South Yorkshire Times, April 25th, 1970
Fire Service Appointment
Station Officer Derek Beck, Officer-in-Charge of Slaithwaite Fire Brigade who has been promoted to the rank of Assistant Divisional Officer and will be transferred to serve at Mexborough Divisional Headquarters at Brampton Bierlow, joined the fire service in December 1949, and was posted to Sowerby Bridge.
He has since served at Todmorden, Tadcaster, Brighouse and as an instructor at County Training School. In November 1959 he was promoted to the rank of Station Officer and took up his duties as Officer-in-Charge at Slaithwaite station.
A native of Todmorden, Mr. Beck was educated at Todmorden Grammar School and saw service with the R.A.F. from 1943 to 1946 as a navigator/bomb aimer with the rank of Flight Sergeant.
He is a keen cricketer and has played for the Country Fire Service team for nine seasons.