A trip down memory lane
In a strange way, it’s probably best to start with today and work back through time, as Wantage fire station has almost three hundred years of history, and I have only been at the helm for 5 of those.
In fact I am extremely proud to say that I knew every Officer to actually hold the post of OIC Wantage going right back to the world war 2, sadly both John And Bob recently passed on, but both leave a strong legacy in sprit on the station and the people of Wantage and will be sadly missed by the people they served. 
1940's-- 1950’s John Kent
1950’s --1970’s Bob Cowie
1970’s --2000’s Ian Hermon
2000's-- Tony Whiting
Ian Hermon
In 1998 I joined the station with Patrick Heaver, I was meet by a good friend of mine George Crane (leading fire-fighter), and the top man himself Ian Hermon, possibly the most claim and collective fire-fighter I have ever meet, I could never of guessed that just 4 years later he would be handing over the helm to me.
The crew back then, was Ian Hermon, Fred Holmes, George Crane, Mick Mills, Steve Series, Andy Highton, Bob Mack, John Banfield , Paul Walsh, Simon Matthews, Graham Gardner, Pat Heaver and me. And before they left, Fred, George and Ian clocked up an amazing 100 years service between them, a feat that may never be matched, and something thing that they should be so proud of.
George Crane
Wantage station is part of the Vale of White Horse area, and Oxfordshire fire and rescue service, but that was not always the case in fact until the late 70’s it was part of the Royal Berkshire Fire Brigade.
In the 50’s Wantage station moved from the Victoria cross gallery to a modern station in Ormond road and the site was expanded in 1979 to make it a 2 bay station in case a 2nd pump was ever needed to be deployed at the station.
Fred Holmes
To be continued
