Preston’s biggest-ever C.D. exercise involving 700 men, women and children, ended with “thumbs up” all round. The four-hour emergency routine had proved its worth. Weeks of careful planning had gone into Exercise “Prestonian”—it brought the stark reality of nuclear warfare sharply into focus-but the vital operation closed on a note of quiet satisfaction . . . and hope. Hope that if Preston should be struck by the H-bomb terror, hundreds would be trained to salvage a small corner of civilisation from its trail of destruction. The Preston Civil Defence Corps, working in close conjunction with other volunteers, swung into action while most people were turning over for their Sunday morning lie-in. Clad in steel helmets, gum-boots and battle-dress, they stood by at their Warden posts for the message that was to tell them the south of Preston had been severely damaged by a nuclear bomb dropped on the Royal Ordnance Factory at Euxton at 0700hrs.

As soon as the message had been received at the C.D. headquarters in Glover’s Court, reinforcements were on their way from neighbouring towns. To augment the 100 Preston members in the mock “life and death” struggle, Blackpool, Burnley and Southport Corps each sent 25 volunteers, and Blackburn 30. Territorial soldiers from 288 L.A.A. Regiment and the 5th Loyals, based at Kimberley Barracks, were called in to act as stretcher-bearers for the “victims”, and warders from Preston prison formed rescue parties with the help of employees at the North-Western Electricity Board’s Ribble Power Station. Chief object of the exercise was to evacuate 150 casualties and between 100 and 150 homeless people from the damaged area by rail to the rest centre and Forward Medical Aid Unit at Courtaulds factory, Ribbleton. The damaged area was chosen because of the derelict property which could be utilised, and the proximity of the Maudland goods sidings where the special passenger train was standing by. It was the first time since 1931 that the branch line had been used by a passenger train and the only occasion such a train had run at the Courtaulds end.

Before the train left, the “homeless and injured”—Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and members of Old People’s Clubs—were carried on board by members of the Preston Police Special Constabulary. The train was away on schedule and the “specials” breathed a sigh of relief. Police controlled traffic and plotted routes in the area and at Courtaulds, doctors and nurses from Sharoe Green Hospital applied first aid to the injured. An emergency cooking team was stationed in the factory grounds, while in the office block a rest centre was set up for the benefit of the “homeless”. Full-time officers of Preston Fire Brigade led teams of about 150 auxiliaries to tackle three mock blazes resulting from the explosion. Eight jets were played on the first at the Park Hotel offices of Lancashire County Council, and two “bikini” floats with featherweight pumps were used from the Lancaster canal to tackle the second in derelict property in the Cold Bath-street area.

Lunch was provided for all volunteers engaged in the exercise at Fishwick Secondary Modern School, Downing-street and Frenchwood Secondary School. Summing up the exercise, the CDO said: “We are convinced it has been the biggest and most successful ever undertaken in Preston. It was the first time in Britain, that a train had been used for the evacuation of victims, and the idea had proved most successful. Our attention now inevitably turns to future years,” he added. “The co-operation of industry, police, fire service and Army authorities has been a highlight of -the exercise and we are anxious to maintain this vital link.”

December 1960