Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 21 February 1914
A Splendid Corps
Work of the Ambulance Men
Denaby Division at Dinner
The proceedings at the annual dinner of the Denaby and Cadeby Main Corps of the St. John Ambulance Brigade were once again marked with the utmost conviviality, and the company, which numbered close on 180, spent a thoroughly enjoyable evening. An excellent repast was done full justice to, and after the cloths had been removed an equally pleasant time was spent. District Superintendent W. H. Chambers presided, and he was supported by Superintendent Soar (Maltby), Corps Surgeon Dr. J. J. Huey, Superintendent C. W. Phillips, Superintendent C. W. Cocks, Superintendent H. S. Witty (Swinton Division), Divisional Surgeon (Dr.) W. McClure, Superintendent H. Williamson, and Ambulance Officers W. V. Simpkins, G. H. Milnes, and Cooke. The men came from Mexboro’, Maltby, and Wath.
Memories
The loyal toasts were honoured, and on the call of the CHAIRMAN, who said that there was no more loyal body of men than the members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and therefore he gave them the toast of His Majesty the King, the Sovereign Patron of their Order. They were particularly privileged in that part in having a closer association with His Majesty than most. They would never forget the visit of the King and Queen on the occasion of their deepest distress and sorrow, and they were deeply grateful to them for it. (Applause.) Then they had another instance of his interest in their welfare in the form of the presentation to those men, every one knew what they did, who so well merited the decoration of St. John of Jerusalem, and who were truly heroes. (Hear, hear.)
The toast was enthusiastically honoured.
Welcome for the Warrior
“The Army” was proposed by Superintendent PHILLIPS, who said he was sure they would all sympathise with him in having to say something about the service he had had nothing to do with. (Laughter.) They in Denaby had one thing to remember, he continued, that was the splendid response made during the South African War. A great number of men went from there and acquitted themselves with credit. (Applause.) A great number of men who went through the war were working there, and he was sure fresh men would be welcomed, providing they behaved themselves and did their share. (Applause.)
Sanctuary for the Ex-Soldier
Sergt. POWER responded, remarking that these were days when they thought a lot of what their army and navy had done in the past, and would do in the future. He could not say that the time-expired soldier had been treated as he should have been treated. He remembered the time during the South African War, when, if the people had seen Tommy Atkins in a militia uniform, they would have carried him all round the town. Since the South African War that feeling had died down in some parts of the country, and he was pleased to be able to tell them that in Denaby at least they were not so. He came to Denaby Main ten years ago, and Captain Witty gave him a great welcome. Since that time a great number of ex-soldiers came into that place, and many were there. If they were all right they got on in Denaby Main, and could get on.
A Big Transaction
Dr. J. J. HUEY proposed the health of “The Colliery Company.” Recently, he said, that Company had supplied over one million tons of coal to one port, and that was what no other colliery had done. They were deeply indebted to the Company for their sympathy and support of everything connected with sport. The officials, to a man, not only met the men at work but at play. They would find them on the football field and on the cricket field. They had also to thank the Company for their generous support in everything connected with ambulance. In their chief as managing director, they had a gentleman who had his heart and soul in first-aid, and he thought they would agree with him when he said that without his generous sympathy and support their ambulance corps would not occupy the proud position it occupied all over England. (Applause.) He gave them the toast of “The Colliery Company.”
Praise for the Officer
Sergeant POWER then proposed the “Officer Commanding and Officers.” They all knew, he said, what difficulty they had had during the last two or three years, and he need not tell them that those difficulties had brought them down a little. A lot of good comrades, some of the very best, had gone from them. They all mourned those comrades, and hoped they were at rest. Before they could become a Corps fit to be seen, he continued, they must have officers to lead them, and he had never come across a better class of gentlemen than they had in the Denaby Main Corps. (Hear, hear.) The work which they had done was of the best, and, as everyone knew, their officer commanding was second to none in the service. (Hear, hear.) He was proud to be able to speak about their officers, who headed the list of attendances. At the present time, he continued, they were receiving a good number into the corps. (Hear, hear.) They must give him a little credit for knowing a man when he saw him, after his length of service, and he could see some good men. They were a little shy about wearing the uniform, but later they would be proud of that uniform. (Hear, hear.) What had the officials done? They had given the men the best instruction possible to obtain. At the present time they had two ex-sergeant-majors of the British Army, and two ex-colour-sergeants; and could they have anything better? (“No!”) They had instructors in first-aid who were second to none, but to take advantage of that the men must be disciplined. Proceeding, he urged them to make every effort to turn up and do in all their attendances, and mentioned that in the future it was intended to hold week-end camps.
Some Interesting Figures
Replying to the toast, Mr. CHAMBERS, who was given an exceedingly cordial reception, first of all read the following statistics relating to the strength of the Corps, which, he said, was the largest Corps in No. Five Division, which included Leeds and Sheffield and all the populous towns, embracing, as it did, practically the whole of Yorkshire, Notts., Leicestershire, Staffordshire, and Lancashire: The strength of the Denaby Main Corps, including Wath Division and Maltby Division, on the 30th September, 1913, he said, was: Officers 25, Sergeants 9, Corporals 13, Privates 262; total Effectives 309. Joined since 30th Sept., 1912, 66; left since 30th Sept., 1912, 34. Lectures, instruction drills and practices held during the year, 313; average attendance, 115; cases attended on public duty, 71; cases attended not on public duty, 616; cases taken to hospital or home, 83; annual re-examination passed, 211; failed 7; surgeons, 10; members in possession of medallions, 178; of 5-years’ service badges, 79; of nursing certificates, 62.
The number of certificates, vouchers, medallions, and labels issued in connection with the Denaby Main Ambulance Class since 1893 was: Men’s: Certificates 464, Vouchers 285, Medallions 237, Labels 476; total 1462. Women’s: Nursing and first-aid class. Number of Certificates, Medallions, Vouchers and Labels issued since 1905: Nursing Certificates 78; First-aid Certificates 62; Medallions 40, Labels 52; total 232.
First-aid Certificates, Vouchers, etc., presented were: Male Class: First-aid Certificates 17, Vouchers 12, Medallions 16, Labels 82. Female Class: First-aid Certificates 12, Nursing Certificates 38, Medallions 11, Labels 13. There were also presented by Mr. Walton, on behalf of the Colliery Workmen, 42 special medals to nurses who had rendered useful service at Cadeby Colliery, on the 9th of July, 1912.
The members of the Brigade are organised as under for attendance at the collieries in the event of a serious accident: Trained to use self-contained breathing apparatus and to work in an irrespirable atmosphere, 40; men deputed to follow up these brigades in pit, 60; men for service on the surface and to convey injured to hospital or home, 80; nurses to attend at pits and assist doctors, 20; nurses to assist patients in their own homes, 40.
A Splendid Record
Proceeding, Mr. CHAMBERS said that it was exceedingly creditable that such a large number of medallions should have been issued, for a man could not gain one until he had four years’ service. He did not think there was another Corps in the country that could show that proportion of medallions. The organisation worked admirably when it was wanted. It had been very much commended by H.M. Inspectors, and the system had been recommended to be adopted in other places. (Hear, hear.) Proceeding, he said that regular attendance depended on the Sergeants and Corporals more than on anybody else. He paid a great tribute to the work of Sergeant Power in connection with the Maltby Division. To him and to him only was the formation and growth of that division due, and they were proud to have him associated with them. (Hear, hear.) He urged all present to act as missionaries, and increase still further the strength of the Corps. It was proposed to have week-end camps at Sandbeck and Roche Abbey, and they hoped to have a jolly time, as well as a time for instruction. It was also proposed to form small committees to look after the welfare of the Corps. They would want a committee to be responsible for the entertainments, and one for the messing arrangements, and a camp committee to see about the arrangements of the tents. Concluding, he said he was looking forward to the next year as being a great success, and one that would give another fillip to the prosperity of the Corps, of which he was exceedingly proud. (Applause.)
Amongst the contributors to an excellent programme of harmony were Sergeant Woolhouse, Sergeant Smith, Sergeant Mooley, Corporal A. Robinson, and Messrs. T. Allen and Hilloughby.