The creation of the National Fire Service 1941–1948

More recruitment and improved training was a major aim of the NFS, along with standardised equipment, one chain of command, uniforms, rank markings and conditions of service. Here a recruit is getting to grips with basic hose running.

Former UK Chief Fire Officer and Editor of Gulf Fire magazine, fire historian and author Neil Wallington provides a snapshot of the times to mark the birth of the NFS some 80 years ago this month.

On 8 August 1941, The National Fire Service (NFS) came into being as the single fire service created by the British national government to provide firefighting and public protection during the continuing Second World War.

The NFS was formed by merging the existing wartime Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) with all 1,638 local authority fire brigades. The new body of some 60,000 men and women operated until 1948, when under the Fire Services Act 1947, fire brigades reverted to local authority control although with far fewer brigades on a city, county or county borough council basis.

The NFS was organised around 40 Fire Forces, London Fire Brigade forming several of these. Fire Forces were subdivided into Divisions, with each having two Columns and each Column consisting of five Companies.

This photographic snapshot of the NFS is necessarily London-centric, mainly due to London Fire Brigade (LFB) having considerable wartime uniformed photographic resources, plus access to those of Fleet Street and the national papers. All photographs courtesy of London Fire Brigade and the Daily Mirror.

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Seeing it through

Thank you firefighters, harnessing your hoses,

Busy at your pumps or patiently at play,

Once upon a time we used to throw you roses,

You don’t see quite such a cloud of them today.

Some of us remember the Blitz and the burning,

The black-faced force in the red and the blue,

St. Paul’s in peril and the Hun returning

The tanks all dry and the night half through.

When they sound the sirens, some of us are sleeping,

Some of us turn over, some of us complain,

But you are on the job still, we are in your keeping

And one fine night we’ll be glad of you again.

A.P. Herbert (1944)

This view of a major recruitment drive outside St Paul’s Cathedral in early 1941 was with a nationalised fire service in mind.

In London during AFS days, there was a severe shortage of vans to pull trailer pumps and the LFB hired 1,000 taxis in late 1939 for this task. The compact Austins were able to take a crew of five/six, hose in the inside luggage compartment and a roof ladder. The trailer pump looks well loaded with extra kit, and the London taxis lasted operationally into the NFS years until replaced by the ATV (see below). class= — In London during AFS days, there was a severe shortage of vans to pull trailer pumps and the LFB hired 1,000 taxis in late 1939 for this task. The compact Austins were able to take a crew of five/six, hose in the inside luggage compartment and a roof ladder. The trailer pump looks well loaded with extra kit, and the London taxis lasted operationally into the NFS years until replaced by the ATV (see below).

This view is of a preserved Austin Auxiliary Towing Vehicle (ATV) issued to NFS crews in large numbers. Able to tow a trailer pump and carry the hose, ladder and crew of five/six, these robust vehicles were the basis of NFS firefighting units in many parts of the class= — This view is of a preserved Austin Auxiliary Towing Vehicle (ATV) issued to NFS crews in large numbers. Able to tow a trailer pump and carry the hose, ladder and crew of five/six, these robust vehicles were the basis of NFS firefighting units in many parts of the country.

This central London crew have been bombed out of Soho Fire Station and are manhandling their 50ft pump escape with a turntable ladder and ATV waiting behind. class= — This central London crew have been bombed out of Soho Fire Station and are manhandling their 50ft pump escape with a turntable ladder and ATV waiting behind.

A powerful jet at work with, for once, a decent supply of firefighting water. Note the facial expressions of the crew and the blown-out windows of the nearby building – what price a hand-controlled branch?

This morning-after Blitz scene in the City of London Barbican financial area shows some of the burnt-out ten pumps that had to be rapidly abandoned by their crews when fast-spreading fire came at them from both ends of the street whilst suffering a water shortage. Slightly scorched they all escaped down into the Metro class= — This morning-after Blitz scene in the City of London Barbican financial area shows some of the burnt-out ten pumps that had to be rapidly abandoned by their crews when fast-spreading fire came at them from both ends of the street whilst suffering a water shortage. Slightly scorched they all escaped down into the Metro below.

This Blitz scene in Central London shows a typical night-time battle to save historic churches and other heritage buildings from incendiary and high-explosive bombing still falling. With street hydrants often out of action, relayed water from fireboats on the Thames is arriving into the dam, and a heavy pump and trailer pumps are well set in to provide firefighting jets. Photograph taken from the light of the fire alone (on the right). class= — This Blitz scene in Central London shows a typical night-time battle to save historic churches and other heritage buildings from incendiary and high-explosive bombing still falling. With street hydrants often out of action, relayed water from fireboats on the Thames is arriving into the dam, and a heavy pump and trailer pumps are well set in to provide firefighting jets. Photograph taken from the light of the fire alone (on the right).

This military parade in London in June 1942 was a national event to mark United Nations weekend and the NFS contingent was drawn from all regions of the UK. The well-syncronised marching firefighters are emerging from Admiralty Arch into The Mall and towards Buckingham class= — This military parade in London in June 1942 was a national event to mark United Nations weekend and the NFS contingent was drawn from all regions of the UK. The well-syncronised marching firefighters are emerging from Admiralty Arch into The Mall and towards Buckingham Palace.

After the air raids on many historic cities and towns during 1942 when the re-enforcing NFS convoy systems worked more efficiently, came the first of Hitler’s ‘terror’ weapons. This was the V-1, the first of which were targeted on London on 13 June 1944. In that June alone, 638 V-1s fell. The V-1 was a 350mph flying bomb carrying 1,000kg of high explosive. In flight it gave out a rumbling noise, but when this stopped, the V-1 simply fell to earth with enough explosive power to demolish part of a street or a major class= — After the air raids on many historic cities and towns during 1942 when the re-enforcing NFS convoy systems worked more efficiently, came the first of Hitler’s ‘terror’ weapons. This was the V-1, the first of which were targeted on London on 13 June 1944. In that June alone, 638 V-1s fell. The V-1 was a 350mph flying bomb carrying 1,000kg of high explosive. In flight it gave out a rumbling noise, but when this stopped, the V-1 simply fell to earth with enough explosive power to demolish part of a street or a major building.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were frequent visitors to the uniformed services during the air raids. Here at London Fire Brigade HQ, the King meets some fire service despatch riders informally formed during the 1940–41 raids, but which became a more organised NFS force, including some women. Their value for message carrying when infant radio systems had failed due to bombing was invaluable. All riders were volunteers from the ranks and used their own motorcycles well into the NFS class= — King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were frequent visitors to the uniformed services during the air raids. Here at London Fire Brigade HQ, the King meets some fire service despatch riders informally formed during the 1940–41 raids, but which became a more organised NFS force, including some women. Their value for message carrying when infant radio systems had failed due to bombing was invaluable. All riders were volunteers from the ranks and used their own motorcycles well into the NFS period.

If the V-1 attacks were not enough, in September 1944, the first V-2 ballistic rockets fell on the Greater London area. These had a far more destructive effect carrying one ton of TNT, and they gave no warning of approach, simply falling out of the sky. Their destructive force wiped out whole streets at a time with a peak of 116 falling in February 1945, before their launching sites in France were overrun by advancing allied forces. Some idea of the destruction caused to entire streets by V-2 rockets can be seen in the background of this image.

This painting shows an NFS firewoman driver. Initially recruited for admin and work in control centres, during the height of air raid attacks, firewomen drove flatbed petrol carriers out to refuel pumps operating in the streets, and manned mobile canteen units.

Neil Wallington

Neil Wallington is a former British Chief Fire Officer, a Past International President of the Institution of Fire Engineers, and a holder of the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct. He is the author of 17 books on the work of the fire service, and acts as a consultant with extensive experience in the Gulf on a range of projects.