Canadian leader sees London’s Civil Defence Services, Greater London
Colonel George Drew, Canadian Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition, inspecting the interior of one of London’s ambulances which with their crews of men and women' who have rendered such wonderful service during the German blitzes'. The Civil Defence Service (CDS) was a civilian volunteer organisation formed in 1935, in 1941 it replaced the pre-existing Air Raid Precautions (ARP) service. The organisation of civil defence was the responsibility of the local authority. Volunteers were ascribed to different units depending on experience or training, these units inlcuded Wardens, Rescue Parties, Medical services, Gas Decontamination Teams, Report and Control, Fire Guards, Welfare and Messengers. Over 1.9 million people served within the CDS and nearly 2,400 lost their lives to enemy action.
