SJAB History

Most people in Singapore are familiar with, and often take for granted, the presence of male and female uniformed members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and many are aware of, and have benefited from First Aid workers trained by the St John Ambulance Association and Brigade. Very few, however, are fully aware of the centuries of history, and the long tradition of "Service to Mankind" that lie behind it.

This First Aid movement which commenced in England in the year 1877 with the formation of the St. John Ambulance Association, was the direct outcome of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem - An Order which dates back to the time of Williamm the Conqueror in 1066.
After the Franco-German War it became very apparent that ambulance work could not be properly carried out and maintained for War, unless organized in time of peace, and it was as a result of this experience that the St. John Ambulance Association was formed in England.

Ten years later, in the year 1887, the St. John Ambulance Brigade came into being as a uniformed body, to band together people who had qualified in First Aid and Home Nursing and its kindred subjects, ready to serve the public regardless of race or creed in any emergency.
From this time onwards the movement has grown, until today one sees the valiant eightpoint white Cross of St. John, flying bravely throughout the Commonwealth.

In Singapore, in the year 1935, Dr. J.S. Webster, O.St.J., a radiologist with the Medical Services of the General Hospital, Singapore, organized with a few public spirited friends, and brother doctors the beginning of First Aid lectures in Singapore. The first headquarters being one desk in the Radiology Dept. of the General Hospital, Sepoy Lines, Singapore. Dr Webster persuaded men and women to join these lectures, but without any real incentive, very little progress was made, except for the recruiting of a sufficient number of First Aiders to form the first division of the uniformed body of the Brigade in September 1938.

Shortly after this, Dr Webster himself left Singapore on retirement. After Dr. Webster's departure, it was not easy, without funds and very little enthusiasm to carry on the good work, and it was eventually realized that if all was not to be lost, a senior Government official of the Medical Services should head the Organization. After a lapse of several months, and much persuasion, the then 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.
From these headquarters gradually more voluntary helpers were recruited, and slow but steady progress was made. At this time Singapore Headquarters controlled the Federation of Malaya as well as Singapore, and sub-centres, responsible to the Singapore Headquarters, were established in Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Malacca, and all documents and correspondence were forwarded to Singapore for scrutiny and action before being finally forwarded to the St. John Headquarters in London.

In due course other Corps of the Brigade formed and thus efficiency was maintained.
It was the crisis of 1938, just before the Second World War, that it became increasingly apparent to our citizens how vital our work was, and at that time recruiting was brisk, with men and women coming forward to prepare themselves for any emergency. Classes were held in many languages - English, French, Dutch, German, Malay, Tamil and several dialects of the Chinese Language, doctors and nurses being hard pressed to cope with this entirely voluntary work after ordinary day-time duties.

- Next -