I joined the A.F.S. after the TOC H appealed to its members to join voluntary organisations concerned with civilian war-time activities. When the Fire Service first started we had a place in the Square, in a two-storey garage near the Mount. We had to go into Wolverhampton for training. There was Mr Goodyear and Mr Snape (he lived at the back of the Church). We had to go to about 12 training sessions at the Wolverhampton fire station.
On the outbreak of war, Mr James, at the Terrace in Oaken, provided us with a cottage which stood in the yard of the house. The six of us slept there. A lot of the women got together and decided on a rota for preparing our meals. They used to bring them up to us and we warmed them up on the cooker. The ladies also manned the telephone, did emergency driving, surveyed the fire-hydrants and other work of this nature.
