大象传媒

This contribution was made by Cecil Tulley, Horley.

In the summer of 1942 I was young van driver and wishing to do my bit before I was of military age I joined the Auxiliary Fire Service with a friend named Gerald. A kind lady gave up her Austin car that we used when on duty that had a pump in the back that we could fight small fires with. We lived in the small village at Headley on the top of the North Downs near Leatherhead and every Friday night a dance was held in the Village Hall. This was the highlight of the week and Canadian soldiers from Headley Court attended in strength along with the local talent from some distance around.

We would dance the evening away to the strains of Victor Sylvester records played repeatedly on a well-worn gramaphone and nothing, but nothing would prevent us turning up that night.

Earlier that particular evening we were instructed to attend the outbreak of a fire on the nearby heath, but when we arrived it looked well under control by the local full-time brigades. So we returned home to tart ourselves up ready for the dance. Half-way through the evening just as everything was going swingingly a call came into the store next door requesting us to return to the fire as it had reached close to Mickleham village.

It was no use, we just could not tear ourselves away from the dance, surely it would burn itself out as it did every summer so we ignored it and carried on dancing.

I heard later that it took two more days to do that, but I'm glad that it never reached Mickleham! Phew!

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