225283 John Waring Auxiliary Fire Service from:Liverpool My dad told me of his memories serving in the AFS in our home city Liverpool. He was John Waring, known as Jack. He drove fire engines and one can imagine how scary it was to do this through potholed and rubble strewn streets often without street lights and shaded driving lights. He said that he and the crew christened his engine "Limping Lena"!
His greatest memories was working at the time of the "May Blitz" in Liverpool in 1941. The German air raids caused havoc amongst the Liverpool docks and the Atlantic conveys having arrived in the port. The city centre had many beautiful department stores including the famous Blacklers store, a majestic building which caught fire due to a hit.
My dad then became a member of the merged force as the NFS. At least for some time he worked out of the Dale Street, City Centre Fire Station.
I can remember when later, as a young lad, I played amongst the rubble of bombed buildings with my friends just across from the rear pedestrian entrance to the station in Old Swan.
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