{"product_id":"civil-defence-corps-experimental-mobile-column-army-raf-blazer-badge","title":"Civil Defence Corps, Experimental Mobile Column Army\/ RAF blazer badge.","description":"\u003cp\u003eVery unusual bullion blazer badge for \u003cspan\u003eThe Experimental Mobile Column 1954.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe unit: The Experimental Mobile Column was set up by the Home Office in January 1953, based at a depot in Kiln Lane, Epsom. 150 military personnel — 100 from the Army and 50 from the RAF — were seconded to develop and train experimental mobile columns for rescue work in both Civil Defence and the Auxiliary Fire Service.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIts job: The idea was to test whether centrally organised, mobile rescue units could reinforce local Civil Defence Corps and fire brigades after a major incident (the era's real worry was a nuclear or heavy bombing attack on a British city). Each column had its own specially equipped vehicles and motorcycle dispatch riders, some of whom rode ahead to signpost and clear the route. Skills covered things like rescuing people from collapsed buildings, firefighting, and general disaster response.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1954 specifically: That's the year your badge dates to, and it was a big one for the unit. Through 1954 the columns toured the country, from Cornwall up to the north of Scotland, running demonstration exercises simulating disaster scenarios to show off their rescue skills to the public and local authorities.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat happened after: Despite going well, the government chose not to expand the scheme. In December 1954, after just two years in existence, the Column was disbanded. Its concept was picked up again later, though — the Mobile Defence Corps, active 1 April 1955 to 28 February 1959, was a development of this same Mobile Civil Defence Column idea, pairing Army and RAF personnel with the civil defence effort until it was wound down as National Service ended. \u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSo the badge is from a short-lived but historically interesting Cold War-era pilot unit — only around for 1953–54, which makes a dated 1954 example like yours a fairly specific little piece of that story.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gradia Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54089118843208,"sku":"10183","price":15.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0924\/1103\/5976\/files\/IMG-2483.heic?v=1789740260","url":"https:\/\/www.gradiamilitaria.com\/products\/civil-defence-corps-experimental-mobile-column-army-raf-blazer-badge","provider":"Gradia Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}