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42
From all parts of London favourable reports were received on the way in which the
staff responded to calls, the quiet and expeditious manner in which they conveyed
casualties to hospitals, and the tolerant manner in which they accepted the comfortless
conditions of life which circumstances had forced upon them.
One important result of the intensification of air attacks was that the auxiliary
service ceased to be available to the same extent as before to provide assistance for
the regular ambulance service.
In May, 1944, the Director of the London Ambulance Service (also Deputy
Medical Officer of Health), Colonel Andrew Topping, T.D., M.D., M.R.C.P., resigned
his appointment in order to take up a position with U.N.R.R.A. Mr. A. G. Helhnan
was appointed Director and Mr. L. Welsh Assistant Director.
Before the flying-bomb attack it was possible to complete the competition for
the auxiliary service Efficiency Cup, which was won for the second time in succession
by station 180 (Honeywell Road School, Battersea); the Runners-up Cup was
won by station 39 (St. Marylebone), also for the second time. The Director's
Cup for the station showing the greatest improvement in the preceding twelve
months went to station 103 (Stepney), and the First Aid Cup to station 191
(Garratt Lane School, Wandsworth).
Two successive improvements in the pay of auxiliary staff were made by the
Government in 1944, and the principle of increased remuneration according to length
of service was established. The differences between the remuneration of men and
women in the graded ranks of the service were not removed, in spite of strong
representations by the Council to the Ministry of Home Security.
During the year the Ministry decided to issue chevrons to members of the auxiliary
service to indicate length of service and wound stripes for those who had been
injured in the course of their duty.
Throughout the year the reduction in the strength of the service had been
almost continuous. The number of full-time personnel fell from 2,518 at the
beginning of the year to 2,158 by September, when the Government decided on a
further reduction of the order of 50 per cent. Although, in view of the rocket attacks,
this figure was not attained, a large number of stations were closed and some of the
personnel had to leave the service. The continuous process of closing stations and
transferring vehicles, equipment and staff raised considerable difficulties in the
operation of the service, but these were overcome.
The regular service continued to work under conditions of no little difficulty
owing to staff shortages and to the deterioration of the mechanical condition of the
ambulances owing to lack of replacements. As one means of overcoming the latter
difficulty some of the vehicles of the auxiliary fleet were converted by the provision
of rear doors, windows, etc., to supplement the regular ambulance service until
such time as it becomes practicable to purchase new vehicles.
SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE
Government evacuation scheme
Certain classes of children were evacuated throughout the year to special
parties, etc.. as follows :—
To nursery, nursery school, and handicapped children 6,748
To national camp 3
To hostels (specially difficult children and children of mothers on essential
war work) 70
To billets (secondary school children 493)
(central school children 36)
(technical school children 105) 634
Compulsory evacuations (Defence Regulation 31c) 5
Total 7,460