Whereas much has been published on the psychological reactions, normal and abnormal, in the personnel of the armed forces, little has been written about the neuroses in Civil Defence personnel.

This paper is a survey of cases of neurosis occurring among firemen who were admitted to Mill Hill E.M.S. Hospital from the outbreak of war to October 1, 1944. Altogether 70 patients came from the Fire Service. 40 of them came from London (postal area). No figures can be given about the incidence per number of personnel or per area. But, considering that these 40 men were probably all the firemen in London, north of the river, who required in-patient treatment on account of neurosis during five years, it can be taken that the incidence of serious neurosis was very low. The group of neurotic firemen can be compared with a population of neurotics from the armed Services (as analysed by Eysenck, Journ. Ment Sci., 1944, 90, 851).