yeovil at war

auxiliary fire service garage

Goldcroft

 


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.

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.

This Second World War building in Goldcroft, an Auxiliary Fire Service garage, consists of a corrugated asbestos roof of the "Handcraft" type mounted on dwarf walls of brickwork construction with a large entrance in a brickwork end wall. The original entrance door has been replaced.
 

See also 

-  Auxiliary / National Fire Service
Fire Watchers and Fire Guards
Auxiliary Fire Service alternative fire station
Charles Gillard




Gallery




This photograph features in my book "A-Z of Yeovil"

Auxiliary Fire Service Garage, Goldcroft, with one of the original Westland Engineers' "up and over" doors (thanks to Dave Shorey for telling me). Photographed 2013.







Auxiliary Fire Service Garage, Goldcroft. Photographed 2013.