Today is Mr Tilse’s first day of official retirement as he formally retired from the NSW Fire and Rescue yesterday after 28 years and eight months of service. 

Although he realises the time has come, Mr Tilse would love to keep playing his role in keeping the local community safe as it is a role he has thoroughly enjoyed for many years. 

It doesn’t worry him to get called out of bed in the middle of the night, or pulled away from an afternoon of socialising, and fortunately he had an employer who supported him so that when he was called out during work hours, he could go and do his ‘other job’.

After being introduced to fires at an early age, Mr Tilse started out volunteering as a firefighter out of town, when he and his wife Marie lived on their family farm. 

Although they had no official brigade at the time, Mr Tilse was one of many people who would get together and combat fires when needed in the Thompsons Creek area and beyond. 

He recalls a few nasty fires, but everyone banded together to support each other in these times, just like the Rural Fire Service brigades do today. 

Mr and Mrs Tilse lived on the farm, where Mr Tilse operated a beef cattle enterprise after it changed from originally being a dairy farm. 

The middle child of three boys was born in Newcastle, however the family moved to Scone when he was about two-years-old.

Mr Tilse still remembers the Campbell’s Garage fire when he was a child, saying it “lit up the street”, which may have influenced his decision to later join the firies.

After completing his primary education at Scone Public School and secondary at Scone High School, Mr Tilse left school when he was just 14-years-old and went straight to work on the farm. 

After moving away for a short period of time when he worked as a plant machinery operator on the Wyangala Dam near Cowra and then a short stint in Canberra, Mr Tilse has lived the majority of his life in Scone. 

Mr Tilse said he didn’t move to Cowra for work he moved there to play football as he was a very keen rugby league player, however he soon returned to Scone in 1968 and they haven’t left since. 

With Mrs Tilse being a nurse, the time came when they decided to sell the farm and move into Scone, which is when Mr Tilse joined the Scone Fire Brigade on February 1, 1987.

He was about 42-years-old at the time and the captain was Jeff Cooper, who led the brigade of 12 retained firefighters. 

When told by another community member that he would be an asset to the fire brigade, Mr Tilse decided to join up as he felt it was something that he could put back into the community.

Gaining a job as the handyman at Strathearn ticked all the boxes as Mr Tilse had a job he enjoyed and was fortunate to have an employer to support him in his role and accommodate for the call outs when necessary throughout his 22 years at the facility.

Throughout the years Mr   Tilse has been to thousands of emergencies from house fires to motor vehicle accidents, rescues and other disasters in the Scone township. 

He has also always been involved in the annual smoke alarm battery scheme, where he has enjoyed being able to assist the elderly residents of town to keep safe.

Reflecting on his years of service, Mr Tilse said he has enjoyed the comradeship of the brigade as he has made lots of great life long friends through it.

Among the standout memories of big fires is the Mitre 10 fire, which Mr Tilse recalls as the biggest one in town from his recollections.

“Then there was the Thoroughbred Hotel fire and numerous accidents, but we don’t want to go into them,” he said. 

Responding to about 100 call outs each year and attending training nights every month, as well as weekends away at drills across the state takes a fair bit of commitment, but that has never been a big deal for Mr Tilse and he has always enjoyed the friendship and the ability to be able to help the community.

“You’re not the only person doing it, all the other guys give you the incentive to do it. 

“I’ve always enjoyed teaching the young blokes something new, and it has been a great thing to be a part of to help out the town,” he said. 

Mr Tilse acknowledged the fact that the number of retained firefighters is dwindling and he said he thinks others should get off their tails and go and join the service.

“You get lots of training and learn a lot of skills while you’re in the brigade.

“We used to go to demo days where you compete against  firefighters from other towns and I would learn so much from these in just one weekend. 

“The training aspect of it is just brilliant and there will always be a time where you might need the skills you learn,” Mr Tilse said. 

“I have absolutely loved my time in the brigade and I don’t want to stop, but due to my age I need to as I am now serving at my own risk.”

In his spare time, Mr Tilse was a keen rugby league player in Scone and has fond memories of winning the competition in the 1969-1970 seasons under Don ‘Bandy’ Adams.

Mr Tilse said he played on and off for 40 years, mainly being a wing or centre player, however did play second row occasionally when needed. 

Since retiring from football, Mr Tilse stepped into the world of golf, which he still enthusiastically enjoys, with a handicap of 11 and still improving. 

With a love of travel, Marie and John plan to continue travelling and spending time with their two grandchildren, however Mr Tilse said they love living in Scone as it’s an absolutely great town.

As people read today’s edition of The Scone Advocate one man starts out on the next stage of life and enters retirement.

John Tilse has been a retained firefighter at Scone station for the last 28 and a half years and as of yesterday has announced he is hanging up his helmet for the last time.

John (or as we know him at the station) Jack joined the NSW Fire Brigade in Scone on February 1, 1987 as a volunteer firefighter and has served the community of Scone and district ever since.

Over that 28 and a half years Jack attended nearly 1500 incidents, 580 training drills and more than 500 hours of specialised training. 

Add to that the countless hours of community work.

Only those that are close to a retained firefighter know the dedication and commitment one has in the day to day life as a retained firefighter.

There are the early morning wake up calls, the late night calls, the call that comes in when you are at a family function or out socially.

The countless hours spent at incidents in all sorts of weather. 

All the time the dedication to what you signed up for sees you get out of bed, jump in the car or head to the fire station to find who has asked for help.

There are only 12 retained firefighters at Scone, all who do it to serve and protect the community we live in.

As the captain of the station and someone who joined up just six months before Jack, I know the sacrifices that have gone on over the years, I also know that Jack and every one of us would do it all over again.

Unfortunately we all reach a time when we say my time is finished and hand it over to a new generation of firefighter.

To the people of Scone and district if you see Jack in his travels around town take the time to shake his hand and just say thank you for the service of the last 28 and a half years.

The crew at Scone 443 station wish Jack and Marie all the best in retirement.

Retained Firefighter John  Tilse we salute you and say “job well done”.

You should be proud of your achievement.

Captain Mark Frost

Station Commander Fire & Rescue NSW Scone 443 station