Our St John Ambulance Station...

Reginald Herbert Blanchford OBE, GM, LFIBA (1915- 2002)
A life lived ‘pro utilitate hominum’ 

Reginald Blanchford was educated at Les Vauxbelets College, where his attainments on the sports field had as their counterpart a deplorable performance in the classroom. In despair at his academic record his father removed him from school at the age of 14 in the hope of grooming him for the family business. These attempts were frustrated by a lad who had yet to discover his métier.
At the age of 15 he found his vocation. In October 1930 he was involved in a near-fatal accident and his appalling experiences brought home to him the gross inadequacies of the ramshackle provision then made by the States in its Ambulance Service, which consisted of one vehicle driven by a part-time amateur with no medical or first-aid knowledge, who also served as a volunteer fireman!
His recovery from the accident was slow and painful but by 1936 he had recovered sufficiently to embark on the task he had set himself during his ordeal. In 1934 a division of the St John Ambulance Brigade had been formed in Guernsey and it now acquired a recruit of peerless determination and devotion. So dedicated that it is no exaggeration to say that the existence in the Bailiwick of any ambulance service worthy of the name is due almost entirely to the tenacious efforts of this man of vision and integrity. 
Refusing to be abashed by his junior status, Blanchford agitated the division, which incredibly, had no ambulance) justified its title by acquiring a second-hand conveyance. He then ran so efficient a service that in December 1939 (in anticipation of possible war-time casualties) the States handed over all ambulance responsibilities to the Brigade, promising to help with an annual grant, and also with the purchase of new vehicles as and when necessary. 
The services were kept intact throughout the Occupation and on March 1947, the Lieutenant Governor formally opened the new radio-equipped ambulance station: the first in the world! 
Blanchford was convinced there was a need for a marine ambulance to facilitate cliff-rescue work as well as to ferry urgent cases from the smaller islands. He was undaunted when the St John Brigade withdrew its support from the project when the States voted against maintaining such a craft. He turned to the National Round Table Association. The appeal sponsored by their organization went so well that a converted vessel (the Flying Christine) was ready by July 1952. 
Area Commissioner Reginald Blanchford retired in February 1977, and the following November his outstanding work was acknowledged at the annual dinner and dance of the Guernsey and Alderney Division of the British Medical Association, when he was presented with a citation in recognition of his services. The citation reads ‘1936-1977. This citation is presented to Reginald H Blanchford Esq., O.B.E.  K.St.J., G.M., by the chairman and members of the Guernsey and Alderney Division of the British Medical Association, in recognition of a lifetime dedicated to the service of mankind and in appreciation of the help he has given to the care of their patients. The finest ambulance service in the world will remain a living memorial to his work’.

And so it remains today. 

His son, Gary Blanchford wrote “Guernsey’s Occupation Ambulance Service” to place in the public domain the early history of Guernsey’s St John Ambulance Brigade, especially its Transport Section under the leadership of Reg Blanchford.
I have the book but haven’t had time to read it yet; though I have looked through all the photographs.

What we have to remember is that the Ambulance Service is not free. Most people take out an annual subscription; single, family, couple or child. A single senior is £31.00 per year. An emergency ambulance call out can cost up to £380.00!