ST JOHN Ambulance volunteers were always expected to look smart.

But when inspection day came round, extra effort was put in to make sure every detail was right.

Did these volunteers pictured above pass? By the look on most of their faces, we imagine they did.

The picture was taken at the county review in 1980 when members had to show they were up to scratch.

The inspection, which was held every three years, was carried out that year at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by Miss AL Romilly, deputy superintendent-in-chief of the organisation, seen nearest the women, and Oxfordshire’s county commander, John Collins.

Although the picture was published prominently in the Oxford Mail at the time, the story which accompanied it concentrated on a male member of St John Ambulance.

John Adkin, of Mayfield Road, Banbury, received a long-service award after 50 years’ work at the same time as the inspection took place.

He explained that he had been encouraged by a workmate to join at the age of 17.

He told the Mail: “Things have changed a great deal since I joined.

“The biggest change is in Banbury where I live. We used to be the ambulance service in the 1930s and would cover a 12-mile radius.

“If we had to go beyond 12 miles, we would charge a shilling for every extra mile.”

St John Ambulance has a long history of working for the community – between 1990 and 1999, it marked 900 years of caring.

Today, it is arguably the country’s leading first aid training organisation and first aid provider. It is also one of the largest youth movements.

It has more than 23,000 adult members and nearly 20,000 young members, who can be seen in their distinctive uniforms helping the public.

A spokesman said: “Every year, we train some 575,000 people in first aid and health and safety and provide treatment and care for some 125,000 patients, many of whom are in life-threatening situations.

“We have more than 1,000 ambulance and support vehicles and regularly provide a support service to the NHS Ambulance Trusts.”

Sadly, we don’t know the names of any of the volunteers pictured in the line-up above.

Can anyone help identify them?