Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 28 September 1944

Tribute To Civil Defence

“MITCHAM HAS BEEN WELL SERVED”

“With a greater knowledge and right than anyone to speak, I say emphatically that Mitcham has been well served by her Civil Defence workers.”

Col. Stephen Chart, D.S.O., Mitcham Town Clerk and Controller, made that statement at a mass gathering of Civil Defence workers in the Baths Hall on Saturday night. He added, “You will, we hope, soon be returning to civil occupations, and civil defence will be a thing of the past. Carry into your civil occupations the same co-operative spirit and the same sense of service that you have shown in these war years, and keep up the same friendly relations, and Mitcham will be the better for it. The end of this war will see my retirement from the position of Controller. It has been a matter of considerable pride to me that in this world-wide war I have had under my control a service of such value and with such a reputation.”

The Mayor (Coun. W. Jeffery), Ald. E. J. Field (Chief Warden), and the Deputy Chief Wardens were among those present. The Roosters Concert Party entertained the gathering.

MITCHAM HISTORY

Col. Chart said he had arranged the gathering because it was difficult at the present time to forecast the immediate future of the Civil Defence organisation. It was possible, and perhaps probable, that it would disappear piecemeal, and he would have no other opportunity of speaking to them as a body.

“Some day, perhaps,” he went on, “someone will really compile a history of Mitcham. When that time comes, the history of Civil Defence in these war years made by you will form an important chapter.

“The civil defence work in Mitcham commenced in 1935, without a great deal of encouragement either from the local Council or from many of the public. It owes much to those public-spirited pioneers who braved the sneers of those days and who reaped their rewards some years later. However, it was not until 1939, at the outbreak of war, that the organisation came into existence as a living entity, although, as some of you may well remember, we had before that date amused ourselves with many and varied exercises.

“On Aug. 16, 1940, you received your baptism of fire in the daylight raid at Phipps Bridge. From Sept. 2, 1940, to Dec. 28, 1940, we experienced raids on 52 occasions. In 1941 we had another nine, and, after a lull, two in 1943 and four in 1944. On June 18, 1944, ‘flies’ commenced and, after 48 had fallen between that date and Aug. 11, our troubles apparently ceased, at any rate for the time being.”

THE PERSONAL TOUCH

Speaking to the wardens, Col. Chart said: “Your services are now a household word. You were formed to be the guides, philosophers and friends of all. You have lived up to this reputation, and to say that is to say a great deal. You have been well led by your chiefs, and I, personally, wish to acknowledge gratefully the assistance I have had at all times from the chief warden and the district wardens, and the post wardens.

“To you of the Rescue Parties, there are many persons alive and unhurt to-day who owe their lives to your good work and to the promptness with which you responded to the call. You have helped many other districts and have done good work in the heart of London itself.

“To you of the Ambulance Services, it is not a pleasant job picking up the badly injured and taking them to hospital. Some of your experiences were enough to try the nerves of the strongest. You can feel that, at any rate, one person has realised what it meant and has appreciated what you have done.

“To you at the Fixed First Aid Posts, Mobile Unit, your training has been of the specialist type, and I cannot, therefore, appraise it myself, but others better qualified have given your work unstinted praise. The enthusiasm of your superintendents has never wavered or been surpassed. Your sole complaints were when there were no broken heads nor limbs to bind.

“To you of the Gas Identification Service, you have been unlucky, but the message, ‘Mr. Taylor standing by,’ has never failed. They also serve who only stand and wait.

“To the Incident Officers, we have had a good team, and, although we did not accept all the teaching of the group and regional schools, I had the utmost confidence in you, and that confidence was never misplaced.

“To the Medical Services, you were there when you were wanted. Many of you did much hard work during the training period, and the Rescue and Ambulance Services owe much to you.

“To the Report and Control, you have been a happy party. Nearly all of you have served throughout the war. Your work has mostly been unseen by the public and therefore unsung; nevertheless its value to the public has been immense. We have heard many public tributes to the other services but very few to you, so I wish to take this opportunity of saying how much I appreciate your unfailing loyalty and your good work.”