WW2 British Home Front Gov Building Civil Defence Kings Crown Flag

For sale is a rare WW2 British Home Front Civil Defence CD Kings Crown Large Flag. The flag is mostly in good condition. There are a fair few holes due to use and possibly moth damage (no signs of moth present now), several small repairs too. 

Measurements are as followed:

1. Height: 87.5cm

2. Length: 151cm

3. Wooden toggle length: 6cm

4. Wooden toggle diameter: 1.5cm 

5. rope length: 132cm

6. Flag margin width: 3.6cm 

The Civil Defence Service was a civilian volunteer organisation established in Great Britain by the Home Office in 1935. In 1941, during World War II, the use of Civil Defence replaced the pre-existing Air Raid Precautions (ARP). The Civil Defence Service included the pre-existing ARP as well as wardens, firemen (initially the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) and latterly the National Fire Service (NFS)), fire watchers, rescue, first aid post, stretcher party and industry.

Sir Gerald W. Wollaston, Garter King of Arms, thought that the Union Jack was a royal flag and should be flown only on royal and government buildings. He proposed that there should be a land flag equivalent of the Red Ensign, and suggested that it might be quarterly blue and white with the Union in first quarter, and for civil authorities, a badge in the fourth quarter. He received no support for this idea, but adapted it when asked to design flags for the National Fire Service and Civil Defence Service.

The Civil Defence flag was quarterly blue and yellow with a Union first quarter and a Tudor crown in colour above yellow letters C D in the fourth quarter. Garter wrote that quarterly flags should be square but that, as when flying, part of the flag was concealed, it was desirable to have the length greater than the depth. He proposed 5 : 3 as a good compromise. The flag was approved by King George VI on 11 August 1943, and first used on Battle of Britain Day, 26 September 1943.

The flag was printed in one piece, which included the Union canton, but not the Civil Defence badge. The latter was stencilled on two pieces, and sewn on separately.

This will be dispatched via Royal Mail 1st class signed for and dispatched within 2-3 working days. The photographs make part of the description.