ATTEMPTS were made to conscript a retired York fireman to fight against the Russians when he went out to Ukraine to help battle fires.

As The Press reported last week, 56-year-old Bruce Reid, who used to be a watch manager in York and now lives in Knaresborough, flew out to try and help relieve firefighters in Ukraine on Sunday, March 6.

He made the journey after inquiring at the Ukrainian embassy, and flew from Leeds Bradford to Krakow in Poland before making the journey to the border by train.

“I eventually got to the rendezvous point on the border late that night, and after spending the night crashed with many others on a hotel foyer floor I was told I would have to sign a disclaimer and make my own way 30 miles into Ukraine to Yavoriv military base were I would be taught to fight,” he said.

“That was never what I came for. Before I left home I’d made an understanding with my family that I would not leave the country unless I was taking over from a Ukrainian firefighter.

“To be told I needed to sign a contract to join the Ukrainian army was a massive shock. I would then have had to go on to train at a military base - that has since been bombed by the Russians. I said “I’m not signing”.

“Prior to going I knew there was a possibility I might be killed and I was prepared to take that risk, but only working for the fire service.

“I didn’t want a crash course in using an AK-47 and I didn’t want to shoot people. I want to help people not kill them.

“If someone had explained to me beforehand that really what they wanted was people who were prepared to take up arms I wouldn’t have gone.”

Bruce managed to make his way back through Poland and boarded a plane headed back to the UK.

He said, he feels disappointed that he wasn’t able to help in the way he’d planned, but is relieved to be back home with his wife, Kirsty, and the family.

“I was very pleased to see my family when I walked through arrivals at the airport and my wife has since said my passport has been surrendered to her,” he said.

Since arriving home, Bruce said he’s spoken to between 15 and 20 other people from around the world who have found themselves in a similar situation on arrival at the Ukrainian border.

He said: “They are mostly people who had go over there to do humanitarian work and they’ve been asked to sign this form which would mean they’d be taken to a military base to begin training.”

Bruce retired from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2020 after 36 years working across the county, including York.

The Press reported last year that he was one of a small number of British firefighters who made it to New York in the days after the Twin Towers were attacked to attend the funerals of New York firefighters after 9/11.

Bruce, along with colleagues Steve Willey, Phil Wheelhouse, and Owen Hines, had to arrange the trip themselves, managing to get hold of Rick Steinburg, the coordinating officer of the New York fire department.