Source:Souvenir Programme
THE WARDENS SERVICE
In the capable hands of Mr. T. E. Townend of Dalton and official Police Instructors the foundation of the Warden's Service was laid some considerable time before the outbreak of war, and it was mainly due to those who formed this original band that the warden’s first major operation was so successfully carried out - the distribution of gasmasks to every man, women and child in the village.
In those early days the warden was expected to be a jack of all trades, responsible for anything and everything which happened under the heading of 'Enemy Action' - fortunately this state of affairs was very quickly relieved by the introduction of the many specialised services with which we all became familiar and the warden settled down to a well defined plan of action, but his chief responsibilities remained, as always, in his pursuant contact with the individual home, and in the contact and functioning of a network of communications essential to the rapid and efficient disposal of the specilised services required to deal with any emergency.
With three Report Posts and a total personnel of over fifty wardens, under the able leadership of Mr. H. A. Simmons, most of whom served throughout the whole of the war years, Wickersley held a position equal to any in the Rural District areas and if purity of individual efficiency is required, in open competition eight out of thirty odd Warden incident Officers appointed in the whole of the Rother Valley all came from Wickersley - a very excellent performance.
Of the training and routine work of the service little need be said - probably the least spectacular of all the Services - the warden had always to keep up-to-date with ever changing methods and appliances, and always in the background, gasmasks and more gasmasks.
As they served so they retired quietly, efficiently and without complaint in the knowledge of a task well done.