Former Northye officer honoured by Queen

Ron Nightingale, from The Finches, Bexhill, was presented with the Imperial Service Medal at a special presentation at Lewes Prison last Wednesday, accompanied by his wife Jenny and a former colleague.

The citation from the Essential Chancery of the Orders of Knight Houses, St James Palace, which was also presented to Mr Nightingale, bore the seal of the Imperial Service Order. It read that the award was given to him by HM the Queen in recognition of his meritorious service to the Crown.

He was told the medals were not awarded automatically for long service and less than one third of those nominated were actually approved by the Queen.

"I was very pleased and honoured," said Mr Knightingale, 58, who retired from Lewes Prison last year.

"But I have seen lots and lots of people far far better that I was at the job who have not received any recognition."

Mr Nightingale joined the prison service in May 1968 as an officer at Feltham Young Offenders' Institution, near Heathrow, when it was a borstal.

In 1980, on promotion to senior officer, he was posted to Northeye Prison, where he remained until its closure in 1992. He was then transferred to Lewes Prison where he remained until his retirement. During his time at Northeye, he was involved in the catastrophic riot and fire of April 1988 in which 4.2m worth of damage was caused.

"I was off duty at the time but was in to help where I could, as did the others," he added. "I did the same as everyone else. These sorts of things are traumatic and everyone does what they are trained to do."