The Waterguard Uniform

Page contents:

• BADGES
• HM C&E - METAL
• CAPS
• WATERGUARD
• OTHER
• CAP BADGES
• WATERGUARD
• OTHER - HM C&E
• OTHER - BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

• JACKET BUTTONS
• WATERGUARD
• OTHER - HM C&E
• OTHER

• WATERGUARD JACKET INSIGNIA
• WATERGUARD UNIFORMS
• 1809 to 1890
• 1891 to 1945
• 1946 to 1972

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 Preventive Officer's cap had a small gold pom-pom on the top and the Chief Preventive Officer's cap badge 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 May 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 of 10 May 1912, which introduced the changes, can be read by selecting the 'button' on the right.

On 23 December 1912, the Board of Customs & Excise issued General Order 61/1912 which introduced a new style of uniform for both the Waterguard and the Launch and Cutter services. General Order 61/1912 outlined the specifications for the new uniforms, including the issue of cravats to POs and CPOs and the positioning of performance stars on Preventive Men's jacket sleeves, 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 jacketand 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!

1948 also saw the issue of a removable, internal plastic disc to protect the lining of the uniform cap.

From May 1949 a new, larger, cap badge was introduced. The badge consisted of a white metal portcullis in the centre of  gold embroidered laurel wreath with a gold embroidered crown above. But in view of labour difficulties it was not possible to obtain sufficient supplies of the new badge so a temporary badge of pressed to metal was issued to meet immediate needs.

1952 saw the Chief Preventive Officer's Jacket and Overcoat ensignia upgraded to a three gold stripes on the sleeves and sholder. His cap now had a peak decorated with gold wire leaf. A three uniform cap badges were replaced with a portcullis design surmounted by a gold wire King's Crown.

OWO 5/1957 announced that a lightweight - unpadded - cap was being introduced for Chief Preventive Officers and Preventive Officers in place of the padded cap then in use by all Waterguard staff. The padded cap continue to be supplied as general wear for Assistant Preventive Officers, with a lightweight cap as an optional issue.

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.

Although not strictly part of the Waterguard, from the late 1940's Women Search Officers were seconded from the Clerical Officer grade and employed to attend at all the major Passenger Ports. Their job was to attend passenger movements and be available to search female suspects. They wore a smart navy blue Uniform, initialy without insignia, but the Peaked Cap left some thing to be desired until it was replaced in 1964.

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 :

Chief Preventive Officer with white cap cover

post 1945

Chief Preventive Officer with white cap cover

post 1952

Preventive Officer

circa 1909

Preventive Officer & Boatman/Preventive Man - Victorian

pre 1900

Preventive Officer & Assistant Preventive Officer

pre 1946

Preventive Officer & Assistant Preventive Officer

Standard Issue with inner stretcher

post 1952

Preventive Officer & Assistant Preventive Officer

Standard Issue with inner stretcher & white cap cover

post 1952

Preventive Officer & Assistant Preventive Officer

Manufactuers label

post 1952

Cutter issue Beret & badge

post 1952

Women Search Officer

circa 1970