The Auxiliary Fire Service
The Auxiliary Fire Service was formed in 1938 and was mobilised on the 1st of September
1939 and disbanded at the end of the second world war.
In 1948 the Civil Defence Act re-established the Auxiliary Fire Service and the Civil
Defence Corps as a result of the Government's concern over the deteriorating relations
with the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. A war in Europe seemed a possibility but this
one would probably be a nuclear one.
It was reckoned that at least two AFS men would be required for every regular fulltime
fireman and this figure would be around 55,000 men. The AFS never even recruited a third of
this number.
It was realised that where the bombs landed nothing would be left, not even the Fire
Brigade to put out the fires from the heat blast, so the plan was to create self contained
Mobile Fire Columns in the unaffected areas and then move them into the blast zone.
The AFS equipment was old, obsolete National Fire Service equipment from the second world
war, consisting of Leyland, Sulzer and Tangye Units, Trailer Pumps and Bedford and Fordson
Auxiliary Towing Vehicles which were slow and unable to meet the demands required.
Plans were drawn up for new fire fighting equipment to be purchased for the AFS. The new
equipment would enable the Mobile Fire Columns to be completely self contained in the
terms of communication, food and fuel.
The plan assumed that war would be declared in advance of an attack and half of the Local
authority red machines would be withdrawn and meet up with AFS machines to make up the
columns. The new AFS equipment consisted mainly of Emergency Self Propelled Pumps or Green
Goddess as they were known, Control Units, Wireless cars, Communications Units, Pipe
Carriers, Hose Layers, Foam Tenders, Transportable Water Units or Bikini Units (so
called as that
was the type of inflatable raft commercially sold as a Bikini, similar to the
Zodiacs of today etc.), Mobile Kitchens, Motorcycles and General Purpose
Lorries. The Goddess came as a 4x2 with a 400 gallon tank originally and then on a 4x4
chassis with a 300 gallon tank
On 13 May 1941 H Morrison announced that all regular brigades and the AFS would reorganise and form the NFS.
The Cold War AFS was disbanded on the 31st March 1968 along with the rest of the Civil Defence in Scotland, England and Wales but retained in Northern Ireland.
1938 Rank Structure in the Auxiliary Fire Service
Auxiliary Fireman
Patrol Officer
Section Officer
Deputy Commandant
Commandant
The Patrol Officer was roughly equivalent to a Leading Fireman/Sub Officer and the title originates from the Home Office pre-war concept of having AFS trailer-pump patrols operating while air raids were in progress to deal with incipient fires. However, this policy was seen as impractical by most in the fire service and was little, if at all, used in practice once the raids started, appliances being ordered from stations in the conventional manner as the raid developed in response to calls from wardens, police, public or from fire service observation posts.
1948 AFS
Initial Issue of Clothing (Western Area Fire Brigade)
Cap
Western Area Cap Badge
Axe
Axe Pouch
Web Belt
Pair of Wellies
Boiler Suit
After you had passed test in addition to above
Lancer Tunic
Pair Trousers
Pair Black Leggings
Battle Blower Helmet (Black gloss, WAFB transfer)
Personnel Line