:
202:sailor-style cap
140:Second World War
36:Operational area
31:
24:
20:
1675:
1674:
1670:
1669:
1668:
1666:
1665:
1664:
1630:
1629:
1628:
1623:
1582:
1556:
1540:
1514:
1498:
1454:South Yorkshire
1439:Nottinghamshire
1434:North Yorkshire
1384:Isles of Scilly
1354:Gloucestershire
1287:Buckinghamshire
1260:
1255:
1225:
1220:
1169:
1111:
975:
970:
940:
939:
929:
927:
926:on 2 March 2011
918:
917:
913:
903:
901:
890:
889:
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875:
873:
864:
863:
859:
851:
843:
839:
833:
829:
824:
820:
810:
802:
800:
778:
774:
765:
764:
760:
750:
748:
740:
739:
735:
725:
723:
717:
713:
708:Wayback Machine
699:
695:
690:
668:
622:Frederick Delve
617:
615:Notable members
443:Chief Inspector
418:Chief Inspector
371:Company Officer
321:Leading Fireman
282:Outside London
239:
164:local authority
148:
59:Agency overview
17:
12:
11:
5:
1673:
1663:
1662:
1657:
1652:
1647:
1642:
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1504:
1500:
1499:
1497:
1496:
1494:West Yorkshire
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1431:
1429:Northumberland
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1399:Leicestershire
1396:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
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1292:Cambridgeshire
1289:
1284:
1279:
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1266:
1262:
1261:
1254:
1253:
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1239:
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1198:
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1188:
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1177:
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1168:
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1162:
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1152:
1150:Baedeker Blitz
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1116:Related topics
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472:Superintendent
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447:Superintendent
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431:Column Officer
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344:Section Leader
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191:county borough
162:(AFS) and the
147:
144:
110:
109:
108:40 Fire Forces
106:
102:
101:
97:
96:
91:
85:
84:
83:370,000 (peak)
81:
77:
76:
73:
69:
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65:
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56:
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50:
46:
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44:United Kingdom
42:
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33:
32:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1672:
1661:
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1602:
1600:
1597:
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1592:
1591:
1589:
1585:
1579:
1576:
1574:
1571:
1569:
1566:
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1563:
1559:
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1550:
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1543:
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1521:
1517:
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1508:
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1505:
1501:
1495:
1492:
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1487:
1485:
1484:West Midlands
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1474:Tyne and Wear
1472:
1470:
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1459:Staffordshire
1457:
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1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1374:Hertfordshire
1372:
1370:
1367:
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1362:
1360:
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1355:
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1350:
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1199:
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1174:Organisations
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988:
985:
984:
982:
978:
974:
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962:
960:
955:
953:
948:
947:
944:
925:
921:
915:
899:
898:
893:
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871:
867:
861:
850:
849:
841:
831:
822:
814:
799:
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762:
747:
743:
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722:
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406:Group Officer
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136:Great Britain
133:
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78:
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54:
53:Great Britain
51:
47:
43:
39:
34:
30:
25:
19:
1608:
1479:Warwickshire
1404:Lincolnshire
1297:Peterborough
1277:Bedfordshire
1205:
928:. Retrieved
924:the original
914:
902:. Retrieved
897:The Advocate
895:
886:
874:. Retrieved
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801:. Retrieved
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749:. Retrieved
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633:
628:Leslie Leete
466:Area Officer
232:
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132:fire service
127:
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18:
1536:South Wales
1531:North Wales
1489:West Sussex
1444:Oxfordshire
1344:East Sussex
1102:Southampton
1007:Bournemouth
645:Paul Brooks
639:Len Johnson
172:Home Office
134:created in
67:August 1941
64:Established
1634:Categories
1449:Shropshire
1414:Merseyside
1394:Lancashire
1379:Humberside
1329:Derbyshire
1097:Sunderland
1077:Nottingham
1062:Manchester
1002:Birmingham
930:12 October
876:15 January
815:required.)
751:28 January
726:28 January
388:Inspector
309:Constable
198:peaked cap
1309:Cleveland
1282:Berkshire
1092:Sheffield
1067:Newcastle
1052:Liverpool
1027:Clydebank
973:The Blitz
688:Footnotes
579:Inspector
528:Commander
384:Inspector
359:Sergeant
305:Constable
299:Firewoman
262:Insignia
105:Divisions
80:Employees
72:Dissolved
1587:Historic
1503:Scotland
1314:Cornwall
1304:Cheshire
1165:Trekking
1145:Blackout
1087:Plymouth
1082:Nuneaton
1037:Greenock
1032:Coventry
1012:Brighton
904:14 April
704:Archived
666:See also
355:Sergeant
220:, Kent.
49:Coverage
1464:Suffolk
1419:Norfolk
1324:Cumbria
1265:England
1107:Swansea
1072:Norwich
1022:Cardiff
1017:Bristol
997:Belfast
803:14 July
294:Fireman
146:History
41:Country
1469:Surrey
1409:London
1057:London
987:Barrow
809:
278:London
254:Women
187:county
1561:Other
1519:Wales
1349:Essex
1047:Leeds
852:(PDF)
374:1,100
271:Rank
265:Rank
237:Ranks
1389:Kent
1272:Avon
1042:Hull
992:Bath
932:2018
906:2012
878:2021
805:2013
753:2024
728:2024
620:Sir
251:Men
189:and
122:The
75:1948
794:doi
594:N/A
576:N/A
558:N/A
463:194
434:382
403:250
128:NFS
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