these were cold as there was no power. We had cold baked beans, biscuits and fizzy lemonade. At last they sent us to Bolton for a rest. There was a vast basement area under the fire-station, equipped with showers, with hot water and canteens. As we arrived we were given sandwiches, then we were to have a bath or a shower and a hot meal. As we ate our sandwiches the call came through that the Codsall crew could go home. We abandoned the bath and went. That was on Christmas Eve so we
arrived back home without any Christmas presents.
I remember the Ex-Serviceman's Club being burnt down. It was ironic but a few weeks before there had been a big Fire Brigade display on the open ground outside the club. They got all the equip-ment working and everybody had a good time and then, not long afterwards, the clubhouse was burnt to the ground. We were on a job nearby and we ran across the road but we were too late to save the building.
Bordesley � this was mainly a cleaning-up operation as the fires were dying down in an area of factories and food warehouses. We came home with boxes of chocolate-covered Ryvita!
Coventry � the only description for this is HELL. We were there two days and nights, with no sleep and the main sustenance was tea. Although we found water eventually it was impossible to save anything. After this we were granted a spell of leave.
London � regional fire services were sent down to the south-east as relief crews and were stationed at Watford in marquees near to a hospital. The nurses came to the marquees to attend to the feet of
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