The Waterguard Uniform

Page contents:

• 1809 to 1890
• 1891 to 1945

• 1946 to 1972
• CAP BADGES

• CAPS
• 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 grater 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 a 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. The Chief Preventive Officer, meanwhile wore a reefer jacket with two and half gold stripes with a Naval style curl on the sleeve.

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.

At some time during this period - probably after World War I - the style of hat changed to the more familiar military style peaked cap. This also allowed the practice of wearing a white cap cover during the summer months.

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

After World War II the Waterguard uniform jacket style was modernised to mirror that worn by Royal Navy officers. At the same time the Assistant Preventive Officer's 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 had a Naval style curl.

The three grades also had a new cap badge 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 and one Cap badge.

If the officer lived in London he could personally collect the initial 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 locl tailors.