AIR RAIDS AND FIRES.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 May 1919, Page 7

AIR RAIDS AND FIRES.

PRECAUTIONS IN LONDON.

j AN ELABORATE ORGANISATION. Interesting sidelights are now thrown upon the official action taken to counteract German air-raid plans to tire London during the war. LieutenantCommander S. Sladen, R..N,, the then chief officer of the London Fire Brigade (now retired on a pension), in reviewing the work of the bodies under his command during the period of the raids —May 31, 1915, to Whit-Sunday, May 19, 1918, says: — “Before the war it was the practice to issue with the annual report of fire brigades in large cities a map showing the position of all fires during the year, serious outbreaks being in some cases specially marked. A reference to the London Fire Brigade maps showed, year after year, well-marked fire areas in certain warehouses and manufacturing districts, and a relative im-

munity in purely residential districts. “The reports .and maps wer e exchanged with -largo towns in Europe, including Berlin and Hamburg, so that when I received warning in May, 1915, that the Germans were planning air raids on London with incendiary bombs. I naturally turn to the maps, and decided to reinforce by motor-pumping engines from other districts the fire stations in the areas whore the fires under normal conditions were most frequent and serious. ”

Scarcely had the arrangements been completed when they were put to the lost. On the evening of May 31, 1915, the approach of hostile ai re ns ft was notified, and the special regulations were put into force. Lieutenant-Commander Sluder gives details of this and other raids, showing t'Jfit the 'arrangements were completely successful.

j “When the positions in wh'.ci the j bombs bad fallen in the first raid were plotted on the may,” the report continues, “it was found that the track of the Zeppelin was evidently selected, j after considering the normal experience J of fires in London, and was, in fact, i over the most dangerous area for the purpose of fire-raising.” During the raid on July 7, 1917, three and a-quartor tons of bombs were dropped on London, and although no incendiary bombs wore used, Lieu-tenant-Commander Sladcn regarded it as essential to prepare for the contingency of such bombs being employed on a much larger scale, and on mak-

ing representations in the proper quarter instructions were given on July 9 which- led to ninety fire brigades in an area of about 750 square miles being co-ordinated, and schemes drawn np for their attendance in London during - air raids, acting under his direction with the- London Fire Brgade.