04/02/2026
From the Crediton Chronicle, 6th February 1941
The army and the ARP had been giving instructions around Crediton on how to use fire buckets filled with sand, and stirrup pumps (hoses with a pump in a bucket of water) as issued to ARP Wardens and Fire Watchers during World War Two.
“Ladies who gave a demonstration with sand and stirrup pumps received whole-hearted applause. They made a good job of it.
“Crediton folk seem shy of giving their names, and in some districts wardens are experiencing particular difficulty. In one part, only two persons have expressed willingness to form a squad. By The time these notes appear, we hope there will have been an improvement.The need is urgent”
Times change, some things never do. Trying to get volunteers is so often an uphill task. There’s a big difference between the need to recruit volunteers to fight fires following bombing raids, and the things we need volunteers for today, but the basic story is still the same
