A nice early Cheshire County Council Ambulance Transport Service cap badge in good used condition. The badge manufactured by Butt & Co badge makers of Chester has both cap fixing lugs attached to the rear, one piece cap badge in chrome & enamel & no enamel chips to the rear !
Ambulance Services in the U.K formed after WW2 when an act of parliament was passed , The National Health Services Act 1946 which was set up to provide a health service to the whole of the U.K. It came into being on 5th July 1948 & lasted until it was replaced by The National Health Services Act 1977 !!
Initially ambulance staff were volunteers, The Milar Report of 1964 changed that, making a recommendation that patients be treated en route to hospital. Training Schools were set up & recruits were trained in basic 1st Aid & other extended skills in the use of oxygen, Entonox etc, the cap badge they wore was a laurel leaf!
In 1974 the ambulance services transferred to The N.H.S & the retro cap badges of 1974 replaced the earlier badges. These were again replaced in the late 1980’s & 90’s to the laurel wreath with the Q.C, these badges being mainly gilt enameled & termed as “ modern cap badge!