Soham Grammarian Autumn 1952
SCOUT NOTES
It is with great pride that we announce the appointment of the GSM as the Assistant District Commissioner. We convey to him our heartiest congratulations.
This term has again confined the majority of activities to the classroom, although, whenever possible, outdoor activities have been arranged. Two hikes have been completed, rather late in the season. For this very reason they gave the hiker much experience.
The Troop can look forward to a very exciting year in 1953. They are all attending week-end Coronation Camps at Sandringham and Soham. Teams will be entered for the Camping Competition. Of course, the Senior Easter Camp will be held again and the Annual Camp in the summer holidays.
I would like to extend, on behalf of the troop, our grateful thanks to the GSM and ASM for their work, which made the camp in Wales a great success. JMW
Great credit is due to JMW and his Senior Patrol for shouldering much of the burden at camp and since. They have really livened up our meetings this term. I hope those who must succeed them are taking note.
TLR
SUMMER CAMP, 1952
This year's summer camp was held at the National Forest Park, Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire. After a round tour of North Wales on British Railways, including Conway Castle, Llandudno, the Menai Bridge and Cardigan Bay with wonderful views of coast and mountains, and followed by a hair-raising eight miles by road, the troop set briskly about making the best of a rocky camp site. This was more than compensated by the position, view, proximity of water and wood, and the lovely pool which was used for all our bathing.
This site was in the valley of the Afon Colwyn and surrounded on three sides by the forest. Towering above us to the south was Moel Hebog (2,600 feet), facing us to the north-east was Craig Wen, with the great sloping back of the Elephant Mountain to the west. The camp site itself was raised well above the level of the Afon Colwyn. Just below our site, the stream turned a corner, forming a pool, which was deep enough to swim in. Downstream a little way was a succession of small waterfalls ending in a large one, which had cut for itself a deep gorge.
Four of the Seniors found that mountains had a strange power which egged them on to climb. So after the first day of pitching camp they attacked Moel Hebog. This urge was so strong in Docherty and Dolby that they even found the will to climb the slopes of Craig Wen, before breakfast next morning. The same day they, with the whole troop, conquered Moel Hebog (2,600 ft). From the summit a magnificent view of Cardigan Bay, Bangor and Anglesey was obtained. That night the troop pitched tents for the Birmingham British Red Cross Society camp on the flats below our camp. The troop had by now become well and truly at home, and little expeditions were organised to explore all the surrounding countryside.
On Monday, July 28th, Watson and Docherty set off on a hike which was to take three days, and the route was a complete circuit of the Snowdon Massif. The rest of the troop set out on a long walk through the forest and over the gap into the next valley, returning over the ridge, visiting a disused mine, and then down through the forest to Llyn y Gader and the valley road.
On Tuesday the troop explored Nant Gwynant, which runs north-eastwards from Beddgelert, and made a circuit of Llyn Dinas, twelve miles' hard walking. This was the route taken by the two lone explorers, who by this time had passed a very peaceful night in the bleak and wind torn Llanberis Pass and were quite a few miles to the west of Llanberis.
Wednesday morning for these two "pilgrims" was a real test. Think of the worst wet night this year and you may have some idea of what it was like then. Even so, nothing daunted, they managed to get a meal and continue down the valley towards "home."
On Thursday the Seniors decided to attack Snowdon. We took the Pitt's Head Path and though our map-reading was put to the test, we managed to battle over knife-edges and steep rocky screes, in swirling cloud for the last thousand feet to the summit. Never has a cup of Bovril tasted so good and so comforting.
On the following Saturday the ascent of Snowdon was made by the Junior scouts. The Seniors, realising that time was fast flowing away, journeyed by 'bus to the famed beauty resort of Bettws-y-Coed on Monday, August 4th. All five had dinner in the lovely Fairy Glen. Somehow, in our hurry to see the Swallow Falls, Butcher and Wayman became separated from the others. When going to catch the bus, they were lucky enough to see it disappearing round the corner. They had only sixteen miles to tramp home.
During the day the rest of the troop had been up Craig Wen and thence up the southern ridge of Yr Aran to the summit. From here they had a magnificent view of Snowdon. That night the last of our "sing-songs" with the Red Cross took place. As the Seniors had had no tea, a supper was being cooked when two dejected-looking objects limped up the last slope home. The smell of frying bacon had kept their "heads above water" for the last few yards.
Our stay was now fast coming to an end, so the troop made the best of their last days by visiting places to which they had not yet been. The troop was honoured by the visit of Mr EG Rowlands, author of "Hill Walking in Snowdonia." He is an expert mountain-climber and a very keen scout. None of the Troop could wish for a better camp than this, and I am sure we are keenly awaiting our next annual camp.
JMW
Soham Grammarian Spring 1953
Soham Grammarian Summer 1953
SCOUT NOTES
This year the troop has done more out-of-door work than ever before. This may be due to the influence of the Coronation, but I hope that next year there will be shown the same keenness.
Before I mention anything else I must congratulate the Boy Scout patrol who took part in the County Camping Competition for the Hele Trophy. This they won at their first attempt by a substantial margin. The Seniors were beaten into second place in their section of the Competition.
The Seniors set the ball rolling with their Easter camp, which was held at Hardwick Scout Park near Bury St. Edmunds. Although the weather was not very kind they seemed to have a thoroughly enjoyable time. Docherty took control of the camp at very short notice, as Watson was laid up with tonsilitis. Their site was one of exceptional beauty. It was a park which has now been let run wild. The trees provided Muir with a perfect habitat. His comrades complained that they could never find him when he was wanted. He was of course swinging somewhere above on the aerial runways made of rope.
Bob-a-Job week this year was even better than last year. The troop collected £26 12s 0d, which averaged out at about 13/- per head. Bob-a-Job finished the Patrol Competition. This was won by the Woodpeckers, who had a substantial lead. The Trophy for this competition has been made by P/L BV Denley. It is in the shape of a mallet made in teak. Every year the name of the winning patrol will be inscribed upon it.
Whitsun week-end was spent at Sandringham, when the troop attended the Coronation Jamboree in the Sandringham Park. This camp was a perfect miniature of the International Jamborees. It had scouts from nineteen different countries, divided into ten sub-camps. There were the roadways, the market, the troop gateways, scouts and visitors intermingled on the roadways and the inevitable shouts and a variety of sounds from the camps.
There were two camp-fires held in the arena, both of which included stunts from foreign visitors. We, of course, livened up the party with the 'Darkies' Sunday School' at one of them. On Sunday morning the Editor of the "Scout" spoke at the Scouts' Own. In the afternoon we were shown over Sandringham Church and the grounds of the house.
Monday was the great day for many scouts. The Chief Scout came to visit us. He inspected us and then went to watch a display by cubs in the arena, after which he decorated some Scouters. Our own District Commissioner was awarded the Silver Acorn for his services to the movement.
The next week-end, the one just before the Coronation, we took part in Soham's festivities by attending a Coronation Camp on Soham Recreation Ground. The troop put on some light relief on the Saturday afternoon just before the Soham Crazy Gang brought on their "pie." It took the form of P/L Royston (Willie) showing how a well trained patrol should behave.
At the end of the Summer Term different members of the troop will have camped on no fewer than six camp sites, there are the three mentioned above, the site at Dalham, which was the venue of the Camping Competition, the main troop will have their summer camp at Cromer and the Seniors are camping near Helensburgh, in Dumbartonshire, Scotland. The Senior camp is a new venture and we all hope that the camp will be one that we can look back on with great pleasure when we are sage old men. It will, I am sorry to say, be the last camp for four of them, as only Butcher and Watson are staying on.
P/L(S) JM WATSON
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last updated 23 Nov 2007