Thursday 30th May 1940
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) receive a call from the Admiralty to send a Fireboat to participate in a secret mission
A volunteer crew was selected comprising of four regular firemen, six Auxiliary Fire Service personell, two sub officers and a station officer. All LFB men could work the engines and one of them was an ex-naval signalman.<br />
Massey Shaw was provisioned in two hours, taking additional fuel, oils, and water and cast off at 4pm.<br />
They found a PLA River Pilot, Mr Punch to take them down river and reached Holehaven and stayed overnight.