New Britain herald., 1928-03-28
F Fire Department Veterans Get
 Stars and Bars for Long Service
Presented With Insignia by Mayor Weld at Tcs- timonial Banquet Ten dcrcd by Commission.

Twelve members of the fire dc par1mcnt were the recipients of awards for their 35 years or more of service in the dopa rtment, at testimonial banquet held in their honor last evening in the Eurritt hotel. The awards were made by Mayor Weld in the presence of the fire commissi sioncrs, who were the sponsors of tho idea. In presenting the decorations Mayor Weld said:
 "A few months ago q member of our fire department passed his 5oth year as a member Of the depart ment. Fifty years Of loyalty and devotion to service is the record Of George Cooley-thc father of New Hritain's fire alarm system, It set mo thinking, but upon talking with the chairman Of fire commissioners l found that they had been set thinking long time ago, and had lcnn planning and working out a method SO that the citizens of New Britain. through the fire board, might show their appreciation Of the loyalty and service that has been displayed by so many members Of the department. Sc tonight we have come 10 this ba4quct to do honor to you mon hho have spent 35 years to 30 ,.,urs in the service of your city.
 Loyalty and devotion 10 service, Arc there any greater vords7 Is there any higher praise that we may give you than 10 say 10 each and every one of you: You have been loyal to Hour city and your depart
 ncnt, you have devoted NoUr life 10 he duty Of saving lives and prop orty Of others, and you have been faithful to the trust that we, the citizens Of New Britain have i'm posed upon yor.
 T do not imagine if has always been easy for yom to hold fast to these ideals. There must have been times in each one Of your lives as 3 fireman when 1t would have been ever SO much easier to have Sh'rllHd lour duty 10 have found fault with the dera tmpnt to have let som cone olSe do Nour job. Yet l am proud to say Of each and every one Of you men. that Nour record IS unsulllrd by any taiut; you have passed the acid tests that either make or break q fireman and have been never torud wanting.
 "Tho life ol 3 fireman is not an rasy onc. You arc continually on he firing line. ready a d. moment $ notice to rush headlonc to the pro- lection ot the lives and properties of others You never know when you leave your home and loved ones to go on duty. wna, sacrifice yon may be calicd upon 70 make. or whether Nou will ever see your familios again and yet you men. with this realization, havc for lhany y.rrs perlorDrd your duties uuninohiue'y and with credit and honor to yo'r department and 10 yourselves.
 "Nords arc spoken and forgotten and while your fire board felt that ll'ff -!lf'i'J ll' S'Ill''l !llli- S'l'I about thc years of service you mou have given 10 Nour city, they hay" also felt that therc should hc som" distinguishing mark given to each of you so that you yourselves as woll as everyone else might know ou for 3 man who has performed extraordinary duty for his city. They have given me the pl"aSllr" and honor of presenting you with these little stars and bars of silver and gold, the bars representing tlNH years Of service, and tho stars oh years Of service. They are 10 h." worn by vou so that all whom you may meet will recognize you as an honor man in Nour department They arc an accoladc from tho cn- z"ns of New Britain, representing loyalty and devotion to service, and | kuow that you mon will wear them with pride and honor"
 Here Mayor Weld called out th names Of each ono of tho homo" men and presented them with the otcnS In the case of everyone. lr
 haukcd and congratulated them on their records. Those 10 receive th" awards were: Chef W. !. Noble. @o wars of service; Deputy Chief T.. F. Barnes, 40 years; Second Dep uty Chief M. T. Souncy. 30 years; Electrical Superintendent Geor-" Cooley, 30 years: Captain w. ror for, 30 years; Captain J. Grove. 3h years. Captain Victor Davis, 2 years; Lieutenant T. l.. Hinchcy 2h years; Fireman w. Kelly. 30 years, Fireman F. Forsythr. 35 years; Fireman W. l.. Frey. 3a years: