The Rushden Echo and Argus, 1st August, 1941, transcribed by Gill Hollis
Rushden A.R.P. Service Praised — Regional Experts See Mock Raid
Cinema Disaster
Blitz Experience Teaches New Lessons
Regional and county experts watched a mock air-raid at Rushden on Sunday morning and spoke in high praise of the town’s A.R.P. services.
It was a large-scale exercise, not so dramatic in its programme as the previous one in November 1939, but sufficient to test all branches of the defence services and to give the first-aid post all the work it could manage.
The practice was self-contained, no call being made on outside help.
The raid was supposed to occur at night, about 50 minutes after the sounding of an “Alert.” Before the “bombing” hundreds of workers were waiting at the Portland-road depot, the report centre, the fire station and fire outposts, the first-aid post in Moor-road, and the widely-scattered wardens’ posts. Many more – chiefly spare wardens and Boy Scouts – were located as casualties at certain points.
The casualties were labelled with details of their injuries, and the wardens worked to sealed orders which were not to be opened until the time appointed for the bombing.
High-Street Upsets
Incidents were staged involving about 75 casualties, several fatal. There was a serious one at the Ritz cinema, a bomb falling on the stage end during a performance. Another bomb near the entrance had cut College-street with a large crater, putting electricity and water supply out of commission. Inside the cinema men were working with torches to find and rescue the injured. Fire broke out after a few minutes, and the building was soon in danger of collapse. Altogether, an ugly episode.
An off-shoot of this trouble was conceived in the form of High-street fires extending as far as the Palace. Near the Waverley Hotel the street was credited with the receipt of a delayed-action bomb, which held its breath for 20 minutes, and to make traffic control as awkward as possible Duck-street was given a bomb which never did go off.
At the northern end of High-street Mr. Robert Marriott’s woodyard was transformed into a shambles of ruined cottage property. It harboured 39 casualties, whose discovery and treatment really did present difficulties among the big, rough heaps of building paraphernalia.
Far away at Messrs. Eaton and Co.’s boot factory a fire spread along Sartoris-road, driving out 15 families.
Vivid Detail
Most of the men and women engaged had experienced the cold realities of raiding, and the cheerfulness with which they went to work could not be mistaken for levity. They worked strictly to the report system and put in a lot of detail which could only have arisen from knowledge of actual conditions. They had settled into a firm but not inelastic routine, and proper contacts were made without confusion. Ambulances, fire engines, rescue vehicles, casualty cars and trailers were busily employed. At one time every fire pump in the town was theoretically in action.
There was to be an “inquest” later to see if anything had gone wrong. An “Echo and Argus” reporter noticed the need for better emergency lights, the high-heeled shoes worn by girl ambulance attendants, and the difficulty of distinguishing quickly the various branches of personnel (many of whom turned out in brand new uniform).
The first-aid post was shuttered down to meet night conditions, and, with day-time heat prevailing, it could hardly be expected to offer a healthy atmosphere. Even so, the ventilation fell under suspicion. By some marvel of calm and systematic working the casualties were dealt with according to schedule and with considerable care, but the post is evidently in need of another wing to give the splendid staff really good conditions.
Our reporter acknowledges with thanks the thoughtful action of a warden who advised him to leave the Ritz because “the walls may soon collapse and we don’t want any more casualties.”
Not Laughing Now
Those engaged in the exercise met afterwards in the yard at Moor-road and heard some encouraging speeches.
Introduced by Councillor W. E. Capon, chairman of the Council Emergency Committee, who had been on the scene in his role of Welfare Officer, Brig.-General Hunter, D.S.O., County A.R.P. Officer, said a large number of people knew nothing about raid conditions, but when they saw an exercise carried out by a wonderful organisation they would be heartened and inspired.
For some time the A.R.P. service was a Cinderella, and until a short time ago people laughed when they saw wardens put on their respirators. He had told them that when Hitler used gas they would be on their knees begging for help.
Now, however, they had got beyond the stage when they were to be laughed at, and in Rushden they had proved themselves. Morale was everything, and it went up when people realised that the A.R.P. services were doing their best for them.
“It is an excellent turn-out,” he concluded. “It is a good show, and I am sure that if the Controller had been here to-day he would have been very pleased.”
Dr. C. M. Smith, County M.O.H., said that as far as casualty services were concerned, Rushden was a place that did not worry him at all. He had known, since A.R.P. first came out, that there was an organisation that could do its job. Unfortunately they had been tested; they had come very well out of the test.
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Two scenes from the Sunday-morning A.R.P. exercise in which the work of Rushden’s civil defenders pleased the county and regional officials.
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First-aid men, watched by Councillors Cox and Capon,
treat a “casualty” removed from the Ritz cinema.
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Dr C M Smith, County M.O.H., checks-up on the handling
of a “patient” at Marriott’s woodyard.
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Left:
Right:
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Blankets First
One of the lessons learned from the experiences of large towns and cities was that the first-aid parties were apt to spend too much time on bandaging and other work on the scene of the incident. The new slogan was “Blankets, before bandages, and don’t mind so much about the local injuries.”
Major Dr. R. V. Powell, from the Hospital Officer’s Department of the Regional Office at Nottingham, agreed with Dr. Smith on this point, and said that during the exercise he had been struck by the fact that this was the first thing considered. Nine died from shock and one from injuries in such cases as they had had, and it was no good doing highly-technical work if they had not got the blanket.
Speaking of congestion at first-aid posts, Major Powell said he was pleased to see that the system at Rushden was highly developed – probably the result of their previous experience, but also of their training.
Dr. A. V. Poyser, from the same department, praised the turnout, the enthusiasm and the efficiency.
Capt. J. Marshall Bailey, M.C., M.B.E., Rushden A.R.P. Officer, thanked the visitors and helpers, especially mentioning the staff of the mobile A.R.P. canteen, from which refreshments had been served.
In addition to those who spoke, the official party included Brig.-General Gage (County Liaison Officer) and Dr. D. McCracken (Deputy County M.O.H.).
The outside adjudicators for the exercise were Mr. G. Whittam, of Raunds (rescue party work), Divisional Superintendent E. Hales, Higham Ferrers (first aid), and Mr. M. Wilson, Wellingborough (fire brigade work).
Capt. Bailey directed the operations; Commandant Miss W. M. Clipson, S.S. St. John, and Drs. Greenfield, Davies and Lean were at the first aid post; Mr. M. F. Boyd was in charge of the wardens; Chief Officer A. P. Timpson the Fire Brigade and A.F.S.; and Mr. Harrison the rescue squads.
Sergeant Thompson was in charge of the regular Police, and Special Inspector Chamberlain of the Special Police.
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