LONDON'S FIRE BRIGADES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10284, 20 May 1919, Page 3

LONDON'S FIRE BRIGADES

How efficiently London, was defended from the danger of great fires during the period of the air raids—May 31st, 191 a. to May 19th, 1918—is described in a report just issued by 1.t.-Coroniander Bladen, until recently chief officer of the London Tire Brigade. ■ On the evening of May 31st, 1910, for the first time, the approach of hostUe aircraft was notified. A Zeppelin was apnroaehing London from the coast. The first definite, report In the London area was from a speciaJ constable at Kpping, who trot through to headquarters a fu.v minutes before the first call for fire wan received in one of the. northern suburbs. This was followed by many others, about 40 calls being received within, a period of ten minutes. . Tn the result, although 2o explosive anjd ■irtcendliary -bonibs were dropped, only four or five fires were greater than could be dealt with by one engine. One incendiary bomb fell on the Shoreditch Empire during the performance, but the fire in the dressing rooms was extinguished hv firemen without causing a panic. The Zeppelin followed a course over Hoxton and Shoreditcli districts well known to the cabinetmaking trade, over Spitalfields, a congested manufacturing area, and then turned sharply to the East, near the "bonded stores in Whitechapel. The track was evidently selected, after conside.rin.jr the norma] nxpertonce of fires in London, and was, in fact, over the most dangerous area for the purpose of fire-raising. Another raid of special interest was that of July 7th, 1917, when at 9.30 a.m. the firt> brigade were warned that hostile aircraft had crossed the coast and various reports were received as to their pro--sire=w. The special airraid instruction" which had been considerably elaborated were put into force, and the concentration of engines had j\i«=t been completed when the enemy squadron were seen to bo making for the city. At W. 30 a.m.bombs were dropned in largo numbers. Although no incendiary bombs wore used in this raid it was decided tn nrenare for the contingency of such bombs being employed on a largo scale. Consequently instructions were Riven on July 9th, which led to 90 fire brigades in (in area of about 730 square, miles being co-ordinated, and schemes were drawn u»> for their attendance in London during air raid action. The reservists, who were members of the London Fire Brigade, were recalled from war service, and the Uoyal »i----ginccr detachments allocated to the force were doubled. The brigades who wero to work with oao.h other were practised before the raids began again in September, 1917. and from then till the end of the war some engines "amo into London from outside on nineteen occasions. On December 6th, 1917, when .276 incendiary bonibs were dropped in the London district, motor engines from as far afield as Twickenham and Wembley were actually used for extinguishing a fire at Shoreditch; the=e and other engines having b?en previously brought closer to l-hn hazardous areas in .the centre of .London.

Lieut.-Commander STnrlen ■nays a. generous tribute to the" "splendid spirit" of his men, all of whom, he say's, roso to every demand rrnde on them.