Fighting blazes during the war (From Dorset Echo)

Fighting blazes during the war

9:28am Tuesday 23rd June 2009

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MEMORIES of Weymouth’s wartime firefighters have been rekindled by Betty Baser.

She has sent in two photographs of some of the women who worked in the fire service during the conflict.

They all look very smart in their uniforms and on one picture, four of them are standing with their mobilisation officer, Reg Lester.

In the larger group picture, many of the women stationed in Weymouth came to the town from far afield, including the north of England and London.

Betty, who worked in the office of the fire service, said: “I think the pictures were taken in 1944. We had been mobilised because the word was that Weymouth would see a bit of trouble and they needed the fire service.

“We were divided into three watches – Red, White and Blue – and we worked two days on, two days off.

“It was just my luck that the one time we were called out to help, I was off sick!”

Betty, whose maiden name was Carter, added: “It was the war and everyone had something to do to help. It was our job to be in the fire service, and so we got on and did it.”

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