IT was a proud moment for Bradford firefighters when King George VI came to inspect them more than 70 years ago.

These pictures were sent to us by Geraldine Hobbs, whose grandfather John Proudlove served with the fire brigade during the Second World War.

"My mum, Lily Proudlove, served in the Women's National Fire Service during the war. The Women's NFS was an important part of the war effort and the fire service," says Geraldine.

Lily was born in Bradford in 1923 and went to live in America, as a war bride, in 1946. Following her death, in 2014, Geraldine has been looking through some of her old photographs, trying to find out more about Lily's father.

"Mum told us the story of our grandad's brigade being reviewed by King George VI. The picture shows John on the front row. He shook the King's hand, there is a picture of this which we don't have," said Geraldine, who appealed for information online. She was contacted by Chris Smith, who works for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and is researching the history of the fire service for a book - which mentions John Proudlove.

"It would have been about 1943; the King and Queen visited Bradford as part of a review of the National Fire Service," said Chris. "During the war, because of the need to use fire brigades elsewhere in cities like Hull, Liverpool and Birmingham which were bombed, the fire service was nationalised, with areas such as Bradford and Huddersfield amalgamated into Fire Forces. Bradford was in Fire Force 5, a bigger region than West Yorkshire, including 26 fire brigades. To the left of the Queen on the picture is Jack Downs, Commander of Fire Force 5.

"l also have a picture of the event, showing the King and Queen and high ranking officers, and would be keen to find out more about that day."

Chris says the location of the photograph is unknown, but is possibly Bradford. "Perhaps the other dignitaries, including one who appears to be a mayor, would identify the location," he said.

Geraldine has established that her grandfather, John, was a fireman in Bradford from 1920s until after the war. "The men who were in the Bradford brigade before the war continued to operate from Nelson Street, as part of the NFS," said Geraldine. "A 1939 register shows John at number 16 as an acting Station Sfficer."

Chris Smith has set up a Facebook page exploring the history of the fire service before 1974, when local government reorganisation merged the seven brigades of West Yorkshire into one. His book on the history of the Bradford City Fire Brigade includes a section on John when he was a Station Officer in 1936 and was given a medal for rescuing an elderly couple from a house fire on Otley Road, Bradford.

The book also looks as the centenary of the Low Moor explosion - which resulted in the biggest loss of firefighters ever recorded outside wartime. As reported in the Telegraph & Argus this week, the fire service, in conjunction with Bradford Council, is putting on an exhibition at City Hall about the explosion, opening on Thursday, August 18.

"I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has photographs and information from before 1974, when the brigade was merged in the West Yorkshire Fire Service," said Chris.

* Visit facebook.com/History-of-the-Fire-Service-in-West-Yorkshire-before-1974-114083832085711/