Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 01 February 1913
Fine Fellows
Mr. Chambers And the Ambulance Men
Annual Dinner Speeches
Memories of the Cadeby Disaster
Comrades That Have Gone
The 6th annual dinner of the Denaby Main St. John Ambulance Brigade was held on Saturday evening, at which nearly 100 comrades, ladies, honorary members, and ambulance men, which out of so many comrades, remained fresh in the minds of all who attended this popular function. As usual, the after-dinner speeches were of an interesting character. Mr. W. L. Gibbs, the landlord of the Denaby Main Hotel (where the dinner was held) succeeded in preparing an excellent six-course meal, to which full justice was done by upwards of seventy persons, including over sixty members of the Corps, and a good muster from Mexboro’ and Maltby. When the cloths were removed, the evening was given up to conviviality.
District Chief Superintendent W. H. Chambers (commanding the Denaby Corps) was in the chair, and there were present Corps Surgeon J. H. Huey (superintendent Corps), Sergeants W. E. Duty (Maltby), Superintendent P. White (commanding the Mexboro’ Division), Superintendent H. S. Witty (commanding the Cadeby Division), Superintendent C. W. Phillips, First Officer H. W. Smith, Fourth Officer G. H. Stiff, Fourth Officer W. V. Simpkins, Third Officer W. V. Walker, Sergeant-Major E. Power, Sergeants W. E. Walker, J. Poweil, A. W. Aker, L. Saville (2nd), Sergeant-Major J. E. Ingledew, P. Wilson (ex-Corps-Sergeant), Corporal J. Bucknall, E. Parry, and J. Springfield. Lieut. Walker (of the Yorkshire Light Infantry), Councillor J. Wood, J.P., Alderman Councillor Unwin, and others.
The King
The Chairman proposed the toast of “The King,” and referred to the Royal review of ambulance men at Windsor last year. He thought His Majesty was interested by the work of the St. John Ambulance Brigade (hear, hear), and, in fact, he thought the people were the more privileged to witness the review. They were brave men, improved in the appearance, physique, and behaviour of the men. They were proud of the King, and he thought the King was proud of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. (Applause.) The toast was drunk with musical honours.
Army And Navy
Superintendent Soar proposed the toast of “The Army and Navy.” He had been talking to an officer in the Navy. He said he had afforded him that all the English Parks were preparing for emergencies in the Turkish territories, as serious trouble was expected there yet. And it was at those times that ambulance work should be done. He thought it would be better for them, as it always hoped it would, there would be very little for the Army to do. Germany would be pleased when the day arrived to make war on England, and that day would come, there was no doubt. He asked them to drink to the health of the Army and Navy. (Applause.)
The Officers
Sergeant-Major Power gave the toast of “The Officers of the Denaby Main Corps,” and referred to the work of the Corps generally. Those of them who had been in the Corps for a number of years knew what excellent officers they had. There was scarcely a brigade that had better officers, a good number of other present, and he thought that was a good example to the rank and file. They should try and follow in their officers’ footsteps. He was pleased to say that they had eleven medical men in the Corps, and he thought that was a record for the country. He had medical men in the Corps to bring the ambulance men to perfection, and they could not gain that perfection unless they attended to their teachings.
During the past year, the average attendance at the Corps classes was 51. The Brigade had performed some very, very hard work during 1912. On June 22nd they formed part of the divisional Windsor, and he assured them it was a grand sight. There were 13,000 ambulance men on parade, and the sight was one which they would never forget so long as they lived. He did not suppose they would have another review for years to come. However, the Denaby Corps had the honour of sending up a great number of men from the district over to the United Kingdom. (Hear, hear.) The total strength of the Brigade was 350, and they were present at the review 215. (Loud applause.) There were also a record number of nurses present. The conduct of the men was both good and returning, was most exemplary. No one could deny that. The review was very tedious indeed. The men who were not used to standing on parade in military style soon got tired. But he did not remember seeing one case of a member having had too much to drink.
At the fall in at Windsor station, there was not one man absent, which spoke volumes for the men. He showed that the discipline of the Corps was perfect. (Hear, hear.) There had been a good deal of talk about the men, and that the Army was not much to think about. (Laughter.) That night he, in some places, had it as bad. They might be able to support a foreign service, being called away to guard foreign ports or coast provinces of the country. In that case they would be called away, they would be very soon come in. They seemed to feel a talk about the national service. In that case he did not agree with that, because there was no need to be conscripted into the first line of National Defence. That would not carry them through that. (Laughter.) And they expected the people would not carry them through that. The people would support them. He said that the Ambulance men were as much in need as the Army. (Applause.)
Compulsory Service
Lieutenant Kerr responded to the toast. Referring to compulsory service, he said that nowadays everything seemed to point to it. The Territorial brigades were now being raised from the mining villages. All the brigade major rank and officers and also the brigade men were doing well. And the men were taking the training as good as the regulars. There were some men in the Corps that would be willing to give himself up for the service. In South Africa, too, the system was working well, the men responding nobly, despite all objections. Mr. Chambers prided himself that they were always in front of the people. There were about 1,000 of them because they were in front. And so were the ambulance men. There were in front of any Colliery Service Bill. The “Terriers” were very jealous of the type of men they got in the St. John Ambulance Brigades. (Hear, hear.) They were short of officers in the Territorial, and he did not know what was going to happen. They were hoping to get a few more officers. (Applause.)
Efficient And Adequate
The Chairman responded. It was quite true, as Sergeant Power had said, that every officer in the Corps was very desirous indeed of doing all he could to encourage the men to maintain their high standard of efficiency. (Hear, hear.) The Corps had been formed fourteen years, and very great progress had been made during that time. It was in their hands to maintain that efficiency and smartness which had characterised their progress. He was glad to see that there were some of the original members still numbers of the Corps. But they could not go on for ever, and they wanted the junior members to be competent, and to fill the places of the older ones, and, in fact, fill their places better.
There had been a good deal said about the Army and Navy, and what a great deal depended upon them. What would the Army do nowadays without an ambulance? They saw the papers all sorts of comments as to whether the Army was efficient and adequate. Quite, but he had never seen anything, or any criticism, about the ambulance not being efficient and adequate. It was efficient, and nobody could question it; and the ambulance men did their work for less than 2½d. per week. (Applause.) The Army and Navy were training to make themselves efficient at a cost to the nation of something, whilst the ambulance men underwent their training regularly for nothing.
I Am Proud
“Look what a fine lot of fellows they are,” proceeded the speaker. “I am proud of my command, and of my position in the district. As I said before, when we went to the review at Windsor we opened the eyes of a good many people to what the St. John Ambulance Brigade consisted of. We have heard say that they want men of similar physique in the Territorial. They are a lot of men of the physique, and they are men of something else, and that is high courage. Ambulance men need not take a back seat to either the Army or Navy for courage. What does their courage consist of? Some take very courageous if they have shots to fire back. (Laughter.) What has the ambulance man to do? He has no shots to fire back with. He has to go to anybody who requires his assistance. He has to carry the wounded out, and be exposed to all risks. He has no chance of hitting back. He has nothing to hit back with, and he would not if he had. That is the sort of courage that is in the man.”
Memories of Cadeby
In a voice broken with emotion, the speaker continued: “I have not seen quite recently, to our sad remembrance. What those courageous ambulance men did here. What was the cry? ‘Send some men in.’ Any men? ‘No; ambulance men.’ And the ambulance men nobly responded. Yet in the midst of our joviality we have a sad place in our hearts for those comrades that have gone. That is courage. It is a great end, but it is very sad for those who are left behind to miss them that we love so well. The men played their part nobly. The women, too, with their share. What should we have done without those nursing sisters that day?
They merited the admiration of all who saw what they did. They knew their places. They had been deputed to take their places in a casualty of that kind. They did their duty. They attended to everybody—those who were mutilated down below, those who were almost at life’s end, and they came out to the poor distressed ones at the pit top that had lost someone, and who were in doubt about their beloved ones. And they were comforted by those women. I shall never forget that day, and you never will. Yes, we were proud of our nursing sisters before. Now we can only have in our hearts deep gratitude for what they did. It is said that a woman has no courage. Hasn’t she? She would scream at a mouse, but, my word, she will go and do things that a man dare not look at, and she did it that day. (Hear, hear.) Men would have been in absolute terror, and would have not known what to do. They went without any ostentation and fuss, and we are grateful for what they did.” (Applause.)
On The Battlefield
Continuing, the Chairman said that was what an ambulance man might be called upon to do any day. Various accidents occurred every day, and many lives were saved by the ambulance men, who were always ready to render assistance. He had heard of a man bleeding to death in the street owing to the bursting of a varicose vein. That happened in the Strand, and the man went down. Fortunately ambulance men were at hand. It was an abnormal thing.
Ambulance men saved innumerable lives. It did not want high skill to treat a burst varicose vein. He hoped that they would try and get more to join the classes. The first object was to reach them to do something to themselves, and the knowledge was very easy to acquire. He had been at it for thirty years, and he did not pretend to be a doctor. By a knowledge of first aid they would be able to do something before a doctor arrived. Was not it gratifying to feel that they had rendered some assistance to a fellow-creature who was in distress? There was nothing he was prouder of than the knowledge of ambulance work he possessed, and the opportunity to exercise it. In every one of the fifty or so incidents in the midst of their mates what ambulance work really meant—that it was a duty everybody ought to undertake. He was anxious that every man and woman should have a knowledge of first aid. (Hear, hear.) They attended the drills and lectures, and learned to carry the injured comfortably, and take them to the hospital without complicating their wounds, and then, if by any chance the enemy invaded our shores, he thought that every ambulance man would be pledged to render every assistance to the Army. (Hear, hear.) If they were unfortunately called upon to practise first aid on the battlefield, they would do it to the admiration of all.
Presentation
The Chairman then presented to Lionel Stones a certificate from the Yorkshire Mines Inspection District in recognition of his services in saving the life of William Harris, a fitter at one of the pits, by rendering him first aid.
The Visitors
Corps Surgeon Huey gave the toast of “The Visitors.” He was pleased to see such a good company present, and especially so many of his old friends. He thought they ought to ask the visitors who were not already members of the Association to enrol as soon as possible.
Councillor Clayton responded. It had given him very great pleasure to be present that evening. He always did give him the greatest pleasure to come to Denaby amongst men of his own class, because he was an old miner, and he did not mind owning up to it. He was never ashamed to say that his first day’s work was done in a coal pit. However, by industry and thrift he managed to get out of the pit, and he hoped they would all be as successful as himself. Referring to the Denaby ambulance men, Mr. Clayton said they could not only render first aid when required, but they could also sing very nicely. Although not a member of the Corps, he and Mr. Wood were glad to be present at their function.
Councillor Wood, who also responded, said that, along with his colleague, Mr. Clayton, it gave him great pleasure to be amongst them. That was the first time he had been to their annual dinner, and he hoped it would not be the last. It was something like 25 years ago since he took his ambulance certificate, and he might say that it was very difficult to get instructors for the classes in those days. He thought it was a great necessity that every man and woman should have a knowledge of ambulance work, not only for their own sakes, but for the sakes of others. He hoped the time would come when ambulance work would be taught in the schools, so that every boy and girl, when they grew up, would be of great use, not only to themselves, but to others. (Applause.)
During the evening musical items were rendered by members of the Corps and others, including Messrs. T. Broadbent, J. Mellor, T. Allen, J. H. Hewitt, and H. S. Witty.