Getting out before the next high tide

Evacuees leave Mablethorpe, bundled up for the journey and heading for warmth and food.

Ruth Neller recounts how the victims of the flood were cared for and how chaos was averted by many willing hands

BY 2am on Sunday, February 1, the earliest official rescues were being made by the first of a stream of lorries from Louth and nearby RAF Manby, as efforts were made to move as many people as possible before the next high tide.

Unofficial rescues had been on-going since the water first burst through by many local men who worked through that night, soaked to the skin and waist deep in freezing water, to carry those weaker and older than themselves to safety.

The fire service had a four-wheel drive vehicle from Louth which they used to ferry people from the George Street area to the brigadeís control point at the Cross Inn on the perimeter of the flooded area and where ambulances, and later public service vehicles, were assembled to move the evacuees further afield.

The first reception centre was set up in the school at Maltby le Marsh, but by 1am on Sunday morning, Alford Secondary Modern School had been opened to receive evacuees with the Corn Exchange and two church halls also brought into use.

In Louth, the town hall was equipped and ready to receive evacuees who started to arrive at 1.55am.

These two places dealt so efficiently with the emergency that no other evacuation centres needed to be set up. By dawn on Sunday, the true scale of the disaster was understood. Many residents thought the flooding was merely due to the over-topping of the sea wall, that the water could be drained out of the urban area and all would be well.

But daylight revealed huge gaps in the sea defences through which every high tide was going to surge until the damage could be made mandatory, although it took until February 5 before every single property could be searched in Sutton on Sea.

Appeals for blankets and dry clothes were first dealt with locally, then aided by national emergency stores and finally by national appeals run by the Womensí Voluntary Service and the Salvation Army.

The Red Cross and St Johnís Ambulance Brigade all assisted.

When the extent of the problem was realised, many evacuees were sent out of the area and transport was laid on to the Midlands where many had family and friends.

Mothers dressed their children in as many layers of clothes as they could and tied shoes to their belts.

One adult per household was allowed back to salvage clothes, valuables and pets.

Special permits were issued to distinguish them from possible looters and to control the numbers going back.

The National Assistance Board at Grimsby distributed money to those who were left penniless.

Alford Post Office opened that Sunday to handle telegrams and to keep the telephone exchange operating and relief staff were sent from Grimsby to help them.

By February 14, 5178 people had been evacuated of whom only 179 were left in the rest centres, the others having been found billets with family or friends.

As the rescue operation began to build up, the Automobile Association and the Royal Automobile Club collected signs and created diversions to keep motorists and sightseers away from the affected areas and then helped police to control the movement of rescue vehicles in and out.

Sorting through dry clothing donated by many kind-hearted people and organisations.

Sorting through dry clothing donated by many kind-hearted people and organisations.

ëIt was time for a momentous decision: Evacuate the towní

FIREFIGHTER Kevin Dynan was a member of the Mablethorpe fire brigade in the 1950s and this is his account of how the crew dealt with the first signs of flooding.

He said: "We responded to a call to help pump out the cellar at the Fulbeck Hotel at around 1600 hours, that Saturday night. We had no knowledge of the impending perilous flood conditions which were to develop in the next few hours.

"The crew was the station officer George Bartholemew, the officer in charge of Mablethorpe Fire and Ambulance Station leading fireman Tom Armstrong, fireman Bill Russell and myself. So, off we went to pump out the Fulbeck cellar, but we never got there."

They got as far as Fitzwilliam Street, outside Montyís Fish Shop, when the fire engine was brought to a halt. Kevin said: "George would go no further until he and Tom had a look ahead to see where all the water was coming from, as it was already almost lapping the wheel hubs of the appliance."

The two men returned a little later with news there was no chance of any pump out operations until the tide turned and flooding subsided, as sea water was already running down the main pullover.

Then they discovered there were still two hours to high tide and the first realisation something more serious was going on dawned on them.

Kevin said: "There were gale force winds and a promise of sleety rain and we could see we would have to inform the control room so a more effective force could be mobilised in time."

Kevin and Bill were posted in the High Street, where sea water was already ankle-deep, to warn incoming motorists of possible worsening driving conditions, especially towards Sutton on Sea.

They were to rendezvous with the appliance at the railway station yard when it returned from From Georgeís house, where George was using the phone to alert the control room to the prevailing conditions, and to speak personally to the duty incident officer.

Said Kevin said: "This was before the days of in-cab two-way radios and communication with the control room depended on the officer in charge finding a telephone as soon as possible to supply information."

George also took the opportunity to change out of his soaking clothes and into dry ones. But the Rendezvous was never kept.

Some time later they were joined by the first reinforcements to arrive from the Brigade headquarters, stationed in Eastfield House, Louth.

When told of the Mablethorpe situation, the chief immediately decided to see the position for himself and ordered the extra pump and fire crew as a first response.

Sea water was now running along the High Street towards the school and was almost knee deep at the railway crossing.

Kevin recalls: "Without wasting any time, the chief began to reconnoitre on foot along the High Street and Victoria Road.

"The time was now about 1900 hours, the wind colder and stronger.

"The residents began to show signs of alarm as water was already invading lower properties and a considerable amount of debris was being washed along by the water as the sea defences were damaged. It was time for a very momentous decision.

"In collaboration with the police, who were also fully stretched at this point, it was decided to evacuate the entire Mablethorpe, Trusthorpe and Sutton on Sea population.

"As the night wore on, more rural stretches near the shore were also evacuated. The fire crew didnít get back together again for many weeks, not until people returned to their homes."

RECENTLY engaged and only just enrolled as a police officer, Derek Wilson was stationed with the West Riding police when he was drafted into Sutton on Sea to help with the clear-up operation.

His fiance, Joan (now his wife) recalls he rang her from Mablethorpe to say he had stopped on the way for fish and chips. Derekís job was to help direct lorries bringing in stones to fill the breach. His posting was to have been for three days, but lasted for ten. Shifts ran from 5am-1pm and the work was cold, wet and miserable, and the only meal was a jam sandwhich! But, at least, the Salvation Army kept him supplied with dry socks.

Packing provisions.

Everybody out, and the Army in!

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