HEROIC WORK

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 27, 26 October 1940, Page 11

HEROIC WORK

British Railwaymen In Air Attacks FIRES EXTINGUISHED Ammunition Moved From Danger Zones t (British Oflicial Wireless.) (Received October 25, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, October 24. The gallantry and initiative of railwaymen of all ranks during the recent heavy German air attacks on Britain have won warm public recognition. Instances include a case where hundreds of incendiary bombs fell on a railway siding, setting wagons on fire in all directions. The staffs, with' total disregard of personal safety, put out the tires and moved the wagons out of the danger area.

A checker and his gang, in another case, unloaded and saved ammunition fuses from a burning wagon. Another train loaded with ammunition and petrol was promptly moved away from a blazing building by a yard inspector. In another yard a wagon containing high explosives was set on lire, and a shunter tackled the outbreak. With other men he removed the sheet and the topmost layer 6f bombs, which by that time were hot. Horses Evacuated.

After an attack at a large goods centre a foreman, helped by members of the staff, successfully evacuated a stud of more than 50 horses, and assisted in putting out the fires which had broken out.

An engine-driver and. fireman, who were sheltering under the wheels of the tender of their engine when it was struck by a bomb, climbed back on to the footplate and flooded the boiler to reduce steam pressure, and then extinguished the fire, thus preventing an explosion of the boiler. During the whole time further bombs were dropping. The promptitude of repair gangs’ work reduced to a minimum the dislocation caused when bombs destroyed 100 yards of track. The bombs were dealt with by a staff of GO plate-layers and meanwhile materials were rushed up to the site, despite the air raids. 3Vitbin 45 minutes the up-line was repaired and reopened and less than three hours later tbe down line was restored by men who had been on duty 17 hours. Waterfront Rescue. When a bomb fell in the hold ot a ship two dock checkers, with the help of a crane driver, lowered stretchers through the fumes into the hold, with the result that all the casualties were removed within 20 minutes. Another example of devotion to duty is recorded in the case of a clerk at a suburban station who was thrown across the booking hall when three bombs dropped beside the station at 5.50 p.m. Though bruised and suffering from shock, he remained on duty till after midnight helping to clear up tickets and books. He was again on duty at 9 a.m. the following day.