Leigh Fire Brigade ceremony rights a wrong after 23 years

One of Leigh Volunteer Fire Brigade’s founding members was recognised for his 26-years service last month, nearly 23 years after his death.Robert Davies was awarded a posthumous Gold-Star last month, in a New Zealand first.

Mr Davies was a founding member of the station, which opened in 1966, and was chief fire officer for 11 years before retiring in 1992. But due to a filing error, the brigade was unable to prove that he had served over 25-years.
He died from a heart attack in November 1992.

“I remember he was upset he didn’t get his Gold Star,” his daughter Carol says. “He knew he had done the time, but his starting date was incorrectly recorded as 1969 and he didn’t have enough time to prove it before he died.

“It was something we discussed for years after. We kept saying ‘we should do something about it’, but it got put in the too hard basket.”

But in 2012, brigade secretary Tony Enderby began looking into the club’s history in preparation for its 50th anniversary next year. He discovered documents proving Mr Davies was a founding member of the brigade.

It took nearly three years of correspondence with the United Fire Brigades Association (UFBA) to right the wrong.
Fellow founding member Robbie Torkington had to verify the documents were correct in front of a Justice of the Peace.
“I think the UFBA were a bit hesitant at first because there isn’t a precedent for it,” Tony says. “But once they realised we weren’t going to let it go they got behind us and last year we were told the star would be awarded.”

At a ceremony at the Leigh station on March 28, assistant area manager John Booth, UFBA past president Graeme Booth and president of the Gold Star Association Neville King presented the Davies family with the medal.

Graeme said Robert lived for the brigade and it was a tragedy he didn’t live to receive the medal.

“This is one Gold Star I will never forget,” Graeme said. “I can only recall one other posthumous award, but that was when the recipient died two days before receiving the medal.

“Putting a wrong right is most important. It doesn’t matter if it was yesterday or 100 years ago. He missed out and that’s tragic. He should have had this Gold Star to wear on his uniform.

“We will do our best to put this right today.”

Carol says the ceremony finally brought closure to the issue, which had hung over the family for 23 years.

“We are just proud as. It means a lot to us.”

Robert has left a long legacy with the brigade. Three of his children have received Gold Stars and the family has a total of 132 years service. His son, Ian Davies, is currently chief fire officer at Warkworth Volunteer Fire Brigade.