1944 - The hairs on the back of our necks stood up!
Roger Sykes 1942, 16 Mar 2006
I have a vague recollection of a small party of us in 1944 camping on the edge of the playing fields. I cannot remember how many nights we were there. What I do remember is that one dark night, when we had put out our well concealed light (blackout regulations were in force of course) and about to turn in, we were convinced we saw a flashing light the other side of the sports field.
Mr Copland was not with us. Someone suggest it was a German spy making contact with an aircraft or another 5th columnist! The hairs on the backs of our necks stood up!
No one ventured forth to get a closer look I'm afraid. I wish I could remember what came next, but I can't. 62 years ago is a long time to recall. Anyway we won the war so it couldn't have been that significant. I am still part of the Scout movement, as Badge Secretary for East Suffolk.
Memories of a Wartime Scout Camp
RV Martin 39 entry, 12 March 2006
The Troop would meet every week after school in one of the buildings on the school grounds and was run by Mr Riley who would transform from being our formidable, and sometimes feared, French Master to our friendly, laughing, relaxed Scout Master who got us taking part in exciting pastimes such as ‘Whack’em’ (a sure favourite where an unsuspecting boy was chased round the assembled circle whilst being 'whacked' with a slipper) to firelighting in the shrubbery which included roasting potatoes in the embers as well as learning all the more serious skills required to qualify for the appropriate badges.
The annual camp arranged to take place during the summer holidays saw Mr Riley taking a group of scouts to places such as Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire to further afield in France and Jersey - but that was before my time which was during the war years 1939-44.
When Luke Riley left us to join the Forces Mr ‘Woot’ Copland, our wood and metalwork master, stood in to keep the Troop running. It was not the same but he did manage to arrange for us to have a summer camp on the Estate at Chippenham occupied by Lady Healey-Hutchinson (now, I believe, the site of a hotel).
We loaded the two First World War bell tents, pots and pans, medical kit etc., on to a large hand cart with the most energetic scouts who possessed bicycles pulling on attached ropes and the largest scout between the shafts steering. We managed to transport all the necessary paraphernalia to the site. Fortunately the roads were deserted due to the restricted use of cars!
Although ‘Woot’ oversaw the operation, once we had assembled the tents and divided the occupants into seniors and juniors and set up everything including the fetching water arrangements from the ‘Big House’with Lady H-H., he surprised us by saying “You Seniors are in charge, the weather looks good, I’ll come and see you during the week - have a good time!”
We did. We roamed around the Estate, saw a ‘laid-up’ Rolls-Royce in a barn being used as a nesting site by the chickens (probably Lord H-H’s prized posession before he was called away to serve his country), saw the lists up in small huts around the grounds showing the ‘bags’ of various game made at annual ‘shoots’and watched the rabbits emerge from their burrows at dusk.
One evening we forgot one of the scout rules of ‘being a friend to all animals’ and one unfortunate rabbit failed to reach its destination and instead was diverted into our cook pot. The preparation was deftly carried out by the roaming game keeper who no doubt was asked to keep an eye on us. It was the best meal of the week though I think there must have been rather small portions for some!
The ‘Woot’ visit arrived, was no doubt relieved to find us all surviving, heard of our exploits and had a bite to eat and a nice large mug of tea before leaving.
Afterwards John Hardiment said “I don’t think he’ll be back again - I put a good dose of Cascara in his tea!”. Sorry John, I know we were all sworn to secrecy - but you were the Hero!
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page last updated 16 Mar 2006