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“Four FBU members at the Bethnal Green Fire Station (including a union representative) told us in 1982: “Bringing the troops in was just a publicity exercise, an enormous con-trick on the public just to reassure the patient that he wasn't dying. The Green Goddesses were useless. They had no equipment and no training. The government, the army and the public have no conception of what fire fighting involves. There was no fire cover, it was purely cosmetic. It prolonged the strike; it would have been cheaper to give us the money, but Callaghan was determined to break the strike. We weren't allowed to speak to the troops, couldn't get near them. I wouldn't vote Labour again. Callaghan destroyed all his support. As a member of the public I'm glad they used the army. As a fireman I'm not - my hands were tied; it put the whole public in danger. They weren't being used as fire cover, they were there to break our strike. Some of them were just kids; they could have died. They're still just cannon fodder. That's a measure of the government's determination: they would let\\a people die. I'm less dedicated now, I won't risk my life any more. If people are involved, or if it's someone's home, OK. But I'm not going to die saving property.” From “Troops in Strikes” by Steve Peak |