Tuesday, Apr 16, 2019
Since Sept 27, 1879
Retail $2 Home delivered from $1.25
Internet stars P5
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
Tiger roars
P24
Michael Hayes resplendent in an historic firefighter’s uniform, ready to ring the bell to start the opening ceremony for Ashburton’s Fire Museum extension. PHOTO HEATHER MACKENZIE 130419-HM-0321
Boy who rang the bell
by
Sue Newman
sue.n@theguardian.co.nz
When World War Two ended Michael Hayes was an eight-year-old school boy who became the boy who signalled the war’s end to the people of Ashburton by ringing the fire station bell. And on Saturday he rang that bell again to signal the beginning of a ceremony to open the exten-
sion of the Ashburton Fire Museum at the Plains Village. With the end of the war imminent, Hayes said there was a sense of anticipation around Ashburton. There was just one air-raid signal in town, on what was then the Ashburton Power Board’s Kermode Street building. When it sounded, Hayes said everyone poured out of schools,
shops and houses. He however had things other on his mind, he wanted to get to the fire station first, he wanted to be the boy who rang the bell. “I remember running to the fire station. I was held up to reach the handle of the bell and I rang the hell out of it,” he said. Hayes admits that as a young lad he was fascinated by the fire service, but was never a firefight-
er. Instead he was involved on the administration side of both the Burnham Military Camp and as a founding member of the Fire Museum at Ferrymead. He retained a fond memory of his moment signalling the war’s end and 50 years to the day the war ended, he was travelling through Ashburton and decided to call in at the Plains.
We’ve got your best interest at heart. All puns intended.
2.50%p.a. interest with unlimited withdrawals. Apply online at heartland.co.nz or call 0800 85 2020. Call account terms and conditions apply. Interest rate subject to change.
“I decided I’d have a look at my old bell and I gave it a bit of a tinkle and then I thought, maybe before I leave this mortal coil I’ll give it a third tinkle,” he said. And knowing that was a long held wish, the Ashburton Brigade asked him to do the honours at Saturday’s opening, ringing the bell to signal the start of the opening ceremony.
Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe!