A KANIVA war veteran has received an honorary life membership after more than seven decades of service to the Country Fire Authority.
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John ‘Jack’ Mills was presented a medal for 75 years of service to the authority and Kaniva Fire Brigade at the brigade’s annual awards night on Friday.
Mr Mills joined the brigade in 1940 after some advice from a Kaniva policeman.
“My mates and I were a group of 16-year-olds hanging around the streets, making nuisances of ourselves,” he said.
“The police told us to go to the fire brigade to keep out of trouble.”
Mr Mills then left town a few years later and served in the Second World War, before returning in 1945.
He said he had enjoyed his years with the brigade.
“There has been some darn good trips over the years,” he said.
Mr Mills was part of competition brigade demonstrations and once won the Victorian grand aggregate.
“There was one guy from Mortlake, who used to tell us how good a runner he was,” he said.
“But I knocked him off two years in a row.”
Mr Mills has served on the brigade as a fireman, lieutenant and foreman.
“The past few years I have mainly helped with the paper drives,” he said.
“The young fellas do a good job of looking after me - making sure I get home okay and getting beers into me.”
Mr Mills thanked the other brigade members for putting up with him.
Brigade member Brian Charles described Mr Mills as the best brigade-man in Victoria.
“He was a tireless working in the brigade and it’s only been the past five to six years that he has slowed down,” he said.
“Jack was always the first one there at working bees.
“He has been a marvellous member.”
Mr Charles said Mr Mills once hit a drain in the fire truck and broke six ribs, but kept working.
“He was fantastic at the competition demonstrations and back in those days, there were 120 brigades in the competitions,” he said.
Brigade captain Josh McCabe congratulated Mr Mills on his service.
“All the young fellas need to pull their finger out to compete with what Jack has done for the brigade over the years,” he said.
The brigade awards night also saw life memberships and service medals presented to other members.
Barry Witmitz, Darren Witmitz and Brian Charles all received life memberships of the Kaniva Fire Brigade and the CFA.
Lieutenant Josh Merrett won the brigade’s firefighter of the year award.