All language subtitles for Fires Were Started (Humphrey Jennings, 1943)

- Good morning, girls.
- Good morning.

Heavy Unit 1
returned from workshops.

- Have you got the docket.
- Yes.

Send it up to Local, will you?

She looks all right.

Fire station.

Heavy unit P231
returned from workshops. OK?

He said, "Gawd blimey, if ever I get
out of this I'll join the Fire Brigade."

- And did he?
- No, that's the funny part of it...

Come on, my son,
let's see what you can do this time.

Johnny! Johnny!

What?

Come on, you'll be late.

Good man. I'll have to see
my manager about you.

Can't stand a lot of that.
Come on.

- Hello, Joe.
- Hello, James. How are you?

Very well, thanks.

- Nice weekend?
- Lovely. Did you have a nice one?

Yes, fair enough.

- Have you got a newspaper?
- Slinged it.

- What?
- It's awful.

- Ta-ra, ducks.
- Goodbye my dear.

Don't do nothing silly,
will you, Sid?

OK.

See you.

Can you tell me where
Alderman's Wharf is mate, please?

It's just over there, look.

Thank you.

Good morning, Colonel.

- Morning, Sub.
- Are you all right?

Ah, not so bad.

Kippers for breakfast tomorrow, Charlie.

- Good morning, girls.
- Morning, Sub.

Morning, Charlie.

- Good morning, George.
- Morning.

Morning, Sub. Morning, girls.

Good morning, Sub.
Morning Mrs Dean. Morning, Eileen.

Have you got the local?

- Anything special?
- Nothing much.

Why, that's quite like old times,
isn't it?

The old man will be pleased.

Get a cracker here, Johnny boy,
she's back again.

About time too!

- Who's Barrett?
- New bloke from training school.

Fall in, chaps.

Excuse me. Er, could you tell me
where the Fire Station is?

- Yes.
- 14 Y.

14 Y, turn three corner here.

A-ha. Thank you very much.

Morning, Mrs Townsing.
Morning, Eileen.

Morning Betsy. There's two heavy units
and two TP's on the run there.

Two heavy units and two TP's?
So the heavy unit's back, is it?

Yes.

I don't know.

Oh well...
It's all right for you, you know.

You're going off...

I'm coming on!

Looks a bit different
with a bit of paint on, Johnny.

Yes, it does, Joe, dunnit.

There's something in that.
An' if I had the time...

- Come on, Colonel, pumps and tackle.
- All right!

Me and you, Jacko, we'll go
and get the long ladders. Come on.

- Wait till I've put these in the lockers.
- Yeah, hurry up.

Cheerio, Charlie.
It'll be a long night tonight. Full moon.

Might be handy.

- 14 Y, please.
- Yes.

Would you tell me where
the Watch Room is?

- Straight up there and up the staircase.
- Thank you.

- Right. Cheerio, Charlie.
- Cheerio, George.

- The name's Barrett.
- Sub, here's Barrett.

Sorry I'm a bit late,
but they kept me at 14.

- You found us all right then?
- Yes, thank you, sir.

- Johnny!
- Who, me?

Yes, you.
Come up here a minute.

We're in trouble again, Colonel.

That's what comes of working
under this window.

Where's he going to sleep?

There's a spare bed in the Monk House,
you'd better put him in there.

What do you want, Sub?

Johnny, this is Barrett.

Barrett, that's Johnny Daniels,
driver of the heavy unit.

- Pleased to meet you.
- Pleased to meet you, mate.

- How d'you do?
- How are you?

Now listen, I want you to take him over
to Monkey House,

let him stow his gear
then show him round,

and unload him
on them geezers outside, got it?

Right-o, Sub.
Come this way, will ya, boy?

We mustn't work too hard my friends.

We've got to make this last
till one o'clock.

I beg your pardon.

Come on, ain't you finished
with that pump!

OK, Skipper.

We'd better meet the boys.
This is Joe Valiance.

The fella down there
is B.A. Brown.

He'll sell you a pair of braces
in a minute, if you're not careful.

And that old bagpipe
over the back there is Rumbold.

And this is our little ray
of sunshine, Jacko.

Boys, this is Barrett.

Another one for
the poker school, Joe.

* Oh, sweet mystery of love and life,
I've found you...

Lift, Colonel. Right up.

Catch hold of it, Bill.

Right, a bit to you.

That's it. It's there.

* I would die to be beside the seaside

* I would like to be beside the sea *

Johnny, have you got
everything on board you ought to have?

Yes, I should think so.

Well, thank goodness,
that's something.

* I would like to stroll upon
the prom, prom, prom

* With the brass band playing
tiddly um, pom, pom

Get me the return of appliances,
would you?

Y Station.

Two heavy units and two TP's.

Thank you.

Two heavies, two TP's, Sub.

'Control here. Can I have
your return of appliances, please?

'One heavy unit...
three trailer pumps...

'and one heavy unit off the run,
shortage of riders.'

Thank you.

V Station, Sub: one heavy unit,
three trailer pumps

and one heavy unit off the run -
shortage of riders.

Right.

' Can I have return
of your appliances, please?

'Two heavy units.

'One Water Unit, one Ramp Lorry.

'Thank you.'

Control here.

Can I have the return
of your appliances, please?

'Two heavy units and two TP's.
Thank you.'

'Return of
the appliances for today:

'26 pumps, one turntable ladder,

'one escape carrying unit,

'one water unit, one ramp lorry.'

Come and get it!

Here they come.
Here you are, look.

Give us the paper, George.

Don't forget to give it back,
'cause last time it went missing.

All right, keep your shirt on.

- How's it going, Bill, all right?
- All right, yeah.

You like it here?
Not a bad place, is it?

- Er, Johnny.
- Yeah, what's up?

When you go to the local this afternoon,
I want you to take Barrett with you.

Show him the station's ground.

OK, Sub, that'll be all right.

Yeah, that'll be all right.

Walters, what's the matter
with the Sub this morning?

Looks a bit dodgy, don't he?

Och, it's the full moon.

Yeah.

Sub said I've gotta take you
round the ground, show you it all.

Yeah. Put your gas mask
underneath there.

That'll be all right.

You know, I used to drive one of these
before the war.

- Did you?
- Yeah.

What did you do before the war?

Why, I used to write.
Advertising and things like that.

Why, "that schoolgirl complexion" stuff,
I suppose?

Well, more like liver bile.

Liver bile! You wanna lay off
that stuff, old man, I'm telling yer.

You'll be all right at 14-Y Station
as long as you use your loaf.

There she is, Bill, high tide.

You know, it's a funny thing
about these riverside fires,

when it comes to it,
there's never enough water!

- Where are we now?
- That's Trinidad Street down there, Bill,

just inside the station's ground.

And down here is Alderman's Wharf.

- This one?
- Yes.

We'll take a look at the boats
while we're down here.

They get some pretty big stuff in here
now and again, you know. Yeah.

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.

Fire Brigade.

Chief officer?
One moment, please...

Could I have your signature on those,
please, sir?

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.

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.

You having a drink, Bill?

- Here.
- Ta.

- What'll you have?
- I'd like a bitter, I think.

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.

Cheers.

Elsie, let's have some supper, please.

You'll get some supper.
Clear away them tea things first.

OK, Control...
36 OP...

...wind from northwest...
to southeast...

...blowing strongly...

...across the river.
All right, thank you.

- Do you play one of these, Bill?
- A little bit.

Well what about tickling up
the old ivories, then?

All right.

What is it, classic or jazz?

Purple up.

- Right-o lads, get yer gear on.
- Aye, aye, Sub.

- 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.

* 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.

* 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.

* 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 *

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 *

Whoo!

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!

Right-ho, Colonel. We'll set that
to music when we come back.

...three or four days...

OP Control.

36 OP.

Incendiary bombs falling
between 145° and 180°.

About three quarters of a mile.

Thank you.

Right, notify anti-aircraft.

AK-AK.

Incendiary bombs GD39.

Incendiary bombs, GD39.

Control.

Right.

Fire at Dock Street, Sub.

Right. Send a TP from Y.

* Please don't talk about me
when I'm gone *

* Remember... *

Number 1 TP to Dock Street.

- Come on!
- All right!

Cheerio, lads.

All right, thank you.

Control. Right.

- Swan Lane.
- Hmm, Swan Lane.

Right, send a second TP from Y.

Swan Lane, TP 2.

TP 2 to Swan Lane.

Good luck, boys.

* Remember, please don't talk
about me when I'm gone... *

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... *

Trinidad Street. Heavy number 1.

Heavy unit 1 to Trinidad Street.

- All right, lads, that's us.
- Come on.

Come on, Colonel.

(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.

* 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! *

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!

- 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.

- Right, straight out, BA.
- OK.

Bill, take it up to where he gets to,
couple it up and run it back here.

Up top!

- 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
and I'll pick this up.

Up top! Where's that line?

Stand clear below!

OK!

- Where the hell are you going?
- Up top.

Well, stick around and
deal with this first.

Two half-hitches...

...and a clove hitch.

- OK, take it away!
- Take it away!

Haul away!

Hello? Hello?

Is that 14 Local?

Is that 14 Local speaking?

This is Sub-officer Dykes speaking
from Trinidad Street.

Now take this message:
"Make the pumps up to ten."

That's right. No, don't go away.
Additional message...

I say additional message:
"Order a fireboat to Alderman's Wharf."

That's right.
"Explosives involved at the fire."

All right, drop that.
Now listen...

I want you to stand by here.
Johnny, give him a hand with that.

Another length of hose over that wall.

Take the ladder and the rest of the crew,

and get your brass in
as far as possible, got that?

Now come on, lads, get to work.

Now, BA, short ladder.
I'll go and see what it looks like.

- Where you going, BA?
- Short ladder, Johnny.

This doesn't go anywhere.
We'll have to go to the top.

- BA?
- OK, John!

(Heavy explosion)

What a windy lot of bastards we are!
That was half a mile away!

Half a mile, my foot!

- It was too close for me.
- You're telling me!

Sir, message from Trinidad Street:
"Make pumps up to ten."

Additional message:
"Order fireboat to Alderman's Wharf."

"Explosives involved at the fire.
Danger of spreading to supply ship."

Ten? He's got a hope.

We'll send him five
to get on with, anyhow.

Send a TP from V, a TP from W,
send a heavy and a TP from X.

Get District Officer Blythe
to go out, will you?

Control here. Order a heavy
unit and trailer to Trinidad Street.

- Haven't you got any water yet?
- Not yet.

What about our water, below?

Here she comes!

- All right, up top?
- Yeah, we got a roof up here.

Up you go, Johnny,
he's got the branch on the top.

- OK now, that's enough.
- Right-o.

No, no, not there!

Put it down into the scene of it there.
That's it, get hold of it.

OK.

- ohnny, water!
- OK, Walt!

- 105!
- It's all yours!

There she goes, boys!

- Right in the corner, John!
- Aye!

Switchboard, sorry to keep you waiting.

Joan!

Thank you.

Number 14's fireboat
out to Alderman's Wharf.

Have we got anything
at Alderman's Wharf?

One quite close at Trinidad Street.

That must be the same, then.

It's low tide, too,
they'll have a devil of a job.

Johnny, can you give us
a bit more on this one?

- No, I can't give you any more.
- Not 20lbs?

No, I can't give you anything at all,
there's not enough here.

Look, I tell you what we'll do.

While you're hanging about,
go down the road

and see where the nearest
open water supply is.

Where do you think that is?

I think that looks like Trinidad Street.

That's it, down below now.

- Oh, crikey!
- What the hell's wrong?

Johnny! What's the matter
with this water?

Johnny!

She's finished!

- Must've been that bomb, you know.
- I don't think so.

Look out...

That fire seems to be getting worse.
Better give them another ring, Tom.

OP Control. 36 OP? Yes?
Yes. Thank you.

Fire at 150 degrees
and increasing rapidly.

Right, notify anti-aircraft again.

All this lot's getting away now, because
you've not got a jet of water, see?

Look at it.

- Control? What was that?
- It's a bad line, can you shout louder?

- What?
- Can't hear you at all.

Oh, yes.

- Right. Sub? Sub?
- Yes?

A Z's number 1 heavy unit
out to Ship Alley.

All right.

We're down to four, sir.

Johnny!
What's the matter with this water?

I've found some. That sunk barge
we saw this afternoon up the cut.

Oh, that's it! Go down the road
and stop those pumps.

- Tell them to relay the water onto us.
- Right.

Johnny!

Stop! Stop!

- Where the hell are you playing at?
- Can't go down that way, sir.

No water down there,
the mains have broken.

We've got a branch on the roof we'll
have to pack up unless we get water.

I found a sunk barge in a cut down
there. We can relay it down to our heavy.

- First on the left?
- It's along that alley.

Sub-officer, take your appliances
to the first turning on the left.

Get to work! Relay water!

- Are you the officer in charge?
- Just a minute, please.

Go make an order
on a turntable ladder.

Our wharf's well alight,
what can you do for us?

I've got more appliances
coming shortly. Don't worry.

- Right.
- Stick her in there.

Water!

Get your jet down there into it.

You'll get it all right.

Stand by, up top!

Stand by, here she comes!

Here goes a bit of water.

No, not up there! Put it down!

Put it down into the window!

Steady my way!
Here's your water up!

OK!

- All right, George?
- It's putting some stuff through now.

- Back up.
- All right, that's it.

Oh, 14-Control, here.
We have four pumps available.

- Stand-bys are urgently required.
- Right.

Yes, that's right. Will you hold on?

Stand by.
I can't hear you.

I can't hear you.

Control?
Control?

Control?

Yes, sorry for the interruption,
we have another message for you.

Our TTL is out for Trinidad Street.

Out to where? Trinidad Street.
Right. Thank you.

That's not so good, is it?

Get round the district.
Check pumps available.

- Watch room 62, please.
- Watch room 66, please.

C-District control here.
Can I have your pumps available, please?

14, how many pumps available?
Only four?

Can you hear me?
Checking your pumps available.

Ten pumps, thank you.

Will you give me your pumps available,
please?

- Sixty-six.
- Nil?

- Ten.
- Thank you.

Twenty-eight. Nil. Eighty-eight.

Nil.

- Sub, only sixty-six pumps available.
- Right, get on to Brigade Control.

"Calls still being received.
Further help required."

"Pumps available: sixty-six."

Brigade Control?
C-Charlie District Control...

...further help required.

Pumps available: sixty-six.

Six-six. Right.

- Joan? Oh, there you are.
- Thank you.

There's nothing in D.
Five GPs at E...

C District. Sixty-six pumps available.

Further help required.
Nothing in B, nothing in A.

Er, message to Fire Control.

Reinforcements,
a hundred pumps required.

Well, how are you getting on?

C District has a rather
concentrated fire attack, sir.

I've asked for a hundred pumps
from Fire Control.

Anybody shaky?

Definitely the C-District, sir.
They're very much stressed.

Right, well, I'll go and have
a look round, and I'll let you know.

- Carry on.
- Very good, sir.

All right, Barrett? Where've you been?

Oh, all over.
What's it like here?

Not so clever. There's going to be some
trouble later on, I'm not kidding you.

Now, Colonel, get down below
and tell the officer in charge

that things are becoming out of hand.
Got it?

Go on, get down as quick as you can.

There's a few of them loose, John.

There's a message
from the Sub up top, sir!

Things are getting very difficult. He
wants assistance as soon as possible.

Right.

Up top!

Tell them to come down at once.

We've got
a turntable ladder coming along.

Right, sir.

District Officer says
you got to get off the roof.

How the hell do you think
we're going to get down there?

I don't know how the hell I came up!

Get him out of the flames there.

Stop and jack!

There's a man hurt, down below!
There's a man hurt!

Get the ladders to work!
Get your rescue line out!

Jump to it, men

- What luck, eh?
- All right, men.

What luck.

Watch that door!

Look out!

- There are firemen on top, sir.
- What?

Take in that slack.

Lift him from the shoulders.
Lift him up.

Onto the parapet.

Watch that slack!

Give me that lifeline. Give it me,
I know what to do with it. You get down.

Come down off that bloody roof!

- Go on. Go on down, then!
- Are you coming along?

I'll be down. You get down and out of it.

Jump on the ladder!

What's the damn fool doing?

Swing it round, Norris!
Bring them away!

There's another man up there, sir.

Let's get this one down first
and we'll go back after him.

Right, lower away!

Lower him, man, faster!

Lower him down.
He's right down, sir. He's all right.

It's the other one we're worried about.

Come on!

- Blimey, look at that wall.
- Lock off, the wall's going!

Shut it off!

Let go!

Brigade Control.

A message from Fire Control.

"Reinforcements."

"One hundred pumps have
been ordered from Abbotstone"

"to stand by in your area."

Thank you.

Joan! Joan!

That should be three heavy units
not two there.

14-Control.
Oh, they're on their way, are they? Right.

Sub, those stand-bys
are on their way in now.

That's something, anyhow.

- Is this 14 Y?
- Yes.

Oh, I had a hell of a job finding this
place. We've come from Abbotstone.

We were sent by your control
to stand by here.

- Abbotstone?
- Yes, the other side of Coleford.

- Why, that's 60 miles away.
- Don't I know it!

You people seem to be having
a regular pasting down here tonight.

Yes, our boys at the docks.

Don't touch that, it'll be hot!

Barrett! Let's have it!

Johnny!

Here she comes!

- I can't hold it much longer.
- Both of you, stop where you are!

Come over this side.

I'm staying where I am.

I'm all right.

- Here she comes!
- Here she comes.

- Well, that would be Jacko.
- Stay still.

Messing about on the roof,
when he should've come down out of it.

36-OP. Thompson speaking.

36-OP, yes?

Fire at 150 degrees.

Appears to be under control.

Thank you.

Thank goodness for that.

Way-aye! What's the matter,
can't you take it, chum?

- Haven't you heard?
- No, what?

- Jacko's copped it.
- Copped it bad?

He's copped it, I tell you!

- Thanks, very much.
- What a night, eh?

We deserve a cup of tea, eh, boys?

Bless you, my beautiful!

You look pretty beautiful yourself,
too, mate!

Who's your officer in charge, chum?

I'm in charge, Sub.
Our Sub-officer's injured.

Well, knock off and make up
and get off home.

Yes, sir. Johnny knock off and make up!

OK, Walt!

Make up and get home.

All right, Johnny. Had a bad night?

Bad night? You wanna go down
the road and have a look over the wall.

There's a boat down there, good
as new, she ain't got a scratch on her.

She's a sight for sore eyes.

- Hey, Doctor!
- Hey, we left you a bit.

- Still here?
- Yeah, she's still afloat.

...so far it does not appear
that casualties are likely to be heavy.

In one district,
the attack became concentrated

and several large fires were started.

These, however, were successfully
prevented from spreading.

Agency reports say...

No, we weren't hit.

She'll make it all right.
She'll be there on time.

Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men,

As hounds and greyhounds,

mongrels, spaniels, curs,

Shoughs, water-rugs,
and demi-wolves are clept

All by the name of dogs.

The valued file distinguishes
the swift, the slow, the subtle...

- Take your wet clothes off, Bill.
- Thanks, Ma'am.

That's a good boy.

...every one according to the gift
which bounteous nature

Hath in him closed...

Good luck, mate.

Thanks for the tea.

Hello, Tanya. I never expected
to see you any more.

Come on, chums, snap out of it!