Military History > Civil Defences

A.R.P. Messengers

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castle261:
Your dad was entitled to the Defence Medal - as he had served over 3+ years. you can still apply, as next of kin for one.
Email the Bond Office - from a form downloaded from the internet. ( put `defence medal` in with your cursor ) fill in the
form & wait for a reply - It should have been sent to the last address - on his Warden application form in 1939.

My identity card was pale blue - lost by moving - by me. I obtained a new one by going to the RAF Museum at Hendon
years ago - seeing a £2.00 pack with replica identity card in it - I still have it.

mmitch:
My Dad was an Air Raid Warden in Gravesend from 1939-45. All he had was a printed letter from the mayor and another more decorated one from the King! No medals. Even his identity card was a plain buff one with no photo, even though it permitted him to 'break into premises to extinguish fire and save life.'


mmitch.

Dave Smith:
Hi castle261. My time as a messenger was limited to a Sunday morning during 1944/5, & not consistent either ( homework- 7 subjects at w/ends, etc. ). When I could, I turned up & might be used. Invariably not, as there were always several others available. So no medals expected by me, particularly as I was only 14 or 15 anyway.

castle261:
Dave Smith said once - he was an A.R.P. Messenger - Well this question is directed to you - Dave. Did you qualify for the Defence medal for your service
at the end of the war -  I joined at 14 in 1941 - served the full 3 years + many odd weeks to qualify. Neither me or my brother receive  the medal -
through the post - like many other Messengers in Kent - did you ?  Maidstone received theirs though the post - as I have read.
My parents moved 3 times - during that time - in the war - perhaps that was the cause.
I wrote the the Medal Office in London & they said I did not qualify - because service below 16 - did not count as service.

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