| Born In Southampton in 1932 my first
contact with the fire brigade was towards the end of 1938 when
my Dad enrolled in the Auxiliary Fire Service (A.F.S) in preparation
for war which to adults seemed inevitable to me as a child I did
not know much about. I soon became interested in watching the firemen
drill and the in’s and out’s of fire station life. War time experience
soon demonstrated what all wholetime firemen already knew That providing
assistance to other brigades was a difficult task because equipment
was very much non standard even the ranks and structures introduced
problems.
The first few sizable raids demonstrated that a standard needed
to be nationwide so that units and towns could reinforce each other.
With commendable speed the Government Nationalized the fire fighting
resource’s, so was born the National Fire Services The (N.F.S.)
and all existing A.F.S. firemen enrolled with many additional men
and women.
I was not consciously influenced, but in my mind I suppose
I must have been. I like most young children was evacuated to areas
thought to be safer from air raids but like many others I longed
to get back to my home This desire was strengthened as news reports
of bombing and air raids were broadcast also because I could
both see the fires and read about the raid from my evacuation address
I was unhappy and ran away back home several times to be at
home with my parents .In hind sight I must have been a real pain
in the neck and the police were not too happy with me either and
I was allowed to stay home where I lived with relatives for
the rest of the war. Dad was fire fighting and Mum auxiliary nursing.
During the many raids on the town of Southampton in 1940s the town
was badly damaged and they were both kept pretty busy. Dad continued
to serve in the fire brigade after the war transferring to a Hampshire
station until retirement. Mum remained nursing until after the war.
After the war
national service was mandatory for all males. My education in three
schools led up to work experiences and eventually I was called up
for my National service when eighteen years old. I was directed
into the Royal Air Force where I served as a air field fire fighter
at RAF Hemswell in Lincolnshire.
Recruitment to the civilian fire service in those days was at twenty
one years of age. By then I was married to Dorothy my wife who lived
in a nearby town in Lincolnshire called Gainsborough and we
had started a family. we had no wish to be separated for long periods
on the postings likely to follow so I demobilized. On leaving the
RAF I applied to Join the Hampshire Fire Brigade.
I joined the Hampshire Fire Service in November 1953 and served
at many stations in the south of the county moving in order
to gain experience and promotion. It was frequently said that such
moves effected the children’s education .It certainly effected family
life on call 24 hours a day Dorothy bore the brunt of family
work and my duties meant we were seldom able to plan family outings
but we made the best of it.
By 1970 We opted for a more settled existence and seeking promotion
again I became the Station Officer in charge of Winchester Fire
Station most of our children were either at the close of their education
or at advanced stages, besides my wife’s work load had certainly
not reduced and she too deserved more consideration and I consciously
shunned further promotion opting instead for stability in housing
and proper consideration for my family.
We determined not to curtail their development and education. I
could foresee that the services trend was towards moving staff frequently. Frankly
I could foresee that in the years to come the service having introduced
an early promotion scheme’s would have more concern for it’s needs
than I for my families future. It has certainly paid off. We
are proud to say that among my children we have Company Owners,
Company Directors Computer Programmers and Analysts, Administrative
Officers and Department Store and Bank Managers, some of course
opted for family life
My wife and I once we were on our own and the children had fled
the nest were able to indulge ourselves in are own interest and
hobbies for a change. We were also able to mix with the wider community
soon we were able to further our joint interests particularly
Local and Social History, Archeology,Genealogy and the local community
I served at Winchester Fire Station from 1970 until I retired in
June 1983 following an accident when I fell of a roof injuring my
legs |