XN000022-1975-03-01 — Page 7

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SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1975

C.B.F. TAKES SALUTE AT

FIREMEN'S PASSING OUT PARADE

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THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES, LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR EDWIN BRAMALL, TOLD FIREMEN TAKING PART IN A PASSING-OUT PARADE TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT THEY HAD CHOSEN A FINE JOB AND A FINE WAY OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY.

THE C.B.F. WAS ADDRESSING 100 FIREMEN WHO HAVE JUST COMPLETED A 26-WEEK INITIAL TRAINING COURSE AT THE FIRE SERVICES TRAINING SCHOOL IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

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HE SAID: +YOU HAVE CHOSEN A FINE JOB AND A FINE WAY OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY - NOT AN EASY OR SAFE AND QUIET JOB, AND ALL CREDIT TO YOU FOR CHOOSING SOMETHING ADVENTUROUS- BUT A JOB THAT WILL REQUIRE ALL YOUR STRENGTH, INITIATIVE, COURAGE AND COOL-HEADEDNESS.+

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SIR EDWIN TOLD THE FIREMEN THEY WOULD FIND THEMSELVES IN MANY EMERGENCIES - TURNED OUT AT SHORT NOTICE FROM THEIR MEAL TABLES AND BEDS AND THEY COULD EXPECT TO HAVE TO FACE DANGER AND BE TIRED, HOT AND VET IN THE SUMMER, COLD AND WET IN THE WINTER.

+BUT YOU WILL HAVE THE SATISFACTION OF KNOWING THAT YOU ARE SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING TO SAVE LIVES AND PROPERTY,+ HE SAID.

HE RECALLED THAT, LAST YEAR, THE FIRE SERVICE WAS CALLED UPON NO LESS THAN 12,052 TIMES AND SAID: THE FIRE SERVICE NEEDS YOU BADLY, AND I CONGRATULATE YOU ON BEING SELECTED FOR THIS FINE SERVICE AND FOR YOUR SUCCESS IN THIS COURSE OF BASIC TRAINING.+

GENERAL BRAMALL ALSO SENT HIS +GOOD WISHES+ TO THE SENIOR COURSE OF OFFICERS AND AMBULANCE MEN AT PRESENT ATTENDING ADVANCED COURSES AT THE TRAINING SCHOOL. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT, TOO, TO THE RECRUIT OFFICERS ON PARADE,+ HE SAID. +YOUR COURSE IS A TOUGH ONE AND YOU STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO WITH IT, BUT IF YOU WORK HARD AT YOUR STUDY AND YOUR DRILLS, ALL 19 OF YOU WILL BE PASSING OUT IN A FEW MONTHS' TIME AND I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THAT.+

GENERAL BRAMALL INSPECTED THE PARADE AND TOOK THE SALUTE DURING THE MARCH PAST. HE LATER WATCHED THE NEWLY QUALIFIED FIREMEN GIVE A FIREFIGHTING DEMONSTRATION.

THE PARADE WAS THE 20TH TO BE HELD SINCE THE TRAINING SCHOOL FIRST OPENED IN 1968. IT WAS COMMANDED BY MR. P.N. BUCKINGHAM, ASSISTANT DIVISIONAL OFFICER. MUSIC FOR THE PARADE WAS PROVIDED BY THE BAND OF BRIGADE OF GURKHAS.

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