Soham Grammarians - Scouting School Year 1951-52

Soham Grammarian Autumn 1951

SCOUT CAMP LOG SUMMER, 1951

By kind permission of Colonel HJ Cator, summer camp was held at Woodbastwick Park. The site was on the edge of a wood near Decoy Broad and the river Bure. Mr JP Clark of Soham very kindly transported us there and back.

The weather was kind, but for two violent storms during the second week, and these gave us no trouble owing to the excellence of our new tents.

Fishing and swimming, cricket and general scouting activities filled our time. As both the Decoy Broad and the river offered few facilities for learners, our bathing activities were largely confined to Salhouse Broad, where there was safe bathing in most beautiful surroundings. There was a full bathing party most days, and the walk there and back was no hardship.

Apart from swimming, badgework and games were arranged in the morning. Most days boys went either to Salhouse, Ranworth, Woodbastwick or Horning. The latter was more favoured as most boys were fascinated by an elderly ferry-man who answered to the name of Charon, at Horning ferry. He had only a small boat, and when he tried to take half the troop across at once, we nearly sank his boat.

Two very interesting motorbus trips were arranged to Yarmouth and one to Norwich. The woods and marsh offered abundant fuel and abundant opportunities for tracking and general scouting activities. On one occasion, after a long tracking test through the woods, a £1 note was missed. SM decided that it must have been lost in the woods near a certain place. Next day the P/Ls back-tracked and it was found.

The evening of the big thunderstorm, a fox caused a great deal of interest, when it presented itself right in the open near camp, and stayed there for quite a while until some rather clumsy stalking frightened it off. The night before we left, a camp fire was arranged with the 25th Willesden Troop. Several good sketches were performed by both troops, and a fine evening ended with the Scout Hymn. Before the camp fire a cricket match was arranged, which we won by about 50 runs.

We were very lucky in the weather and especially so when our fortnight came to an end, and we packed up on a morning of sun and wind with everything bone-dry, and sailed home on our lorry, feeling very grateful to Mr Clark and Colonel Cator and all who had done so much to give us a very pleasant holiday.

BVD


Soham Grammarian Spring 1952

 


Soham Grammarian Summer 1952

SCOUT NOTES

The Scouting programme this term has been rather fuller than usual. The day after the School Sports, the Scouts had an inter-troop athletic meeting in which all troops in the district competed. It was held on our sports ground and we won the Scout Trophy while our Seniors were third.

Two teams of Scouts, Dolby and Graves, Watson and Spanton, set off on a Senior Scout camping competition at Wisbech and came 3rd and 4th, which was remarkably good as neither had any idea of what was coming to them. The Seniors' Easter Camp, which was held near St Ives, produced a very favourable report from the DC there.

The Summer Camp this year is being held in the National Forest Park, Beddgelert, Snowdonia, N Wales. There are 37 going.

Our Bob-a-Job Week broke all records.

There have been a number of new recruits, just maintaining the average number in the troop. A Senior Patrol has been formed and is working very well indeed. The troop has started a new interpatrol competition with points for badge-work, neatness of uniform and general efficiency and initiative. The winning patrol will have a trophy made to hang in the entrance to the tent at camp.

Scout meetings this term have run very smoothly owing to the formation of the Senior Patrol, who have done much to take work off the shoulders of the SM and ASM who appreciate it very much.

P/L BVD


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last updated 21 Nov 2007