Civil Defence Long Service Medal

[jshorter]

Hi Everyone!

What to the intials ""CD", "AFS" and "NHSR"" on the the reverse of a Civil Defence Long Service medal stand for?

= "Civil Defence", "??" and "??"

Thanks!

Jason

[peter monahan]

Jason

The UK had an Auxiliary Fire Service - initials "AFS" - during WWII. Reference below. No clue about the last set of letters.

"The Auxiliary Fire Service was formed from volunteers at the outbreak of war, to assist the regular fire brigades. The name was changed to The National Fire Service in August 1941 when the regional regular Fire Brigades and the AFS were merged." http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/afs.html

Peter

[jshorter]

Peter,

That is one part of the equation figured out! Thank you very much for the information!

Jason

[Robin Lumsden]

NHSR = National Hospital Service Reserve.

[jshorter]

Excellent! Thank you all!

Jason

[peter monahan]

NHSR = National Hospital Service Reserve.

Well doen, that man! I was going to GUESS "National Health something " but thought that would be too silly. What would a Healeth reserve unit do? Bedpans to go? Self-taught surgeons? The mind boggles!

Seriously though, good show. Jason, I'd love to see what you find out about the recipient, if you manage to trakc him/her. What are the odds that its a copper or Territorial Force type who just ciouldn't give up wearing uniforms, even in retirement and on Hols?

Pete

[Robin Lumsden]

What would a Health reserve unit do?

The National Hospital Service Reserve (NHSR) was founded in 1949 and staffed by volunteers from hospital professions, such as doctors, nurses and first aiders. The NHSR was part of the Civil Defence services first established in the 1930s in preparation for air raids that were expected to be part of any future war. After the Second World War, the emphasis shifted to coping with the aftermath of a nuclear attack. The NHSR closed in 1968 when the Civil Defence services were disbanded.

[peter monahan]

The National Hospital Service Reserve (NHSR) was founded in 1949 and staffed by volunteers from hospital professions, such as doctors, nurses and first aiders. The NHSR was part of the Civil Defence services first established in the 1930s in preparation for air raids that were expected to be part of any future war. After the Second World War, the emphasis shifted to coping with the aftermath of a nuclear attack. The NHSR closed in 1968 when the Civil Defence services were disbanded.

Thanks, Robin! Now that I think on it I seem to recall we Canucks had something similar "back in the day" (as my students would say).

In fact, my youngest got recruited last spring to take part in a mock "civil disaster" exercise. She "only" had "broken bones" but some of her friends "received radiation contamination" and had to go through a shower, with their rescuers, in the parking lot of the local hospital. Not sure what the medicos learned from it, but she got a grab bag of coffee mugs, key chains and such for participating. A necessary eveil in our nasty world, I suppose.

Edited March 14, 2009 by peter monahan

[Tony Farrell]

Northern Ireland issues are slightly different and have AFRS (Auxiliary Fire & Rescue Service) and HSR (Hospital Service Reserve) in the two lower shields. There's also the colonial variant which is totally different.