A St John Ambulance Brigade first aid competition team winching a simulated patient on a stretcher out of a building

Many St John Ambulance Brigade volunteers undertook air raid precaution work to help protect civilians during the Second World War. This work included patrolling the streets at night, promoting the use of gas masks, watching for fires, and rescuing casualties from bombed buildings. Here, some Brigade volunteers prepare themselves for rescue through practising in simulated conditions.