Significance

Yields information about the preparations undertaken by the Ballarat Fire Brigade to form a welcoming arch for a visiting Governor General..

Physical description

Digital image from the Wal Jack Ballarat Album of Ballarat No. 20 passing under the two LaFrance fire brigade ladders forming an arch outside the Ballarat City Fire station on 8/3/1955 to greet the Governor General Sir William Slim, Sturt and Raglan Streets.



Wal's album notes say "No. 20 passing under 2-100' extension ladders as an arch to welcome Sir William Slim, Governor General. Sturt and Raglan St 8-3-1955."



See image i2 for rear of photograph.

See image i3 for hi res scan of print.

See image i4 for hi res scan of negative\



Neville Britton of the BTM advised 2/5/2020:



Seven LaFrance 100' ladders built by the American LaFrance Company, of

Elmira, New York arrived in Australia in 1942 as part of the WW2 lend lease

program. One each to Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. Four initially to the MFB

but within a short period of time went to the CFA. One each to Geelong City

FS, Ballarat City FS and Bendigo FS. The fourth was a stand in and was

located at the Ballarat FS when not required. Thus the two ladders in the

photo at the Ballarat City FS.



I was a volunteer at Ballarat City FB from 1967 and commenced my career

employment there in 1970. The two LaFrance ladders were still in Ballarat at

that time. In the mid 70's the 'spare' was allocated to the Dandenong FS.

They were retired in the 1980's. The four Victorian ladders still survive.

Ex Geelong City is at the Fire Services Museum Victoria. They have a second

one that was acquired by a private collector. It was neglected and returned

to the FSMV in poor condition. Ex Ballarat City was driven to Sydney and

remains at the Museum of Fire at Penrith. The fourth one was acquired by a

private collector and stored in a shed in North Geelong and never moved. He

recently died and it may have been sold.



They had a V12 petrol engine with all ignition parts duplicated. So two

Distributors, two ignition coils and two spark plugs per cylinder. Splash

feed engine lubrication.

Inscriptions & markings

On rear in ink.

Top right hand corner "T175" within the Wal Jack stamp.

"SEC Ballarat No. 20 passing under the two LaFrance yank extension ladders ( to greet the Governor General Sir William Slim) Sturt and Raglan Streets. and the date "8 Mar 1955"