Lightning Never Strikes Twice.
Twinwoods Farm Clapham Bedford.

 

Well that’s how the saying goes; I am not so sure after reading some reports. Having seen the damage caused by lightning strikes to me it is a bit scary, but thunder storms have always fascinated me. Perhaps the most vivid I remember was at sea off the coast of northern Germany a spectacular sight. Over the course of 23 years in the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service I attended many calls involving lightning strikes that caused structural damage to property, fire, and on one occasion death. The two stories below are local to Bedford.

Time: 1749 12th July 1976 Twinwoods Farm Clapham Bedford. Summer Lightning and quite a storm in the distance, we had already been called in to the fire station for lightning that had triggered local fire alarms. This call was to a lorry fire and timed at 1749, we booked mobile with Sub Officer Simpson in charge and a crew of six; it was quite a long run out with heavy traffic at that time in the evening. Our attendance was booked at 1808. It was indeed a lorry fire, it had been struck by lightning, the vehicle was in an open field it had been severely damaged. We got to work and soon had what remained of the fire out. Meanwhile other crew members attended a man laying nearby unfortunately he was dead, having taken a direct hit from the lightning A stop message was sent by Station Officer Barker at 1813 “A lorry severely damaged by fire and lightning in an open field, one male person believed to be fatal, being removed to hospital by ambulance, two jets in use.” We returned to the Fire station at 1905 cleaned our kit, the Fire Appliance and returned home at 1945.

The unfortunate man was Mr. Kenneth Stapleton age 51 years he was working with two others gathering balled straw and loading the bales onto a lorry; he was sitting on top of the lorry and receiving the bales from Mr. Ernest Kenett of Browns Wood Clapham. Mr. Paul Boston was the driver at the wheel of the lorry when the lightning struck. In evidence at the Coroners inquest Mr. Kennett stated, “It lifted me off the ground and spun me round and took the fork clean out of my hand. I was dizzy for a minuet; I came to and saw Ken laid out on top of the bales.
There was smoke coming up all around him.” Paul Boston of Bedford said he was at the wheel when the lightning struck; he climbed up on the bales Mr Stapleton was laying on his back with a small fire between his feet. Dr. Max Lucas was the Coroner, and Dr. John Valentine who carried out the post mortem gave evidence. A verdict of death by misadventure was recorded.
Note: Cloud-to-ground lightning is a great lightning discharge between a cumulonimbus cloud and the ground initiated by the downward-moving leader stroke. This is the second most common type of lightning, and poses the greatest threat to life and property of all known types.

Kempston Bedford
Monday afternoon, 16th May 1983.

The Three Horseshoes, Kempston. A vivid blue flash, we all witnessed it from the fire station, the crash of thunder came almost immediately after as did the station alarm. It was a quick turnout and we were soon at the scene, there was a big hole in the roof and a lot of missing slates but fortunately no fire. The occupants were in shock when we arrived and understandably so. After an initial inspection I was ordered with another fireman onto the roof to remove loose and damaged tiles. Then using a heavy duty salvage sheet cover off the gaping hole and tie the sheet in place, on completion we went back inside to help clear up the damage in the bar and living quarters. Bricks dust and soot lying around the fireplace and a large open crack in the chimney breast, it was a mess.
Mr. And Mrs. Jessop the landlord and landlady had not been injured. Mr. Jessop took me upstairs to the living quarters, to the room he was changing in at the time of the strike. The wallpaper was a type of metallic pattern it was scorched and burn marked all over wall. All the electrical wiring had been blown out and the water had been cut off. We helped as much as possible and returned to station, cleaned our kit and went off duty.

The Almonds
Monday 3rd July 2000
“The Grim Reaper waited in vain”

The Grim Reaper? Well that’s what one local newspaper had as part of its headline. My guess is that he the reaper either missed or did not try hard enough, even more likely he aimed at the wrong people. Rodger Burridge was pottering about in his garage at Number16 the Almonds, Karen Rowling was at Number11.
At No.9 I sat watching the television, Josie my wife was busy ironing some smalls. Ali Rundall at Number 7 was asleep on the settee The Chief Fire Officer Mike Freeman was at the Fire Station opposite perhaps musing out of his office window.
Jagvir Bains went downstairs to answer the phone at No.13; and that’s when it struck! Number 13 took a direct hit Josie looked at the iron saying, “That was a strange noise,” my reply, “That was close,” I went to the back door looked out, nothing, then to the front door. There was the Chief Fire Officer and his assistant Clive Walsh with a small crowd gathering. It soon it became obvious this was a serious lightning strike and roof fire. The Fire Brigade were soon in attendance and breathing apparatus put to use. The first floor and roof were both severely damaged.

This was not the end of the story; the lightning ran its random course through Rogers garage and through him causing burns to both hands which were an entry and exit point. It is most probable that his rubber soled shoes saved him from more severe burns or death. I spoke to Roger as he was getting into the ambulance, as usual Roger was smiling in adversity his hands were blistered and red. Ali Rundall my next door neighbour was attending him and doing a good job. Several people locally had problems with computers, telephones and other electrical equipment after this strike, not surprising really.

Lightning over Bedford Photograph: Mr. Paul Fox 

Arson

Arsonists have always been a problem to the Fire Service and one in particular was the man who set fire to Bedford School, on the next page I will write a few notes about him.

There was another, I will call him Nick and he dreamt of being a Fireman and he had a fascination with fires. He set fire to the English Language and Resources Centre at the Silver Jubilee School in Bedford. The damage was estimated at £75,000 a considerable sum in the early 1980s. Nick wanted to be a Fireman but that was not possible so he created his own fires and at the Crown Court he asked for similar offences to be taken into consideration. Previously had set fire to his parents and his grandmothers house had only been released from borstal a few months earlier. Nick who was said to be an epileptic was sent to prison for three years.

Billy Juffs and Horsey Story

“Water tender ladder to a road traffic accident A421 towards Marston Mortaine,” was the message. We were not sure exactly what we were going to, this was often the case where road accidents were concerned. We were only a few minutes getting to the area and this was an unusual situation. A young lady was on the side of the road in tears and the horsebox she was towing had become disconnected. It was on its side at the bottom of a bank. The young lady was naturally distressed and so was the horse. My Sub Officer ordered me to stop oncoming traffic and place road cones out. Whilst this was in progress, a man lent out of a land rover. “What’s up Mick?” I could not believe my eyes it was the local horse man Billy Juffs. “Billy you are just the man we need right now, park over there and come with me.” Billy was a slight man who always seemed to ware flat cap, hacking jacket and riding britches. He had slightly bandy legs, and he knew all about horses.

A veterinary surgeon had been requested and the police were in attendance. Billy and his helper made their way down to the horsebox, the animal was in a state of shock occasionally kicking and whining, the young lady was being comforted by a policeman. At this time we did not know the state of the horse or it’s injuries.

Although I was up on the road I could hear Billy talking quietly to the horse, and the rear of the horsebox was now open. Slowly Billy managed to get the pony the right way up and giving every encouragement carefully brought him up the bank, there appeared to be a few small flesh wounds and blood on the legs of the horse.

“Now my dear just walk this horse slowly up the road for me, and back again.” We all watched with great interest as Billy made his assessment. “Now my dear, I want you go just go a bit faster this time,” “Well my dear, the horse look’s fine to me, it is going to be all right.” We were all relived and very grateful to Billy.
As far as I can remember the Veterinary Surgeon agreed with Billy’s assessment.
By now the recovery vehicle had arrived to retrieve the horsebox. All we had to do was clear the road cones and tidy up. For all of us this was a very interesting experience although we had only played a very small part in the operation.

It was some years earlier I first met Billy Juffs; it was early on in my fire service career and very soon after Kempston Fire Station had opened. One cold frosty morning we had a call to Cranfield Road Wootton, “A horse in distress, in a pond.” When we arrived we could see the horse and Billy, there was more mud in the pond than water and the horse was well stuck, it appeared that the horse had all but given up. Station Officer Derek Grey had been ordered on to this incident as well as the rescue unit and L 4 P*, we arrived simultaneously. It was a short walk across the field we took items that we may require, lines, hose, and airbags.
The L 4 P entered the field through a gateway at another point and drove as near as possible to the incident.
.
Station Officer Grey decided he would enter the mud pond with another fireman, get a line around the horse and with a bit of encouragement and gentle pulling perhaps the horse would help himself out, this was not to be, the more they moved the deeper they went. As far as I remember we had safety line’s around not only the horse but those that entered this bog. The Airbags we had although very good were not suitable on this occasion as the animal was in too deep.

It was decided to pass some large hose under the horse, one just behind its front legs and another just in front of its hind legs. This meant reaching down into the mud and passing the hose under the horse to another member of the crew reaching down from the other side and pulling the hose through.
By now everybody was filthy and we stunk, we all pulled gently, and then another pull with a bit more weight on the hose this time. The horse moved we held our positions; and then another pull, it was working slowly, but for sure, we were making headway. Upward and forward as gently as possible, the Station Officer was now at the head of the horse, suddenly the animal found a firm footing and struggled then after hesitation walked out exhausted.

Smiles all round, Station Officer Grey (nickname Dolly) was left standing in the bog, he was striped to the waist and covered in mud, and we helped him to the edge and decided to help him clean up before he returned to station in his car. We had a charged jet laid out and washed him down, with a big cheer from all the attendant firemen. It was still a frosty morning and the water was freezing.
Dolly smiled and said, “Thanks lads.” Billy led the horse back to the stable and as far as I know the horse was all right, that’s how I first met Billy Juffs, a fine and respected horseman.

Years later his partner told me “Billy was not a horse whisperer,” but one thing I am absolutely sure about; he knew how to talk to them

*L.4.P. Light 4 Wheeled Pump, In this case a land Rover.