LONDON BLITZ

[FAAA]

Last night in the City of London I had the Honour and privilege to take part in a very special event in support of one of our group members who had organised a Unique gathering of WWII Firefighters.

 

Full report to follow

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00wx...Six_29_12_2010/

 

Refgards

 

Lee

[Sabrejet]

Lookin' good Lee! I look forward to seeing the report...if it's not censored for being not strictly US?!

 

Ian

[FAAA]

There is a very American connection to the story, however fully appreciate that this may be taken down (Forgot to tell you the truth about US Only, thanks for the reminder), if so I will link you to our Website.

 

Regards to all

 

Lee

[craig_pickrall]

Lee, tie in the US connection you mention and you should be okay. Interesting photo in any case.

[O.G-Palmer]

I could be wrong but im sure i read that some NFS units were with the Twelfth (US) Army Group and the Quarter Master Corps, others were attached to the US Ordnance Corps. Ration, fuel and ammunition.

 

I could just be having a massive brain fart but is this the link?

[FAAA]

Not the link in this stories case, however you are 100% correct. A number of NFS "Overseas Contingents" were formed prior to D-Day to support US ground forces directly after the invasion. In the end only No4 Column Overseas Contingent deployed and gave exemplary service to their attached American Units. It is interesting to note although the Column initially deployed wearing standard NFS Blue Uniform and British Pattern Webbing the American host units soon insisted they adopt US HBT Coveralls as their uniforms looked from a distance like the Enemy, in a hostile environment not a good thing.

 

London Blitz story to come.

 

Regards

 

Lee

[jumpwings]

Lee

 

The links says:

"AVAILABILITY:

Sorry, this programme is not available to watch again. (why?)"

 

Is there a youtube or any other link that would still show this event? Would love to see it... :thumbsup:

 

EDIT:

Is it this event?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12089575

 

Organized by "Leading Fireman" Neil Bloxham of: http://www.wwiifire.co.uk/About%20Us.htm

 

Excellent work, look forward to seeing yer report on what some folks regard as an "unglamorous" aspect of WWII (an opinion I don't share)... :thumbsup:

[FAAA]

At last pictures are in and rteport is as follows:

 

The Second Fire Of London Anniversary

 

On Wednesday 29th December to mark the 70th anniversary of a German air attack which came close to destroying St Paul's Cathedral which resulted in the second great fire of London, a convoy of five World War II fire engines were driven through the City of London with bells sounding.

 

The night of 29 December 1940 became known as the second Great Fire of London, with about 160 known people killed.

The "firestorm" from the bombs wrecked eight churches and the Guildhall.

 

After the procession from Dowgate fire station to St Paul's dozens of wreaths were laid at the London's firemen's memorial.

One wreath was laid at the site of St Mary Aldermanbury, a church in the Square Mile which was bombed and then dismantled after the war, before being rebuilt in Fulton, in the American state of Missouri, as a memorial to victims. More than 7,000 pieces of masonry from the church were shipped to America and reassembled at Fulton, Missouri. Now the chapel of Westminster College, it is today an official memorial to Sir Winston Churchill.

 

At the same time as the veteran fire engines were turned out and drove at speed with bell ringing through the streets of the city the bells were rang at the rebuilt St Mary Aldermanbury in the United States. The bombs that fell on the evening of the 29th December 1941 narrowly missed St Paul's, and the fire-fighters were ordered by Churchill to save St Pauls.

 

Had it not been for the bravery of the WWII fire service it could've all been different - St Paul's might not have been here today”

 

On Wednesday evening, thoughts turn to the 16 crew members who were killed during the bombing “It's in honour of the firemen who gave their lives throughout the Second World War and the achievements that they did on the night of the 29th that this special memorial event took place.

 

"It could've all been different - St Paul's might not have been here today.

 

Among the wartime fire engines joining the convoy will be an Austin and Fordson Heavy Unit and a Mobile Dams Unit.

 

I was invited to attend this event by the organiser Frank Somerville a member of our group as well as one of the leading wartime firemen re-enactors and group leader of “Firemen Remembered” I had always wanted to ride the pump and had had one time had the opportunity of driving Franks Austin at Twin wood some years back, however the invitation to take part in this historic event could not be passed up and myself along with Lesley travelled in the city on the Wednesday evening to meet up with the dozens of other re-enactors and vehicle owners involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This would be the first time since the end of the war that a group of fire appliances of this age had deployed in the city of London on a “Shout” with bells ringing. It was exciting, thrilling even and emotional at the same time. The event was very well organised and had the support of the City of London with the Police providing an two bike escort allowing the convoy of Vintage fire engines to race through the city and jump the lights.

 

Although this was a commemoration of an event that took place in 1940 there was a very American connection as one of the churches destroyed in the bombings on the evening of the 29th December was St Mary Aldermanbury. The church was first built in London near the turn of the 12th century. It was destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666 and then rebuilt in 1676 by Sir Christopher Wren, the famous English architect. In the 17th century, the church was recognized as the social and religious centre for a number of England's major figures.

 

The church, slightly damaged in World War I when a zeppelin bomb struck the churchyard, was gutted in the blitz of London in 1940, when a German incendiary bomb struck the centre of the roof. For 25 years after the attack, the church sat roofless and moss-grown, slated for demolition.

 

It was in the early 1960's that the proposal was made for the creation of a memorial to Sir Winston Churchill. In 1965, the church was dismantled in London and shipped, 7,000 stones in all, to Westminster College Fulton Missouri USA.

 

As part of the organising of the event the FAAA’s American member Mike (Active Duty US Navy) helped to make contact collage and when contact was made it was arranged that at the same time as the Vintage Fire appliances deployed and rang their bells the bell at the restored St Mary Aldermanbury would also ring. To complete the American connection the Chief Fire Officer of the UK USAF airbase RAF Molsworth attended, rode on pump No1 and laid a wreath at the Fire Fighters memorial St Pauls on behalf of the Americans killed in the Blitz during WWII.

 

Although the hair raising ride through the city was exciting, its was very emotional once we arrived at St Pauls where wreaths were laid and speeches given.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Station Fire Officer RAF Molsworth, Geoff Samborne pays his respects at the St Pauls Blitz Memorial

 

The whole proceedings went off very well with refreshment laid on in a very posh hotel near to St Pauls. The ride back to the station was just as excitting as the ride out, the drivers deciding to go on a mini tour of the city taking the fire engines across Tower Bridge and past the Tower Of London.

 

 

In all a great night, one both Lesley and I were honoured to be apart of. Will I be doing a bit of NFS in the future, very likely!

 

Lee Bowden

[1944]

Great Pictures there :thumbsup: its great to see those old Vintage Fire Engines and to see that these

Brave Fire Fighters are still being Remembered for what they did in great Danger to save peoples lives.

[MAEMT86]

Definitely a excellent tribute to the men whom are less mentioned compared to regular service men of their time, but who had one of the most important jobs protecting the home front.

 

And as a firefighter is pretty cool to see the uniforms and equipment of our WW2 brothers across the pond, well done!

[stonewaller]

Thanks for sharing lee. My great grandfather was in the afs during the blitz. It's refreshing to see a well deserved tribute paid to those brave men.

[seebee1]

What a truly amazing event to be a part of Lee, superb that these unsung heroes are remembered and commemorated on the 70th Anniversary. When you see the various documentaries you understand just how close the Blitz was in not just destroying historic buildings, but the people of London, and elsewhere for that matter. Excellent account and report. Regards, Clive.

[FAAA]

Thank you all for your kind comments.

 

I have been doing a little further research on the Church mentioned above and will post up once I have the pictures prepared.

 

Although he never takes credit for anything, here is Frank who made it all happen.

 

 

 

Clive, good to hear from you. Are you poping into Stoneleigh next weekend!

 

Regards to all

 

Lee

[USMCRECON]

My mother in law was a member of the St John Ambulance Brigade in London during the blitz. Below are some of her things; yes, I know the ribbon is wrong on the St John medallion on the left of the lid but that's the way it was when she gave them to my wife and I left that as such.