0900 Wednesday1st September 1971
Fire Service Training School

I really felt as pleased as punch as I walked towards Barkers Lane fire station Bedford; this was a date that has set in my memory. It was a beautiful late summer morning and I was in my best uniform. My instructions were to report to the Officer in charge, I was fortunate I knew the station and the men well. I was now a professional fireman. One thing remained to be completed, that was three months at the Fire Service Training School in Leicester.

The three months went quickly and at the age of 30 I was the oldest on the course, however I managed to keep up with the younger generation on the practical drills, but I was not so good in the classroom. The examinations consisted of written work and practical drills, the drills consisted of ladder drills, (including hook ladders,*) hose drills, pump drills, and combination drills, which included practicality everything on the appliance; we also had several exercises off station. I finished at 20th out of a total of 31 who completed the course*; I was well pleased with that. A week before the end of the course I received my joining instructions; my posting was Dunstable Fire station. I was to report to the Officer in charge Blue Watch, Sub O. Stan Villeneuve on the 20th December 1971. On parade he introduced me to the other members of the watch. Christmas came and went, and I settled into the station routine.
* Two did not complete the course.

Summer 1972

School Holidays were well under way; it was a warm Saturday afternoon with occasional clouds. The Station alarm sounded, we were directed to an “Emergency Special Service, Missing Children.” The address was a playing field situated in the Lucy Farm Estate. The crew were, Sub Officer. Stan Villeneuve O.I.C., L.F. Fred Reynolds, Fm. Stan Pedder (Driver,) Fm. Alan Witham, and myself.

On arrival there were a few concerned adults and children standing besides a drain with a metal grill across the opening, this grill had clearly been bent. The onlookers informed us three children and entered this drain; they had not been seen for some time. Fm. Alan Witham and I were ordered to investigate; we took guide lines and torches. It soon became obvious this could turn into a very dangerous situation, it was a storm drain we were entering and we have no plans of the layout and no idea of how far the children had gone.

The storm drain was small and we were on our hands and knees. The guide lines we had run out were soon exhausted, we carried on, and we had no radio contact. The drain divided, noise in a very small tunnel is amplified. We called back down the line for silence. Eventually everything fell quiet, and we could hear children’s voices down the left division. We set of, we were getting closer. By now the drain was so small we could not turn around. Soon we came across a shaft leading up with an iron stairway at the top, there was a manhole cover. It was far too heavy to lift; I later learnt it had been tarmacked over. At this time other crews were busy lifting covers in the area; this is standard practice which we were taught at training school.

There was about two inches of water in the drain and small pieces of glass and other material which dug into my knees. Suddenly we came across the children their candles and matches had run out, they were cold, wet, and frightened. We could not turn around to lead them back to safety.

All three children seemed all right so we decided to move forward until we came to another shaft, there should just be enough room to turn around one at a time and retreat to safety. It worked; and we set off I was leading and behind me the three children, with Fm. Alan Witham at the rear.
After checking that we were all well and fit our Sub Officer had a stern but friendly word with the children as did the police. Whilst returning to the station I learnt that although plans had been requested urgently about of the layout of the drainage system, nothing was forthcoming. Of course, I had forgotten it was a Saturday. Leading Fireman Fred Reynolds congratulated Fm. Alan Witham and me on a job well done.

As mentioned earlier this rescue could have developed into a dangerous situation, a rain fall could have quite possibly drowned us and the children. It was a fortunate that we heard the children talking which gave us some direction as to their whereabouts.