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  1. #1

    Default Finding records for AFS

    Does anyone know if records were kept of civilians who served in the Auxiliary Fire Service during WW2? I'm after my Grandfather's records who I believe served in the AFS in Great Chart or Ashford, Kent.

  2. #2
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums
    The Auxiliary Fire Service was formed in 1938. It supplemented the work of local brigades. It was superseded in August 1941 by the National Fire Service. Members of the AFS were unpaid part-time volunteers, but could be called up for whole-time paid service if necessary.

    One of the first things I did was to go to The National Archives site and look at their A-Z menu and looked under A and F for Auxiliary Fire Service and F for Fire Brigades. I then typed in the search engine box Auxiliary Fire Service with no result and the same under F.
    I found a post on another forum that said he was told no records exist for fire fighters in WW11 as the Home Office instructed them to be destroyed.

    I wonder if contacting, directly, the Kent Fire brigade or the local libraries of the two areas you mentioned may provide an answer
    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by christanel View Post
    Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums
    The Auxiliary Fire Service was formed in 1938. It supplemented the work of local brigades. It was superseded in August 1941 by the National Fire Service. Members of the AFS were unpaid part-time volunteers, but could be called up for whole-time paid service if necessary.

    One of the first things I did was to go to The National Archives site and look at their A-Z menu and looked under A and F for Auxiliary Fire Service and F for Fire Brigades. I then typed in the search engine box Auxiliary Fire Service with no result and the same under F.
    I found a post on another forum that said he was told no records exist for fire fighters in WW11 as the Home Office instructed them to be destroyed.

    I wonder if contacting, directly, the Kent Fire brigade or the local libraries of the two areas you mentioned may provide an answer
    Christina
    Thank you for your reply Christina

    I have tried contacting the Kent Fire Brigade Museum and also the Kent History and Library who do hold lots of records but I'm still waiting for replies from them. I did find the library holds a collection called Kent Territorial and Auxiliary Forces so hopefully that could be a possibility although sadly I suspect you are right and they have been destroyed.

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