| One
of the biggest dangers was from firebombs, or incendiary bombs. These were small
devices and were dropped out of planes in large quantities. When they hit something they started to burn, slowly at first, but then
more strongly. So
many of these bombs were scattered around that it was impossible for the fire
service to get to them all. In fact it was the responsibility of local people,
men and women, to put the fires out before they got out of hand. These bombs
could fall in the street, in the garden, or through your roof, where they might
start a fire in the loft or an upstairs bedroom. People were supposed to have
buckets of water, buckets of sand and a thing called a stirrup pump available.
Three people were needed to operate the pump, which sprayed a jet onto the
flames. If you just poured water onto the burning chemicals, you could actually
spread the fire. So
teams of people in every road did firewatching and tackling fires. People had to
do two hour periods during the night, then wake the next person. Some people
doing firewatching were killed in the raids. In the centre of town and at
factory sites, it was soon found that with no one about after dark fires could
develop into huge blazes which could destroy rows of businesses or workshops,
and eventually every fit man over 18 and under 60 had to do firewatching.
Below are some pages from
a 1944 manual on German incendiaries (thanks to Brian Henderson and Harry
Murch).
Homeowners were
expected to tackle any incendiaries in their houses themselves, as these
cigarette cards show.
Churchman's cigarette
cards:
advice on incendiaries, website by Peter Risbey
Later, in 1942, the Germans put explosive charges in
the incendiaries to discourage people from approaching them
Fires were constantly being fought after air raids. This is a
record of just a few days for Acocks Green:
Fires tackled in
Acocks Green between 19th and
23rd November
1940
Kilmorie Road, Olton
Boulevard East, Rover Aero factory at Clay Lane (several), Hollyhock Road,
Francis Road, Hazelwood Road, Sherbourne Road (several), Alexander Road
(several), Shirley Road (several), Botteville Road, Keats Grove, Oakhurst Road,
Circular Road (several), Severne Road, Eastcote Road, Douglas Road.
Memories of fighting incendiaries
Kath Huckfield
Because of the danger from incendiary bombs, there was a rota for people in
the road to do firewatching. This meant that every other night you had to stay
up and watch for bombs landing in your part of the road. There were different
teams for each part of the road. We walked up and down with our helmets on,
carrying our gas masks, and holding our torches. We were up for the job! The
Fire Service helped us by training us. For example they told us how to open
people’s doors without breaking any glass. In fact on our road, people were
asked to leave their side gates open, so we could get round the back quickly,
and many left their doors open too. I learnt a lot: there was a co-operative,
friendly atmosphere, and everyone spoke to everyone. If a fire started, we
tackled it with the stirrup pump, and reported it to the A.R.P. wardens, who
sent for the Fire Service. We also told the householders in the shelters if
their house had been hit. The firemen came quickly, unless they were away on
other calls. If the raid was a bad one, everyone had to be out, whatever the
rota said. It was all very organised: it had to be.
Arthur Huckfield
If there was a raid it used to start about 7.30 or 8 in the evening. If you were
on duty firewatching, you wouldn’t get to bed until 2 or 3 in the morning, and
if a house in your part of the road was hit you would be up all night. You then
had to go to work the next day, whether you had had any sleep or not.
You were supposed to tackle an incendiary bomb by smothering it with a sandbag,
or a dustbin lid, or spraying water onto it with a stirrup pump.
One night I was helping to tackle a fire in Kilmorie Road. There were three of
us in the fire team. An incendiary bomb had landed on a house, and gone in
through the tiles. Then it exploded and blew the tiles off. Some of the
incendiaries had explosive charges in them. If you were leaning over them with
the dustbin lid and they exploded, you’d had it. Anyway, one of us was up on a
ladder spraying the fire in the roof, and I had the other end of the hose
attached to the stirrup pump in the bucket. The other person kept on running to
fetch water to refill the bucket. I was pumping away like mad, bending down over
the pump, when a tile came down off the roof and hit me on the back of the head.
Because I was leaning forward, my helmet was not protecting me from things
falling from above. I fell to the ground, not moving. A little later, I came
round, and the others said they thought I was dead. Anyway, I pulled myself
together, and was back on duty within half an hour.
Another type of firebomb was the oil bomb. One landed in the Avenue opposite
Roberts Road. Fortunately the oil did not ignite, so what happened was that it
went all up the front of the house instead and made a right mess.
Stan Arnold, in a letter sent to us in
2005
In early 1941 as a family we lived with an aunt at 452 Gospel Lane, my sister's
birth being registered there as of 18th July 1941. At a date which I am seeking
after 18th July 1941 and probably as late as early 1942 an incendiary bomb came
through the roof of 452 and, according to my mother's tale to myself as a
teenager, the bomb was lying across the rails of my cot at right angles to
myself. She was able to reach into the cot to retrieve me. I have no memory of
that moment in the night, but do remember seeing the hole in the roof next day
when we were picked up by my aunt's brother and taken to their holiday retreat
whilst repairs to the house were undertaken. My mother informed me that she
always had to put up the "sliding" side of the cot in order to prevent me
running around the house in the early hours, also had the bomb not have lodged
at that position I would not be writing this. The bomb apparently smouldered but
did not explode. My mother repaired the cot and it was handed down to my sister
and two other brothers.
Mr Robbins, of Hazelwood Road,
interviewed in 1977
I was in the Fire Brigade. I used to have a big tree out at the front here. I
used to have a ladder up that tree, and I used to stand at the top and see how
the fires were going on in town. I could see what was going on, you know. But
after a while they got too hot - I didn't stop out there long....They got
conscripted personnel in our brigade.....They even had to back out of the army,
because we didn't have enough men, to help out...for the time being.
Lawyers, solicitors, actuaries,
brainy people - you'd be surprised who were part-time firemen, and even
full-time, because they were conscripted. All mixed in together. They got on all
right. Some of them hadn't got any idea. Some of them hadn't got the foggiest.
But they learned, and everyone did their bit. (The war) joins you together,
without a doubt. When there's any fear and anybody...gets together you're
united against the common enemy. Very good.
Image
of a German incendiary bomb, Wikipedia
Image of a stirrup pump being used, from the Eduweb site
Firebomb Fritz poster, National Archives website |
