cWW2 Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Incident Officer (IO) Printed Arm Badge Patch

c1940-45, A.R.P. Incident Offr sleeve printed patch. Some tape to reverse from being in an album, VGC.

Incident Officers (I.O.s) were responsible for managing the various rescue services that arrived at air raid incidents. London adopted the first trained wardens for this purpose in 1939. To distinguish them from other personnel they wore an 'INCIDENT OFFICER' armband and a light blue helmet cover.

A more permanent badge for Incident Officers was introduced in August 1940. The letters I and O in Cambridge blue on a dark background were worn on the lower right sleeve. In London, a badge with a stylised I and O in script lettering was produced. The designated position (as per ARP Memo 17) was midway between the sleeve seams and the bottom edge of the badge was six inches from the end of the sleeve. If the individual also held the the Bomb Reconnaissance Officer badge the IO badge was placed 'forward' and the badges were placed half an inch from each other.

The use of Incident Officers was adopted nationally and wardens as well as serving police officers were trained to organise the services at incidents. A number of printed and embroidered variations exist. The use of script lettering is thought to be mainly found in the London Civil Defence areas but is is also known to have been issued by local authorities on the south coast.

Code: 886