South Yorkshire Times June 3, 1950
S.J.A.B. Honours for Denaby First-Aiders
Three men, living or working In Denaby, have been notified that they are to be made Honorary Serving Brothers of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
The three, Mr. F. Ward, Mr. G.Williams and Mr L Johnson are all members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Their institution as Serving Brothers will take place probably In London, but the date, place and name of the person who will perform the ceremony (usually the King, but on the last occasion the Duke of Gloucester) are not yet known.
Mr. Frank Ward, a retired miner, of 55, Bolton Street, Denaby, resigned from Denaby division of the Ambulance Brigade in 1947, although he still retains some connection with the branch. He joined in 1909, when he was taking classes, and became a full member a year later. During the first world war he was with the Royal Garrison Artillery, treated injured in action in France and Belgium, and gave assistance to the police during air raids. In 1912 he attended a Royal inspection at Windsor, and the same year was a member of the first-aid team on duty at the Cadeby Colliery explosion He several times attended accident cases at the colliery, where he was crippled in 1942, himself an accident case. He became a sergeant in the Brigade in 1919, secretary of the Ambulance Club in 1922, and resigned from that post last October.
For eight years he was on the Fullerton Hospital Board, and for as chairman. During the last war he was on the first-aid section and A.R.P. gas section of the Civil Defence movement. Mr. Ward has a long service medal and two bars.
Mr. Len Johnson (57), of Warmsworth Street, Denaby, a miner at Denaby Main Colliery, is a member of Mexborough Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. He is also a long service member, with a medal and four bars. Mr. Johnson was secretary of the Mexborough Division for 25 years until last year, when he resigned. He Joined the Brigade in 1915 He was also secretary of the Children’s Outing Fund associated with the Ambulance Club, secretary of the Ambulance Club for four years, and on several occasions steward at competitions up and down the country.
Mr. George Williams, a deputy at Denaby Main Colliery, now lives in Fitzwilliam Road, Rotherham, where he went a year ago. Although a native of Hemsworth he lived in Denaby for 34 years before going to Rotherham. Mr. Williams began as a private in the Brigade in 1919, became a sergeant in 1930, Ambulance Officer in 1945, and in 1947 became Corps Officer, a position he still retains. He was secretary of the Denaby Division of the Brigade from 1930 to 1945, took part in competition work for about 25 years, winning several trophies, and has a long service medal with three bars. During the last war he was instructor to the Civil Defence movement in Denaby and Conisbrough, attached to the first-aid mobile section and the Home Guard stretcher guard.