Sportsmen in the A.R.P.

Bert Assirati was born in Islington North London in 1908. In the late twenties he became a professional heavyweight wrestler, and went on to become the British, and European champion. At the out break of war he joined the heavy rescue squad based at Kings Cross, and such was his strenght and the enthusiasm with which he worked that he was given the pay, and food of TWO MEN...The authorities said he did AT LEAST four mens work....heavy timbers, blocks of cement weighing hundreds of pounds, were tossed aside with ease as Assirati smoothed the way for the rescue squads who were liberating trapped victims of the Hitler Air Blitz...Boxing and Wrestling took place during the war to entertain the public, and keep up morale. He wrestled at the Bedford Theatre, Camden Town, Prince of Wales Baths, Caledonian Road Baths, Royal Artillery Hall, The Stadium, Holborn,The Ring, Blackfriars...etc, etc,
Mike Hallinan (Biographer of Bert Assirati).

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