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knight of St
John
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Full
Score
The origins of the St. John Ambulance date back over 900 years to Jerusalem. In the
19th century, around 400 years after Henry VIII ended the medieval Priory, a
determined group set up the British Order of St. John to care for the sick in
the Hospitaller tradition and the suffering of
workers was one of their main concerns. The movement quickly spread to Britain's overseas colonies including Singapore.
In 1935, Dr. J.S. Webster,O.St.J. a radiologist
with the Medical Services of the General Hospital, Singapore organised First Aid lectures in Singapore with a few
public-spirited friends and brother doctors. The first headquarters was
located one desk in Radiology Department of the General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore. After Dr. Webster
himself left Singapore on
retirement, the Director of the Medical Services, Singapore, was prevailed upon to
take over the responsibility of Director of the St.
John Ambulance Association, Singapore, and he very
generously transferred headquarters to his Board Room, which was on the
4th floor of Fullerton Building,
Singapore.
In September 1938 sufficient number of First Aiders
was recruited to form the first division of the uniformed body of the
Brigade. Before the outbreak of war in Malaya, the Government
incorporated all St. John personnel to form
the nucleus of the Medical Auxiliary Service which was part of the Passive Defence Services of Singapore and Malaya.
A transport Section was formed, and 28 First Aid Posts were organized and
manned in the city.
During the war from 1942 to 1945, our members conducted themselves
magnificently throughout the air-raids, and bomb shelling. Many acts of
bravery and heroism were performed and many laid down their lives on duty
before the fall of Singapore.
Others were imprisoned, but they still continued to help with the training
they had previously received, without the aid of medical equipment denied to
them by the enemy.
In September 1945, Lady Superintendent-in-Chief, the Countess Mountbatten
of Burma, C.I.G.B.E., D.C.V.O., Lld., met over 400
St John members in Singapore at the then Government House (Istana). At that gathering St. John in Singapore was
re-born. In 1945, the temperary Headquarters was
located at St Peter Church.
In 1952, the St. John Council was formed in Singapore. The Council
comprised a body of senior and professional Singapore Citizens and Permanent
Residents who were willing to give their services and specialized knowledge
in an advisory capacity to assist and co-ordinate the St. John Ambulance
Association and Brigade in its work.
In March 1957, St. John Ambulance Headquarters was again transferred and temperary housed at Gilstead Road.
The current St John Ambulance Headquarters at Beach Road was officially opened by
late President of Singapore, H.E. Enche Yusof Ishak on 24 June 1960.
In October 1969, a Sub-Centre of the St. John Ambulance
Association was formed in the industrialized area of Singapore.
With the assistance of the West Area of the
Brigade, this Sub-Centre gives lectures in First Aid and
Home Nursing to many factory workers. It is now known as Jurong Centre.
In June 1978, the Brigade was reorganised and
upgraded to National Headquarters level. This brought our organisation
status at par with St. John Ambulance organisations
in other independent nations. The Brigade was structured into 4 Districts and
10 Areas. In 1996, the Brigade was again re-structured. The District level
was removed, and the Brigade became simply structured into 10 Zones.
Today, the St. John of Singapore continues with its work
for suffering humanity and it assists the Republic of Singapore
whenever called upon in all emergencies such as epidemics, clinic and
hospital duties, the St. John Ambulances also carry the sick and needy
whenever requested. Brigade officers and members provided first-aid coverage
at National, public and other events.
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