yeovil at war
AuxiliaRY / nATIONAL fIRE sERVICE
Yeovil's Wartime Fire Brigade
In 1938, as the
Government
prepared for
what appeared to
be inevitable
conflict and
that such
conflict would
almost certainly
involve the use
of bombing from
the air, each
Fire Authority
was required to
form an
Auxiliary Fire
Service (AFS),
under the
direction of the
local Chief Fire
Officer, but
whose role was
solely to
prepare for the
eventuality of
war and for
dealing with
fires that would
follow an air
raid.
Members of the AFS were unpaid part-time volunteers, but could be called up for whole-time paid service if necessary. This was very similar to the wartime Police Special Constabulary.
The part-time
firemen of the
AFS were
recognised by a
lapel badge,
seen here, first
issued in August
1938 after
completion of
sixty hours
training,
reduced in June
1939 to one
month of
membership. The
badge was made
of sterling
silver until
June 1939 when
it became white
metal.
To overcome some of the earlier problems the fire service was again re-organised into the National Fire Service (NFS) bringing together the 16,000-plus fire brigades within the country. This force came into existence on the 18th August 1941 and all brigade and AFS personnel were transferred into it. The service was responsible, through regions, to the Home Office directly which meant that the chain of command was much simpler and the standardisation of training and equipment could be more efficient.
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Gallery
Courtesy of Bob
Banfield
The Yeovil Auxiliary Fire Service parade on 23 April 1939 in what is thought to be Petters Way.
Auxiliary Fire Service, 1940. Many thanks to Eric Taylor who wrote "My father is here, second row down from the top second person in from the left. His name was George Taylor and lived at 12 South Street. He worked for J.H Swaffield & Sons in South Street at the time as an agricultural engineer."
This photograph, like several below, was taken in what is now Petters Way car park (where the market used to be held, adjoining South Street). The training tower behind was used to hang the hoses from and the building at left housed the Auxiliary fire engines.
Courtesy of
Sharon Pickford
This photograph dates to 1952 (when the film "Red Skies of Montana" was released). Sharon noted "This is the additional building the Fire Brigade used near the car park in Petters Way. The building was situated at the bottom of the market site at the top of Petters Way facing out onto South Street. It was most likely constructed during the Second World War by members of the National Fire Service (NFS) to house the additional appliances that were stationed at Yeovil at the time. The appliance on the left is a Dennis F7 and was one of the first new Fire Engines delivered to the newly formed brigade. The one on the right is a wartime Austin 60Ft hand operated Turntable Ladder which remained in Service at Yeovil until 1971."
Men of the Yeovil Division of the Auxiliary / National Fire Service, 1940-42. Thanks to Simon Rowley "Leyland FK6 pump escape, BYC 145, that was supplied to the brigade in May 1936. This appliance survives, fully restored, in the care of the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service."
The signatures on the reverse of the above photograph.
Same place, probably same time as the above photograph, but clearly a different crew.
Courtesy of
Roger McElliott
Men of Yeovil's Auxiliary Fire Service personnel pose with their water tender (sorry, I don't know which type) by the Petters Way training tower.
Courtesy of
Roger McElliott
Same equipment, different location, different crew of Yeovil's Auxiliary Fire Service personnel.
Courtesy of
Nigel Vine
A crew of Yeovil's Auxiliary Fire Service personnel, circa 1940. This photograph must date to before May 1941 as the men are all wearing AFS badges. At the extreme right is Leading Fireman Wilfred Jenvey, who was stationed in Yeovil throughout the war. Since he lived at 118 Mudford Road, this photo may have been taken in the Hundredstone AFS Station.
Courtesy of
Nigel Vine
Leading Fireman Wilfred Jenvey, enlarged from the previous photograph, showing the Auxiliary Fire Service uniform and the special "AFS Yeovil" badge.
Certificates of Service were issued by the National Fire Service when the service was down-sized after the war.
During the war the National Fire Service issued Yeovil with at least two Austin K2 auxiliary towing vehicles (ATV) coupled with trailer pumps and one of these was probably at a sub-station. This illustration is of an Austin K2 ATV in National Fire Service livery, towing a Coventry Climax FSM-Type trailer fire pump.
In 1943 Yeovil was issued with a Leyland Beaver with a 100ft Merryweather turntable ladder similar to this photograph. This appliance stayed at Yeovil until 1955 when it was sent to Cheltenham and Yeovil received an Austin K4 with a Merryweather 60ft turntable ladder that had initially been issued by the NFS to Barnstaple. This vehicle was preserved.