Blitz firefighting hero recalls night of terror 72 years on

Mr Lightning, 94, the last remaining firefighter who was on duty during the bombing raids, told how the devastation was at first “unreal” but then as the bombs rained down it was “just another day at the office”.

He was back on The Moor, in Sheffield city centre yesterday to bury a time capsule as part of a new regeneration of the area, which was rebuilt after it was flattened by the Luftwaffe on December 12 and 13, 1940.

Mr Lightning, of Woodhouse, Sheffield, was part of the Sheffield Police Fire Service at the time, and stayed with the city fire brigade until 1963, leaving only for a stint with the RAF as the war progressed.

He said: “We were out for 12 hours on both nights and I can just remember that no preparations had been made for bombings and we just had to get on with it.

“None of us were professionals, and we were cold and wet through and very hungry at times. I remember there was no food for us, so when we got back to the fire station in Division Street we were grateful.

“It is something you can’t really explain these days, there is really nothing to compare it with.”