Armband : State Emergency Services : Victoria : Emergency Service, Welfare : 1939-45

Place Oceania: Australia
Accession Number RELAWM31637.014
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Badge
Physical description Cotton tape, Rubberised fabric
Place made Australia
Date made 1941-1944
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Description

Green rubberised canvas armband with tape ties. Printed in white on the band is "EMERGENCY / WELFARE / SERVICE".

History / Summary

Example of the type of Air Raid Precaution (ARP) armband used by the State Emergency Service (SES) of Victoria during the Second World War. The Emergency Welfare Service provided resources (housing, clothes and comfort) for civilian victims of air raids. The Victorian style of armband differed from those of other states, and is indicative of the variety of ARP organisation found across the states. In NSW, ARP was run by the National Emergency Service; in Queensland, the Civil Defence Organisation; in South Australia, the Civil Defence Force, in Western Australia, the Department of Civil Defence; in Tasmania, the Civil Defence Legion and in the Australian Capital Territory, the Enemy Raids Precaution.