FIREMEN from Oxfordshire were drafted in to help when German bombers attacked Southampton during the Second World War.

More than 600 civilians died and 900 buildings were damaged as enemy aircraft tried to put the docks and the Supermarine factory, which built the RAF’s Spitfire fighter planes, out of action.

These three pictures, sent in by Bill Law, of Faringdon, are believed to have been taken at Southampton during the war.

He writes: “I have been told that some of the firemen, but not all, are Faringdon men.”

And he believes there could also be some Oxford firemen in the pictures.

“Enlarging the photograph of the men with the appliance, you see a letter ‘O’, then a fireman’s leg, then an ‘F’ and I think the start of another ‘O’. I think this will say Oxford.”

Mr Law thinks it is possible that Oxford and Faringdon firemen worked together because they were in the same section of the National Fire Service during the war.

Oxfordshire and part of Berkshire – Faringdon would then have been in Berkshire – were known as D Division of No 15 Fire Force.

Mr Law recognises one of the men in the picture of the stirrup pump contest – Jimmy (Titch) Horton, of Faringdon.

But he admits this pictures puzzles him.

“One group appear to be in a stirrup pump competition, but I can’t understand why they would be taking part in a competition or doing stirrup pump training if they were at bombed Southampton.”

The National Fire Service was formed in October 1941 when it brought together more than 1,000 local authority fire brigades, including the Oxford City Volunteer Fire Brigade.

The NFS disappeared on April 1, 1948, and its duties were transferred to 148 fire brigades run by county and county borough councils.

Oxford and Oxfordshire had separate fire brigades until 1974 when the two were amalgamated under county council control.

The present Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is one of 63 serving counties and regions across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.