The Waterguard Uniform

Page contents:

• 1809 to 1890
• 1891 to 1945
• 1946 to 1972

• OTHER THAN WATERGUARD
• BADGES
• CAPS
• CAP BADGES
• JACKET BUTTONS

• WATERGUARD
• CAPS
• CAP BADGES
• JACKET INSIGNIA 1891-1972
• JACKET BUTTONS

The uniform worn by Waterguard officers has evolved and changed over the years.

During this period the Waterguard service was inextricably linked to the Coastguard Service, and both were controlled to a greater or lesser degree by the Admiralty. The officers in charge of Stations were Naval Officers.

Whilst no images of the uniforms of the period have been obtained, the cover of Edith Cowper's novel 'The Captain of the Waterguard', first published in 1912 has a picture which may be an image of an early 19th century uniform.

In 1891 the Boatman grade wore a reefer jacket with no sleeve decoration whilst his supervisor, the Preventive Officer, wore a reefer jacket with a single gold stripe with a Naval style curl on the sleeve. From 1903 the uniform of the Preventive Officers - both Upper and Lower Sections - was supplied at the Crown's expense!

 The Chief Preventive Officer wore a reefer jacket with two and half gold stripes with a Naval style curl on the sleeve and the Waterguard Surveyor wore a reefer style frock coat with plain sleeves but with a distinctive cap.

Throughout this time the Boatman/Preventive Man/Assistant Preventive Officer and Preventive Officer grades, wore a cap with a badge of gold wire depicting a King's Crown. The Chief Preventive Officer's cap badge also had a laurel leaf surround.

The change in name of the Boatman grade to Preventive Man in 1905, and again in 1923 to Assistant Preventive Officer, saw no corresponding change in the style of uniform.

In 1912 the style of hat changed to the more familiar military style peaked cap and the practice of wearing a white cap cover during the summer months replaced the option of wearing straw hats in hot weather. General Order 25/1912, which introduced the changes, can be read by selecting the 'button' on the right.

In 1946 the Preventive Officers' and Assistant Preventive Officers' uniforms were augmented with a Naval style curl on the rank distinction rings.

In 1948, the Assistant Preventive Officers' Uniform was augmented with a Working-dress Blouse made from the same material as the existing Jacket and vest and had the same period of wear. From then on all new-entrant Assistant Preventive Officers received a jacket and vest, working-dress blouse and two pairs of trousers. Their next upper-body garment issue was a blouse, and thereafter they received a jacket and a vest or a working-dress blouse alternately.

Also, the uniform jacket style was modernised to mirror that worn by Royal Navy officers. At the same time the Assistant Preventive Officers' uniform was upgraded to a single gold stripe on the sleeve, the Preventive Officer two gold stripes and the Chief Preventive Officer's uniform was upgraded from two and a half to three gold stripes. All three grades were issued with greatcoats and raincoats.

The greatcoat was based on a 'riding officers' greatcoat. The back incorporated a pleat from collar to hem, collected with a half belt and buttons, and a split from the waist down which could be held apart with buttons to accommodate the horses back!

In 1953 all three uniform cap badges were replaced with a portcullis design surmounted by a gold wire King's Crown. The Chief Preventive Officer's cap now had a peak decorated with gold wire leaf.

During the late 1960's all officers on a station were permitted to work in 'short sleeve order' during hot summer months, subject to Management agreement, but then uniform caps had to be worn at all times to identify officers.

In 1968, an officer joining the Waterguard was temporarily issued with ill-fitting Navy surplus trousers and a blouse style tunic jacket - that had been manufactured, according to the label in one officer's tunic, in 1940 - together with 2 Caps, one with protective padding, 2 White Cap covers which were worn during the summer months, and one Cap badge.

If the officer lived in London he could personally collect the initial 'Hairy' uniform issue from the stores branch at Woolwich, where he was also measured for his 'proper' uniform, otherwise the officer received 'temporary' uniform by post and was measured for his 'proper' uniform at a local tailors. A PDF copy of the initial issue letter is available via the 'button' on the right.

By the end of 1951, the uniform supplied by the contractor - Wather & Gardner of Bristol - had become so poorly fitting that the Board of HM Customs & Excise made arrangements for a general re-measuring and for the contractor to visit all ports each year to re-measure officers. These arrangements were announced by OWO 50/1951 which  is reproduced here as a PDF and can be read by selecting the 'button' on the right.

David Bowie's amusing account of wearing his 'hairies' at the WTC where, with two days to go,  he was issued with - and travelled home with - his 'made to measure' uniform, is reproduced here as a PDF and can be read by selecting the 'button' on the right.

About six months later the 'made to measure' uniform arrived from the manufacturer  - Wather & Gardner - in Bristol to augment the cap, cap badge and white cap covers previously issued from Woolwich. This issue consisted of :

Waterguard Suryeyor

circa 1900

Chief Preventive Officer

circa 1900

Chief Preventive Officer

post 1952

Boatman/Preventive Man and Preventive Officer - Victorian pre 1900

Assistant Preventive Officer

& Preventive Officer pre 1946

Cutter issue Beret & badge

post 1952

Women Search Officer

circa 1970