Fires Were Started Page #2

now and again, you know. Yeah.

( Orchestral strings gradually swell...)

( Sudden, dramatic pulse)

Ain't she a smasher, cock, eh?

We'll make it, yes, Bill?

All right, Sid.

Well, I think by, going on to 7:00 tonight,

8:
00 in the morning,

it'll be away all right.

Take a look over here, Bill.

There's a sunk barge down there.

Holds about 10,000 gallons.

- Does it? As much as that!

- Yeah.

Pretty useful in a pinch, you know.

(Buzz of conversation)

Fire Brigade.

(Woman) Chief officer?

One moment, please...

Could I have your signature on those,

please, sir?

(Phone rings)

Hello, OC speaking.

All right.

That was Home Office Fire Control.

They'll be raiding tonight.

All right, give us that finishing rod.

Elsie! Cuppa tea, please.

You hold more tea

than a hosepipe holds water.

When you've done that,

what about a match?

Right-ho, Colonel, after this shot.

- All right.

- Wicked.

Well, Bill, this is the rec.

(Man) Bar's open, gents, please.

Got any fags, Elsie?

- What'll you have to drink?

- A wallop, please, Joe.

Two wallops, mate.

Now this is a very delicate problem.

Make yer mind up then.

It calls for the scientific approach.

(Johnny) You having a drink, Bill?

- Here.

- Ta.

- What'll you have?

- I'd like a bitter, I think.

(Johnny) Bitter?

Don't have any bitter.

We'll have some mild.

Give us a quick one, Jock.

- Settled down?

- Yes, thanks very much.

You'll be all right.

Who's buying the beer?

Tap me for it.

Give us a couple on the slate, Jock,

they're all skint down here.

- Shall we have a listen to this?

- Yes, all right.

Well, cheers, boys.

(All) Cheers.

( Jolly accordion music continues...)

( Music fades)

OK, Control...

36 OP...

...wind from northwest...

to southeast...

...blowing strongly...

...across the river.

All right, thank you.

Elsie, let's have some supper, please.

You'll get some supper.

Clear away them tea things first.

( Comic tune)

- Do you play one of these, Bill?

- A little bit.

Well what about tickling up

the old ivories, then?

All right.

( Polka)

What is it, classic or jazz?

( Rhythmic music continues)

Purple up.

(Music stops)

- Right-o lads, get yer gear on.

- Aye, aye, Sub.

(Silence...)

- What's it like out, Jacko?

- Smashing moon.

Ah. That'll be us, then.

Yeah, I know.

Are them hurricane lamps

in working order?

Quite OK.

You'll have to hold the fort

yourself tonight, you know.

One man went to mow

He went to mow a meadow

One man and his dog

Went to mow a meadow

It's the Colonel.

Two men went to mow

They went to mow a meadow

Two men, one man and his dog

Went to mow a meadow

Walters is coming in now.

Three men went to mow

They went to mow a meadow

Three men, two men,

one man and his dog

Went to mow a meadow

Here's Jacko.

Four men went to mow

They went to mow a meadow

Four men, three men, two men

One man and his dog

Went to mow a meadow

Joe Valiance.

(All sing)

Five men went to mow

Went to mow a meadow

Five men, four men,

three men, two men

One man and his dog

Went to mow a meadow

It's B.A., make it snappy.

( Tune quickens)

Six men went to mow

Went to mow a meadow

Six men, five men, four men

Three men, two men

One man and his dog

Went to, mow a meadow

And here comes the headmaster.

( Plodding rhythm)

Seven men went to mow

Went to mow a meadow

Seven men, six men, five men

Four men, three men, two men

One man and his dog

Went to mow a meadow

(Distant siren)

On time tonight.

How about number eight?

That's you,

you're riding with us tonight.

Eight men went to mow

Went to mow a meadow

Eight men, seven men, six men

Five men, four men,

three men, two men

One man and his dog

Went to mow a meadow

(All) Whoo!

(Sirens wail)

O eloquent, just, and mighty Death!

Whom none could advise,

thou hast persuaded;

what none hath dared,

thou hast done;

and whom all the world hath flattered,

thou only hast cast out of the world

and despised:

thou hast drawn together

all the far stretched greatness,

all the pride, cruelty

and ambition of man,

and covered it all over

with those two narrow words,

Hic jacet!

(Distant bombing)

Right-ho, Colonel. We'll set that

to music when we come back.

...three or four days...

(Phone rings)

OP Control.

36 OP.

Incendiary bombs falling

between 145 and 180.

About three quarters of a mile.

Thank you.

(Puts down receiver)

Right, notify anti-aircraft.

(Woman on phone) AK-AK.

Incendiary bombs GD39.

(Woman) Incendiary bombs, GD39.

(Murmur of conversation)

(Phone rings)

Control.

(Distant bombing)

Right.

Fire at Dock Street, Sub.

Right. Send a TP from Y.

( Accordion plays)

Please don't talk about me

when I'm gone

(Nearby bombing)

Remember...

(Bell clatters)

(Woman calls out)

Number 1 TP to Dock Street.

- Come on!

- All right!

Cheerio, lads.

All right, thank you.

(Phone)

Control. Right.

- Swan Lane.

- Hmm, Swan Lane.

Right, send a second TP from Y.

(Phone rings)

(Men singing in background)

Swan Lane, TP 2.

(Bell clatters)

TP 2 to Swan Lane.

(Indistinct shouting and singing)

Good luck, boys.

Remember, please don't talk

about me when I'm gone...

(Aircraft drones overhead

as singing continues)

(Rumble of explosions over singing)

(Heavy crash)

That was in the yard, Johnny.

Mind up.

That was close, weren't it?

That was a bit warm.

I don't want 'em any nearer than that.

I don't feel so clever now.

Makes no difference

how I carry on...

(Phone rings)

Trinidad Street. Heavy number 1.

(Clanging)

Heavy unit 1 to Trinidad Street.

- All right, lads, that's us.

- Come on.

Come on, Colonel.

(Bell rings)

(Bell fades into the distance)

You sure you know where

this Trinidad Street is, Johnny?

Yes, Sub. I was down there

this afternoon with the rookie.

Yeah, OK.

( Sings "Out with me barrow

and my moke all day")

Carting me greens about

Now fine cauliflowers

You can't beat ours

You can hear me shout

"I'm here girls"

Curly little greens,

long French beans

And me spuds

all nice and brown

Now if you boil 'em for an hour

They're like a bowl of flour

And me rhubarb is the best

in all the town!

Me rhubarb is the best

in all the town!

(Johnny) Trinidad Street!

Get a point on it!

- Someone on top of the line!

- OK!

Come on!

Hydrant here!

Got one here.

That ain't a bleeding hydrant,

it's a sewer!

- (Man) Hydrant!

- OK, my cooker!

Come on!

Up a bit. Whoa!

Cor blimey,

that wall looks a bit dodgy.

I hope when it goes, it goes the rightway.

Yeah, me, too.

This way!

You'll want three lengths.

(Dull explosions in distance)

- Right, straight out, BA.

- OK.

Bill, take it up to where he gets to,

couple it up and run it back here.

Up top!

(Coughing and spluttering)

- Blimey, what a light.

- That's nothing, Jacko.

Watch it getting across this river

with the wind.

Rumbold, secure that branch

to this bar just till we get it up.

I'll get back to the base now.

You hold onto that now

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