Volunteering Collection (#3)

Fire service camp
A depot/training area somewhere in the south of England, but exact location unknown. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters

Fire Appliance
A new fire appliance with turntable ladder and pump comes into service. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Training with hoses
Despite their full workload new techniques of fire- fighting were being learnt on the time. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters

Plymouth blitzed
One of the blitz raids on Plymouth, When we arrived we saw the people streaming up the hill to the caves outside the city

Mixed Armed Services gathering
A mixed Armed Service gathering to welcome the CCCF, believed either Portsmouth of Winchester. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters

The welcome party
Dignitaries were always on hand to play their part. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Herbert Morrison (centre) with Fire Chief Huff (left of picture) welcome the Canadians outside Canada House in London mid 1942

Hartley, Plymouth
HQ of the Plymouth Contingent at Hartley. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

(insert). The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF) were stationed in England between 1942 and 1945. Date: circa 1942

Portsmouth street scene, exact location unknown, used for training classes and for recording the activities of the CCFF under fire

The new fire station in Plymouth for the Canadians, built by the men themselves with help from special construction gangs

Ladder Drill. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF) were stationed in England between 1942 and 1945. Date: circa 1942

Devon, England - a country scene. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF) were stationed in England between 1942 and 1945

Plymouth (exact location unknown). The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Personal snaps (poly-photos)
Personal photographs taken in England 5 snaps showing unexploded bomb, bus with gas supply for fuel and firemen at play. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters

Horseplay
This is some sort of ritual amongst the fire-fighters. Photo caption reads horseplay.. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters

Leisure time
Firefighters off duty in the messing hall.. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Government office building
Ottawa, Canada - showing a government building in which various meetings took place about sending volunteer firemen to England

Firefighters Messing Room
One of the messing rooms for the fire-fighters, believe this to be in Plymouth. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Training
Ladder drill and fire-fighting training on a mocked up building. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Training from a tower
One of the slightly more hazardous aspects of training was from the tower. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Personal photos
9 polyphotos taken by a Corps member before leaving Canada, two firemen at sites around Ottawa. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters

Pump Drill
Wider shot of Training at Testwood, Southampton, this is for pump drill. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Canadian Fire Chief Huff (third from left) watches one of the Canadian firefighters using British equipment. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters

Government Building Ottawa
One of several government buildings used for meetings about the formation of the volunteer fire force. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters

State Capital Building Ottawa
The State Capital Building, photographed at the time of discussions about the formation of a volunteer Canadian fire force

The CCFF arrive
After two years of negotiations, the first Canadian volunteers arrive in England. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Portsmouth scene (exact city location unknown). The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Personal photos (poly-photos) taken by the men. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

Plymouth after a Blitz raid.. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF) were stationed in England between 1942 and 1945

Ottawa, Canada - General view. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF) were stationed in England between 1942 and 1945

Canadian fire hall (fire station)
One of the fire halls in Ottawa that provided volunteers for the Corps. The Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters (also known as the Volunteer Corps of Canadian Fire-fighters and simply as CCCF)

The Audience of the Peace-speaker by H. M. Bateman
" Lo! The poor Timid un! The Audience of the Peace-speaker!" This illustration comments on how war-fever has gripped the nation

Drill-dodging: The new exercise, H. M. Bateman cartoon, WW1
" Drill-dodging: Everyone can test it gratis: the new exercise for onlookers in the park." This World War One cartoon jokes that the sheer quantity of volunteers to the British Army by 1915

Are you as one of these? H. M. Bateman cartoon
" Are you as one of these? A few splendid fellows who are unfortunately debarred from meeting the Germans - and why." This cartoon during the enlistment drive at the beginning of the First

WW1 - Conscription in Britain
WW1 - Britannia holding her trident and the National Register, in front of civilians and industrial factory. The patriotic scenario

WW1 - Recruitment Day - Lord Derbys Group System
WW1 - Recruits in batches at Camberwell, London as they volunteer to join the army under Lord Derbys group system. The volunteers in this recruitment office raise their arms as they make an oath to

WW1 - German Recruitment Day, 1914
WW1 - German volunteers follow a German Officer through the gates where the men will continue and complete the recruitment procedure. The event is watched and guarded by other German Officers

WWI Poster, The Prime Ministers Advice
WWI Parliamentary Recruiting Committee Poster, The Prime MInisters Advice to the Young Unmarried Men and Pledge to Married Men. Date: 1915

WWI Poster, letter from King George V (Welsh version)
To My People, letter from King George V, asking for more men to join the British army (Welsh version). Date: 1915

Inspecting recruits at Tower of London, WW1
An Inspector of Recruits at the Tower of London. These were men who volunteered at the outbreak of war and are pictured still in civilian clothes. Date: 1914

LFB exhibition, display of WW2 posters
A London Fire Brigade exhibition of photographs and appliances, with a display of WW2 recruitment posters for the AFS (Auxiliary Fire Service)

Members of Coventry Volunteer Fire Brigade
Four members of the Coventry Volunteer Fire Brigade, in an Illustrated London News engraving. Date: 1862

The compleat Angler (Derby Scheme)
Caricature of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith attempting to catch fish, representing men of age able to fight in WW1. The fish in the net represent married men who had already volunteered (attested)

Bystander cover-Derby scheme
An illustration showing the number of men attested in 1916 for the volunteer (Derby) scheme to encourage military recruitment

Volunteer nurses learning to bandage, outbreak of WW1
Volunteer nurses practising their bandaging techniques on children at Kensington Town Hall shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. Date: 1914

Work rooms of Lady Sclater, WW1
A page from The Sketch showing society ladies hard at work at the work rooms of Lady Sclater at 18 Pont Street, London. In the top photograph

Zena Dare working at the front during WW1
Mrs Maurice Brett, formerly the theatre and music hall star, Zena Dare pictured waiting on soldiers in a cellar at the front while she was working in France during the First World War

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Volunteering: A timeless act of selflessness and unity, transcending borders and cultures. From a German cartoon shedding light on British recruitment techniques to the vibrant cities of Bristol and Portsmouth, volunteering knows no boundaries. In 1941, an advert for recruiting women for the WaF showcased their unwavering dedication during challenging times. The camaraderie among a CCF crew or Canadians in Southampton exemplifies the power of teamwork in making a difference. As seen aboard 'The Plymouth, ' leaving home behind symbolizes bravery and sacrifice for a greater cause. Witnessing an auxiliary firewoman's courage amidst chaos reminds us that heroes come in all forms. Even royalty like H. R. H The Duchess of Kent have embraced volunteering as a means to uplift communities. Testing recruits for the Boer War in 1901 demonstrated how individuals were willing to step up when their country needed them most. And let us not forget the farewell mass held for Women's Battalion during World War I, where brave souls bid adieu with heavy hearts but unwavering resolve. Volunteering is more than just lending a helping hand; it is embodying compassion, resilience, and hope.