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In this year’s Queens Birthday Honours Leslie Rupert Sumner, Cobden, received an OAM for service to the community of Cobden, including through Jancourt Fire Brigade (since 1960) and Cobden Fire Brigades Group (since 2013). He was also head trainer and life member at Cobden Football and trainer for the Victorian Country Football League, in addition to other volunteering around Cobden.

To get to know Les, we asked for some personal insights into his life, especially with the CFA.

1. What prompted you to join the CFA?

I officially joined in 1960 which was when you had to register but I had been involved before that. My parents had bought a property at Cobrico and I got involved when I left school about 1950. We didn’t have a fire truck then but Clem Hose had a truck with a tank on the back. I remember there was a house fire beside us. We were milking in the morning and went out to get cows and saw the smoke. Dad knew the house so we flew up there but the house was gone. From then on whenever something happened you got a phone call to come and help. In ’51 we had big fires going through from Naroghid to the coast. Every day from January 26 to Good Friday we were out fighting fires and I was involved with that. When we shifted to Jancourt I got involved there.

2. What have been your roles with the CFA and are you still involved?

I’ve been a Jancourt member since 1960, secretary and delegate for the Jancourt brigade since 1969 and treasurer from 2003 to 2009, deputy group officer between 1981 and 2007 and secretary 1981 to 1997 and I’ve been assistant communications officer for the Cobden Fire Brigades Group since 2013. I’ve stepped back a bit but still do the comms role and I’m still secretary at Jancourt after more than 50 years.

3. What drives you to undertake roles, with CFA or anywhere, with such a focus on serving communities?

I just like to help the community. Everyone was involved. It’s a community thing when you’re in the country. When you’re in the country and your family is growing up you have to take them to things so you get involved. If you didn’t like doing it, you wouldn’t do it.

4. What is the most important thing you’ve learned in your time as a CFA volunteer?

Everyone is there for the same reason; to help your fellow person out, whether it’s a house fire or car accident or a cat stuck up a tree you’re there to help. In those days it you’d ring people to help on the telephone, now it’s all pagers.

5. What do you think your best achievements are in your role with CFA?

I’ve been to different places like the big fires in Sydney and to Marysville on Black Saturday. That was probably the worst, the town was completely decimated. It was shocking and very traumatic.

6. What is your best memory - funny or serious – about your time with CFA as a volunteer?

We did have a cat up a tree but our ladder wasn’t tall enough to go to the top so we had to bring in the big truck with the high ladder from Cobden. We only had a Willy’s jeep.

7. Which was your favourite role or activity with CFA and why?

I just enjoy being part of the team.

8. What makes a good CFA volunteer?

Do what you have to do and be a part of a team and get behind the leader. The sooner you get the job done, the sooner you get home.

Congratulations Les and thanks for being such an inspiring part of our CFA family.

PHOTO CREDIT: Cobden Timboon Coast Times