One Man's War as a Fireman in Kent

William Henry John Pryor, was born in Birmingham in 1911. He moved to Ramsgate when he was two, and went on to attend Chatham House School, along with his best friend Billy Hay, son of the 1930’s film star Will Hay who lived at N0.4 Guildford Lawn.

William Pryor (Bill) now living at N0.6 Guildford Lawn, with his mother. On leaving school became an Electrician and part time fireman in the A.F.S. (auxiliary fire service). On the outbreak of war in September 1939, he received his call up papers to go to Devonport dockyard as an Electrician for the Royal Navy. But at the last moment the fire service stepped in and he was called up as a full time fireman.

Being based at the main station in Effingham Street, 1940
Started quietly, with endless drills, tours of local out laying stations. and helping the ration by shooting rabbits, When he should have been working. But all that was to change. On the 24th of July my bill and the crew were on the rounds of stations and happened to be driving down Northdown road in Margate when they noticed a fighter in trouble.

Bill said, first he turned one way then the other but all of a sudden the Spitfire dropped out of the sky.

Not far ahead appeared a column of black smoke.
They raced to the scene but there was nothing they could do. After dealing with the fire they inspected the remains. Of the pilot there was nothing but one single boot.

Bill picked up a piece of burnt parachute to keep as a memento. (See frame by window) it was a spitfire of 54 squadron, and was damaged in combat over Margate with a Bf 109. With the Spitfire’s engine disabled its pilot. Pilot officer J.L.Allen D.F.C. attempted to reach Manston but the aircraft stalled and crashed. He now lies buried in Margate Cemetery. One of the few.
A few weeks later Bill was returning from a call to Manston. Driving along the London Road in his car, he herd a lot of gun fire and saw a fighter in his mirror, he just managed to come to a holt at the curb side and roll out with his tin hat on as the fighter tried to machine gun the car. The gunfire hitting the road each side of the vehicle.

The 24th of august dawned bright and clear, like any other of that summer but it was to be a day that the people of Ramsgate would never forget. A German formation of ju88s and a top cover of Bf109s, came in, in the early afternoon to attack R.A.F.Manston as they had done lots of times before. But as the formation passed over Ramsgate harbour a number of ships opened fire at the aircraft. One shooting the wing leader down, now Manston was not the target but the town of Ramsgate was. Destroying large numbers of homes, and shops, one of the worst cases was that of Vyes in Queen Street, killing shop staff and passers by.

Bill spent most of the day and night at the gas works, spraying the gas holders, to keep them cool as the German fighters tried to machine gun the fireman as they worked. The 24th was to become known as black Saturday. And Ramsgate the most heavily bombed seaside town.

Life for bill carried on with its periods of routine and moments of excitement. In 1941 the A.F.S. became the National fire service.
The next major event came in June 1942. With the blitz of Canterbury. Bill and his crew were called to Canterbury late one night. Driving an ex private car towing a pump. they made there way to city. Then they got there the whole city seemed to be on fire. But they set to, to do what they could. But by the dawn the worst was over. They watched the sun try to rise through the smoke surrounding the cathedral.

Bill did not see the war out in thanet, but Chatham. Once making a call to Shorts flying boat base. And on another occasion being sent to a barn fire, and all taking turns to ring the bell, and getting lost, and arriving at the farm after the barn had burnt it self out.

He returned to Ramsgate in time to celebrate VE day. After the war he stayed with the N.F.S., A.F.S. part time until it was disbanded in the 1960s.

In memory of all the Civil Defence who helped defend their country.

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