Under fire in the Blitz (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Under fire in the Blitz

6:00am Thursday 24th April 2008

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THE efforts of the brave men and women who volunteered to fight fires during the Blitz in World War II are often overlooked.

But a book, Under Fire, by John Leete, sets the record straight and two local people have contributed to it.

One is Win Underwood, who now lives at the BUPA care home in Market Lavington.

Her daughter, Carole Millar, works for Henry Aldridge and Son auctioneers in Devizes.

Mrs Underwood was born in Darlington, County Durham, but went to live in Kettering in Northampton-shire after her father was killed in the First World War.

While her husband Jim was away fighting in Burma with the famous Chindits, Mrs Underwood looked for a way to "do her bit".

She said: "I wanted to find out what was going on about getting a job helping the war effort.

"I certainly was not keen to join the Armed Services but I managed to get an initial interview with the Auxiliary Fire Service.

"With luck I was offered a post and became a Leading Firewoman based at Kettering fire headquarters in Market Street.

"Although Kettering itself was fortunately not too badly affected by air raids, our crews were regularly sent to help with fire cover in other areas, including London.

"Also I remember that there were always a lot of training being done and this was organised by the Home Office and also the Divisional Officer.

"We never knew then if we were taking part in secret exercises and trial runs or a real emergency.

"It was so we could all be kept on our toes."

Mark Talbot, who is now 94 and lives in Long Ridings, Chippenham, saw serious action as a member of the Auxiliary Fire Service in London during the Blitz.

An entire chapter in the book is dedicated to his exploits.

He regularly used to find himself at the top of a turntable ladder as bombs fell around him and flames leapt over his head.

He remembers: "For some time, the telephone on our turntable ladders was out of order.

"Being out of contact with the driver did make life difficult and, on more than one occasion, I had to descend the ladder to about halfway so I could shout to have the ladder moved away from the building when my position became untenable.

"On one job I was playing the water right onto the fire through the demolished roof of a tall building when I saw a parapet wall start to lean out into the street.

"I looked down and there was no one except a single officer walking along the road below me.

"I screamed at the top of my voice and he threw himself into a doorway as the wall went crashing down.

"When the dust and rubble had settled, he stepped from the doorway, over a pile of bricks, gave me a precise salute and walked on.

Neither of us knew who the other was.

"It was a lonely feeling at the top of the TL (turntable ladder).

"One could look around at the fires everywhere and you would notice a few flames flickering in a building and within minutes it would be ablaze from end to end.

"Sometimes, when I heard a bomb whistling down, I would instinctively duck even though I was 80 or 90ft above the ground.

"How daft that was."

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