Original Item. Only One Available. This is a moving WWII British firefighter memorial display incorporating an original German Luftwaffe 1kg incendiary bomb tail-fin assembly, mounted on a wooden base commemorating Sub-Officer Edward A. Hollett of the London Fire Brigade, who was killed by enemy action during the devastating air raid on London on May 10-11, 1941.

The display consists of a rectangular, dark-stained wooden base fitted with a removable sheet-steel tail assembly of the type used on German B1E-series incendiary bombs. The component retains its characteristic longitudinal stabilizing fins and circular metal end ring. Mounted on the upper surface of the base is an eight-pointed silver-colored Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) emblem, with the letters highlighted in red.

A brass memorial plaque is secured to the front with four small nails. Its hand-stamped inscription identifies SUB-OFFICER EDWARD A HOLLETT, records that he was KILLED BY ENEMY ACTION, and gives the date of May 10, 1941, and the location as "SOUTHWALK LONDON," evidently referring to Southwark. Hollett is also commemorated among the seventeen firefighters who lost their lives at the former Surrey Theatre during this same raid.

The complete display measures approximately 5" x 5½" x 5½" [12.7 x 14 x 14 cm].

Condition is good overall, with age-related wear throughout. The wooden base shows surface scratches, scuffing, finish wear, and some deterioration around the recessed mounting opening. The steel tail assembly retains its original form, with scattered oxidation, surface rust, discoloration, and minor handling marks. The brass plaque has developed a naturally aged patina, with some spotting and surface wear, while its lettering remains legible. The AFS emblem retains good definition and much of its red coloration.

Historical Context

During the London Blitz of 1940-1941, the German Luftwaffe employed large quantities of small incendiary bombs intended to start widespread fires throughout British cities, industrial areas, and transport facilities. Among the most extensively used was the 1kg Brandbombe, particularly the B1E family of incendiaries.

These bombs consisted of a cylindrical body made from Elektron, a magnesium-based alloy, containing a thermite incendiary filling. An impact-operated ignition mechanism initiated the incendiary material, producing intense heat that ignited the magnesium casing. The sheet-steel tail assembly stabilized the weapon during its descent. Large numbers of these bombs could be released from specialized containers carried aboard German aircraft, dispersing incendiaries across a considerable area.

The resulting fires presented an enormous challenge to Britain's emergency services. Small fires could spread rapidly through damaged buildings, particularly when water mains had been fractured by high-explosive bombs or when burning debris prevented firefighters from reaching affected areas. The Luftwaffe's combination of high-explosive and incendiary ordnance was particularly destructive in densely built urban districts.

Britain had begun strengthening its firefighting capabilities before the outbreak of war. The Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) was established in January 1938 to reinforce existing municipal fire brigades during air raids. Thousands of volunteers were recruited, and additional fire stations were established in schools, factories, garages, and other available premises.

AFS personnel worked alongside professional firefighters, using equipment that included trailer-mounted pumps and adapted civilian vehicles. Their duties became increasingly dangerous after the Blitz began on September 7, 1940. Firefighters regularly worked throughout the night while bombing continued, often operating amid collapsing buildings, burning warehouses, and severely damaged streets.

The final major raid of the London Blitz took place on the night of May 10-11, 1941, when approximately 500 Luftwaffe bombers attacked the capital. The aircraft dropped more than 700 tons of high explosives alongside large quantities of incendiary ordnance, starting over 2,000 fires across London. Approximately 1,436 civilians were killed, and extensive damage was inflicted on residential neighborhoods, industrial facilities, and historic buildings.

Among the most significant losses was the destruction of the House of Commons Chamber at the Palace of Westminster. Severe fires also developed across Southwark and the Elephant and Castle area, where firefighters faced considerable difficulties maintaining water supplies.

It was during this raid that a particularly tragic incident occurred at the site of the former Surrey Theatre on Blackfriars Road, near St. George's Circus in Southwark. The theater had previously been demolished, and its basement was being used as an emergency water reservoir for firefighting operations.

Crews from several fire services were engaged in relaying water from the reservoir to combat fires around Elephant and Castle when a German high-explosive bomb struck the area. Seventeen firefighters were killed, comprising eleven London Auxiliary Fire Service members, five Mitcham Auxiliary Fire Service members, and one Sub-Officer of the London Fire Brigade.

The London Fire Brigade Sub-Officer was Edward A. Hollett, whose name is recorded on the memorial display offered here. He is commemorated on the Surrey Theatre memorial as Edward Alfred Hollet, while the Fire Brigades Union's roll of firefighters killed in the line of duty records his name as Edward A. Hollett.

The loss of these men occurred during an exceptionally difficult period for Britain's fire services, whose personnel were spread across numerous local brigades and auxiliary organizations. The demands of sustained aerial bombardment emphasized the need for better coordination of firefighting resources across municipal boundaries.

On August 18, 1941, the government established the National Fire Service (NFS), bringing Britain's local authority and auxiliary fire services under a unified national organization. This reorganization allowed personnel, equipment, and reinforcements to be coordinated more effectively during subsequent attacks.

The memorial to Sub-Officer Hollett commemorates one of the many firefighters who lost their lives defending London's civilian population during the Blitz. Its combination of an original German incendiary bomb tail assembly, AFS insignia, and individually named dedication gives it particular historical interest as a remembrance of the wartime fire services and the events of May 1941.