A man who saved a city hall from being destroyed by a bomb by carrying a sandbag between his teeth and scaling a drainpipe has been honoured for his 100th birthday.
Ronald Brignall, who lives at a care home in Steyning, was just 16 years old when he saved Cardiff City Hall from an incendiary bomb dropped on the roof during a German air raid.
On February 2, 1941, Ronald was walking home from college where he was studying to become a plumber.
As he passed City Hall, the air raid sirens alerted people to the onset of a German bombing attack and he saw an incendiary bomb land on its roof.
He grabbed two sandbags and holding one under his arm and another gripped between his teeth scaled a drainpipe, climbing 25 feet to the roof to put out the flames, cheered on by the firewatchers standing below.
Ronald then went down and carried a fire hose back up the drainpipe – again gripped between his teeth – and finished the job while the firewatchers supplied water via a stirrup pump on the ground.
By the end of his mission, despite the ongoing raid, a crowd had gathered to congratulate him.
At the time, newspapers reported that Ronald's only comment was his jaw was sore from carrying the five kilo bag of sand up to the roof and he had ruined his suit.
Today he said that at the time he was excited at being able to make some small contribution to the war effort.
“I was only a teenager,” he said, “and I didn’t have any fear. I just wanted to make sure the bomb didn’t do any damage to City Hall.”
His story was recorded in local newspapers at the time but until now there has been no official recognition of a feat that stopped the important building from being destroyed.
Remarkably, Ronald’s family only discovered the story three months ago.
His son Ian Brignall told The Argus: “We had the party coming up for Dad’s birthday and wanted to find some photos.
“We found a wallet with newspaper clippings in including one that had been in the South Wales Echo.”
Ian did some research and found a PhD student at Cardiff had mentioned his father’s story in a book and pieced it all together.
Ronald, who was born in Cardiff, lived most of his life in South Wales.
He moved to a care home in Steyning to be near to his daughter Sue Whelan who lives in the town.
The Lord Mayor of Cardiff Councillor Bablin Molik made the nearly 200-mile trip to present Ronald with a certificate to thank him for his heroism and celebrate his 100th birthday on April 4.
Cllr Molik told The Argus: “Cardiff City Hall is a prominent building in Cardiff and marks the city’s history.
“It sits in the heart of the city. Mr Brignall saved this landmark.”
Cllr Molik received messages from dozens of Cardiff residents who wanted her to pass on their thanks.
The hall, though currently closed for refurbishment, is usually open to the public for tours.
Geoff Cook, the manager of the building, has been telling Ronald’s story for years without knowing he is still alive. Now Ronald has been honoured, his story will be part of the tours.
After his adventure, Ronald became an official firewatcher and in 1944, he joined the RAF and became a rear-gunner on Whitley and Halifax bombers, featuring in Operation Varsity, the crossing of the Rhine by the Allies, in 1945.
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