Armband, Fire Party, 1934 Pattern

Worn on the right arm, armbands were used to identify personnel carrying out a specific duty.

For most of the interwar period, firefighting was seen a secondary duty undertaken by RAF personnel. The trade of Aircraft Handler/Fire Fighter was introduced in 1922 and the same year saw the first specialised firefighting vehicles fitted with pumping facilities entering service. The first regular Fire Fighters were recruited direct from the civilian service in 1936.