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This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Maggie Smith from WM CSV Action Desk on behalf of Jacqueline Wilde and has been added to the site with her permission. Jacqueline Wilde fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

Part 10
Another funny incident that occurred in Handsworth and on the Soho Road there was a Peacocks and Peacocks had a direct hit with a fire bomb and they sent several fire engines to it and because I lived opposite we made lots of tea and took it across in jugs to the firemen. Because some of these fires went on for three or four hours before they could get under control and then if they started up again they still had to remain there to damp down, to see that there was not a scrap of embers left that could catch fire again and start, they would probably be there all night long. But of course there was no one to relieve them so I had to help hold the hoses with another fireman, while the other fireman had his drink of tea because of the water and they couldn鈥檛 get out of the area very easily, half the water from the hoses would go in their cups of tea and make it cold but apart from that it was something to quench their thirst and it gave them five minutes rest before they went back again to the intense heat and holding the hoses, which was no mean feat because the pressures that come through the hose is really terrific and some of them had to be held by two men not just one. Needless to say when they had a break they came across to the house and sat down for five minutes, and had a cigarette or another cup of tea or a piece of cake or whatever we got in the house to give them, at least it was a break for them they could have a wash or go and spend a penny or whatever they needed to do and then go back to the fire again.

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