The following instructions were issued by the Essex County Constabulary in 1915 as to the precautions to be taken and work carried out in the event of hostile aircraft appearing over Essex.
HEADQUARTERS
Telephone to Home Office for transmission to Kent and Surrey.
Supt. Smith, Epping, to be informed for the information of the Epping Fire Brigade.
Telegraph to the Chief Constables of Birmingham and Northamptonshire.
Notify Superintendents of Divisions concerned, and all others if necessary.
Warn the following Chief Constable if hostile aircraft is known to be travelling in their direction: East Suffolk, Nottinghamshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Kings Lynn and Luton.
Telegraph to Home Office the morning following the raid giving as full particulars possible respecting locality, number of bombs dropped, persons injured, &c. The particulars to reach the Home Office before 11 a.m.
SUPERINTENDENTS IN CHARGE OF DIVISIONS.
Warn all munition factories, &c, in their area of the approach of hostile aircraft.
Notify all Gas Works, Fire Stations and any other works in their Divisions.
Telephone particulars to Head Quarters, Essex County Constabulary, and Headquarters, 61st (South Midland Division).
See that all arrangements previously made to keep the main roads clear of traffic are carried out.
Arrange that all street lamps and lights in shops &c., are turned out, if necessary.
Inform the Managers of Places of Amusement.
Reports received from neighbouring Police Forces to be at once transmitted to Head Quarters.
Telephone full particulars to Head Quarters early on the morning following the raid, giving number of bombs dropped, persons injured, locality &c.
POLICE AND SPECIAL CONSTABLES ON ACTUAL DUTY
Telephone to Anti-Aircraft, London, Headquarters, Essex County Constabulary, Chelmsford, Headquarters 61st (South Midland) Division, Chelmsford, also the local Superintendent giving as full particulars as possible.
The nearest Military Officer is to be informed.
Keep all main roads clear by stopping all vehicles (with exceptions) and placing them in prearranged positions.
Pay particular attention to all lighting, both in houses and on vehicles.
Be prepared for any emergency that may arise.
A written report is to be sent to Superintendent on first available opportunity.
OTHER POLICE AND SPECIAL CONSTABLES.
Parade at the nearest Police Station or any other place previously appointed and carry out any instructions that may be given to them.
WARNING OTHERS
Superintendents are responsible for the warning of the various people affected in the respective Divisions.
The Home Office and various Chief Constables are warned from Head Quarters.
The Head Quarters, 61st Division (South Midland) Division is warned by the officer affected as soon as possible after the hostile aircrafts is seen or heard.
WORKS.
The Managers of Works on Munitions, &c., Railway and Dock Officials to have early information of the approach of hostile aircraft but the actual reduction of light is to be left to their discretion.
In other works information is to be given to them of the approach of hostile aircraft and the lights are extinguished.
All are to be notified when the danger is apparently passed.
THEATRES AND PLACES OF AMUSEMENT
If a performance is proceeding the manager or some responsible person is to be informed and if necessary they inform the audience and ask them to proceed quietly home.
PLACES OF WORSHIP.
The persons responsible are to be informed if a service is in progress and it is left to their discretion to tell the congregation and close the service. (These instructions have only been issued to the Chelmsford Police up to the present).
AIRCRAFT BROUGHT TO EARTH
If the Police are on the spot first, the nearest Military Station is to be informed as soon as possible (in addition to notifying the Admiralty by telephone) and energetic measures taken to pr3vent the public approaching the aircraft pending the arrival of the Military Guard.
BOMBS
In the event of bombs being dropped in the locality the nearest Military Authorities are to be notified at once.
The public are to be denied access to places where bombs have been dropped.
The nearest local troops should be called upon for assistance if the Police are unable to effectively control the public.
All fragments are to be collected and Superintendents are to inform the nearest Military Authorities.
The public are not to be permitted to acquire fragments of bombs.
Particular care must be taken to prevent unauthorised persons touching the unexploded bombs.
ANTI-AIRCRAFT MOTOR CARS
The lighting restrictions do not apply to these motor cars and they are on no account to be hindered when carrying special lights.
The 61st (2nd South Midland) Division was an infantry division of the British Army raised in 1915 during the Great War as a second-line reserve for the first-line battalions of the 48th (South Midland) Division. However, the division was sent to the Western Front in May 1916 and served there for the duration of the First World War.
