These photos are a rare view of the NFS Overseas Contingent training to take vehicles, pumps, and a Mobile Kitchen in landing craft over the channel to support the troops just following D-Day.
The photos are by George Wilden of Stowmarket. He was a man with many strings to his bow. He had a newsagency shop in the town, he was a reserve fireman and a semi-professional photographer. In 1944 he was allowed to record a Combined Operations exercise involving the National Fire Service and various military units to stage a mock attack involving incendary devices and how to deal with these types of fires. One such exercise was called ‘Operation Blazer’ and took place between Clacton and Mersea over a three day period Monday to Wednesday 18th – 20th Sept 1944.
The photos were first shared on Facebook by Steve Williams, in the group “Old Colchester and District in pictures”. Steve writes: “I am a Local Historian living in Stowmarket in Suffolk. I am also the archivist for the Stowmarket Local History Group and a few years ago we were given a couple of old 35mm Negative albums that had been taken by George Wilden of Stowmarket.” He saved two albums of these slides from George’s widow, but sadly she had already destroyed four more albums as she thought no-one would be interested in them. How wrong she was!
These photos may be shared, but please would you always acknowledge the fact that they are from the George Wilden Collection – Courtesy of the Stowmarket Local History Group (SLHG) as and when they are used either if they are printed off for a display or used digitally. Thank you.
