Mexborough & Swinton Times December 21, 1940
Specials at Dinner
Conisborough Section Leader´s 1,000 Hours
The second annual dinner of the Conisborough Section of the West Riding Special Constabulary took place at the Fox Inn, Conisborough, last Thursday, and was attended by about 60 local special constables and guests, which included the Vicar of Conisborough, Cannon H. T. Eddershaw: The Divisional Commander, Mr. E. W. Pettifer: the Assistant Divisional Commander, Rev. A. Saunderson: Supt. T. Gordon: Detective Inspector Lee, and Inspector Dunn.
The Head Warden, Coun. A. M. Carlin, who proposed the toast to the West Riding Special Constabulary, said that it was a pleasure and privilege to be associated with another branch of the civil defence, and referred to the good work of two local Specials who recently detected and apprehended two youths when they broke into a garage.
Responding, Mr. E. W. Pettier urged special constables not to be discouraged or dismayed if nothing happened whilst they were on patrol. They very presence on the streets acted as a deterrent to the law-breaker, and they were therefore performing a very useful service to the community.
A toast to the West Riding Police was proposed by Canon Eddershaw, who said that the law should be a friend to the law-abider, but a terror to the evil-doer. One of the marks of the West Riding Police he said was their sympathy and understanding and the number of tasks which they now had to perform baffled his imagination.
Responding Supt. T. Gordon made references to the good work which was performed by local Specials Wardens and Home Guards when a child was missed from her home during the summer, and he praised them for their good work in this connection. He stated that in the Doncaster Division some 3,000 men had been trained as Special Constables.
The Section Commander, Mr. C. E. Webster, proposed a toast to HM the King, and during the evening it was revealed that Mr. Webster had now completed 1,000 hours of duty as Section Leader, whilst other members of the section were well on their way towards achieving the same figure.
Entertainment was provided by Mr. T. Oldfield and Mr. Carmody.