The

Aymestrey Magazine

AUTUMN, 1972
 T H E AY M E ST R E Y M AG A Z I N E AU T UM N, 19 72

OLD AYMESTREY ASSOCIATION

The thirtieth Annual General Meeting was held in the Memorial Library at the School
on Saturday, 17th June, 1972.
PRESENT :
In the Chair : Richard Tildesley
C. R. A. Leakey A. G. Duncan
S. J. Dorrell N. Blair-Oliphant
J. Perry J. C. Smith
N. A. J. Thornely D. M. Knox
A. Lane R. E. Lane
B. W. Massey D. Henry
J. H. Chandler C. G. B. Scovell
A. G. Powell R. J. Thomason
S. C. M. Blake J. H. Hughes
P. W. D. Davies E. R. Lane
C. M. Foster C. W. Massey
Air Vice Marshal D. C. Hughes
D. N. K. Blair-Oliphant C. J. A. Gallimore
J. E. Coates
The Chairman, Richard Tildesley welcomed members to the meeting with a request
that it be kept as brief as possible owing to the absence of Hugh Griffith, who was ill.
APOLOGIES were received from S. R. D. Coates, J. A. G. Coates, A. Powell, T. Bates and
the President, A. B. Aitken.
THE MINUTES of the last Annual General Meeting held on 19th June 1971 were taken as
read, and signed.
THE ACCOUNTS were presented with some comments from the Treasurer who
reported a good response to the new Appeal Fund and indicated that the financial
position had improved on 1970/71. On a proposition from the Chairman it was agreed
to put the appeal money into a building society account.
Election of Officers 1972/73
Chairman: D. Hughes, who thanked the retiring Chairman, R. Tildesley, for his services
during his year in office.
Committee Additions: N. Blair-Oliphant and N. A. J. Thornely.
Honorary Secretary/ Treasurer: C. J. A. Gallimore was re-elected.
School Correspondent: D. A. N. Asterley was re-elected.

Any Other Business

D. A. N. Asterley was anxious to find the meeting's reaction to the news letter that
was now being published. He also requested that more members wrote to him so that
more material could be put into this news letter. The reaction from the meeting was
favourable and members wished it every success.
The Secretary said that many addresses he had were now out of date and if any
attempt can be made by old boys to find addresses which were correct this would be
appreciated.
There being no further business, the meeting having opened at 6.20 p.m. closed at 6.40
p.m.

OLD BOY NEWS

Commander T. O. Holgate, who has for some years been on the staff of Durlston
Court School, has paid two visits this summer. Of his brothers, W.E.M. is head of the
Royal Insurance Group in Australia, and J.K, is manager of Guest, Keen and Nettlefold in
Cardiff.
Canon I. R. A. Leakey has had to leave his work in Burundi, being given 48 hours'
notice to quit the country.
 J. S. Pettigrew recently visited the school while in this country during a sabbatical
year from his work as a don at Trent University, Ontario.
3
A. F. Thornely is Export Manager of Permoglaze Paints.
N.J. Thornely is working with a shipping firm in Cardiff.
A. J. R. Turner is engaged to Miss N. P. Chellew and is to be married in September.
O. A. Mayfield visited us in July with his wife and two children, on leave from his work as
an accountant in Nigeria.
A. R. Bomford has a daughter, born in June.
D. G. F. Banks is engaged to Miss J. Bannister. He has just been made a partner in the
family firm, specializing in the estate-management side of the business.
W. I. C. Clark was Captain of Shooting at Cambridge, and Leader of the Cambridge and
London Galapagos Islands Expedition.
At the O.A.A. Dinner an aeronautical conference developed between J. W. G. Perry, who
pilots a glider in the intervals of his architectural work, S. J. Dorrell, who is a member of the
Oxford University Air Squadron, and H. Thompson, who is a flying instructor as well as a
farmer. Dorrell's studies in Law at B.N.C. are guided by P. B. H. Birks.
J. A. Chandler was married in August to Miss Rosemary Mackinnon.
G. R. Tuthill was married in July to Miss I. Cormac. He has invented a machine for picking
up apples, which has been accepted by leading firms of cider-makers.
R. H. Collins, who was married a year ago, is working with the Eglise Protestante Methodiste
in Dahomey, training Africans in accountancy. W. H. Collins goes up to Durham University
in October.
C. M. Foster is working in a bank in Leominster.
A. N. K. Brown goes up to Aberdeen University this autumn. He has been doing
community service since leaving Malvern, helping to train the mentally handicapped.
M. J. Hughes and S. J. Twinberrow both took part in the Worcestershire Schools Athletics
Championships, in different age-groups, Hughes coming 3rd in the 800 metres and
Twinberrow 4th in the 100 metres. Hughes also came 7th in the County Cross-Country
Championships, and was in the School Cross-Country team at Bromsgrove. At Malvern,
Twinberrow won the Second String 100 and 200 metres and javelin in his age-group.
S. J. Kingston was in the Under-14 Cricket XI at Sherborne.
Dr. R. B. Scholefield has a second son, born on August 12th.

PAUL BRINTON MEMORIAL

The Brinton Memorial prize for 1971 was won by R. J. S. Veal and for 1972 by C. D.
Samwells.
GIFTS
We are very grateful to the following for gifts to the School.
Mr. and Mrs.Twinberrow for a book on cars.
Mr. and Mrs. McLeod for a book called "The World of Cricket."
Major and Mrs. Kingston for a splendid cricket bag, big enough to hold all the kit for the XI
when going to away matches. Also for a most generous book prize to be awarded annually. This
year it went to N. R. P. Harris.
Mr. and Mrs. Veal for a contribution towards equipment for the Scouts and also another cheque
which has been spent on gym equipment.
Mr. and Mrs. Harris for a most generous cheque which has enabled us to buy 8 volumes of the
Oxford Junior Encyclopaedia for the library.
Mr. and Mrs. Hamer for a generous contribution towards sports equipment.
Mr. and Mrs. Martineau for a contribution to the Gift Fund which we shall spend on further
musical equipment.
 Mr. and Mrs. Samwells for a very welcome addition to the library of the latest Stanley
Gibbons Stamp Catalogue.
BURSARY
We are deeply indebted to the parents of a leaving boy, who wish to remain anonymous,
for a most generous endowment for seven years, in order to help a boy come to Aymestrey who,
for financial reasons, would not otherwise be able to do so.
4

If any Old Aymestrey Association parent wishes to apply for this Bursary will he please
contact D.H.G.

SCHOLARSHIP
Congratulations to P. M. Martineau who was awarded a Music Scholarship at
Cheltenham College for his Piano, Organ and Trumpet playing. His singing and
Theory also helped, special mention being made of his all-round musicianship.

MUSIC
This year 32 boys have had instrumental music lessons with Mr. Reid. With the
exception of Martineau, who won the Atherton Music Cup for the second year running,
the standard was not very high. However Chaat (Piano), Lead W. (Trumpet) and McLeod
(French Horn) have all made good progress.

TOWNSEND WARNER HISTORY PRIZE

McCulloch N. and Davies J. entered for this competition which is open to all Prep.
Schools. McCulloch did well enough to qualify for Paper II in which he came 31st out
of more than 500 entries. He should do even better next year.

LEAVERS AND NEW BOYS

The following have left:
S. J. Kingston. Came May 1967. Prefect. Leader of Blues. Rugger XV. Soccer XI.
Cricket XI. Cricket Cup, Fielding Cup. Athletics Colours. Choir. Patrol Leader.
(Sherborne).
R. Mead. Came Sept. 1966. Prefect. Swimming Colours. Choir. (Reading).
C. J. Yarnold. Came Sept. 1969.
A. J. Bennett. Came Sept. 1970. Prefect. Rugger XV. Soccer XI. Pentathlon
White Badge. Colours for Gym, Swimming. Choir. (R.G.S. Worcester).
M. D. Hamer. Came May 1968. Rugger XV. Soccer XI. Gym Colours. Choir.
(Rendcomb).
S. A. M. Hardy. Came Jan. 1968. Rugger XV. Soccer XI. Cricket XI. Gym Colours.
Choir. (Bryanston).
N. R. P. Harris. Came Sept. 1967. Prefect. Leader of Greens. Cricket XI. Soccer
XI. Choir. (Shrewsbury).
C. R. C. Jones. Came Sept. 1969. Rugger XV. (Lucton).
D. W. MacGregor. Came Sept. 1968. Prefect. Leader of Blues. Rugger XV. Soccer
XI. Cricket XI. Colours for Shooting, Swimming, Shooting Cup. Choir. Patrol Leader.
(Millfield).
P. M. Martineau. Came May 1967. Prefect. Rugger XV. Soccer XI. Cricket XI.
Pentathlon White Badge. Swimming Colours. Music Scholarship. Choir. Patrol Leader.
(Cheltenham).
 R. J. Rosoman. Came Sept. 1967. Choir. (Wrekin).
C. D. Samwells. Came Sept. 1966. Rugger XV. Cricket XI. Brinton Prize. Choir.
(Malvern).
J. C. A. Tildesley. Prefect. Leader of Greys. Ogden Cup. Rugger XV. Soccer XI.
Cricket XI. Pentathlon White Badge. Colours for Gym, Shooting, Swimming. Choir. Patrol
Leader. (Uppingham).
R. J. Waine. Came Sept. 1971.

New Boys. Sept.: D. M. M. Bowen, D. G. N. Edwards, S. N. Fields, A. W. Fields,

I. M. Harvey, J. J. A. Hughes, J. K. Masters, J. P. Munns, G. C. Paske, C.
Pongboriboon, R. J. Waine. Jan.: F. R. Miles, M. C. Packman, R. I. G. Tyler, G. E. J. S.
Wallace. April : A. P. Moore, E. T. Walker.

RUGGER
"Rugby?" said a lady visitor to one of the boys, in tones of horror; " isn't that rather
rough?" So it may be worth while to say that for us it is not a game of brute force.
Toughness is important; but players learn courage
5

because they love the game, not the other way round; and since we play it as a game of
skill, above all combined skill, with toughness as a valuable by-product, we are old-
fashioned enough to think that it is good for the players. Unlike so many things that
are good for you, it is also enormous fun; ask the boys.
The XV was one of the smallest successful ones we have ever had, but the combined
skill was of a high order - both the hidden skill of the tight forwards, which is apt to
go unappreciated except by the more expert spectators, and the handling skill in the
open, which was worth watching by anybody.
Things started on a high note with a seven-a-side tournament organized by the
Worcestershire Schools R.F.U. All the others were bigger schools and all had bigger
boys; but we won our first round 20-0, won the semi-final 10-0, and drew the final 4-4,
both sides being too exhausted for extra time. It was a notable performance.
Of the matches proper we won 5, drew 1, and lost 2, scoring 130 points to 64. Former
players who remember greatly superior records must take account of the fact that the
standard of play in the district has risen considerably in the last seven years or so ; and
although we have had three or four definitely better sides, this year's was superior to some
in the past that had more impressive records on paper.
Our worst performance was the drawn match. It was a very wet day, which was all
against our methods, but we were sluggish in the first half and stupid throughout. The
two defeats were both due to lack of weight. One was close, and again with a little more
tactical sense we could have won, but it was a good game. In the other the opposition
was enormously larger; but it produced some great tackling from us, and never once did
our opponents make a clean break, their six tries being all scored at close range.
The best game was against Winterfold at home. Their heavier forwards were very
good in the mauls and we were under long periods of pressure, during which two
clearances by Johnson and a tackle by Martineau stood out especially; and there was a
great deal of hard, disciplined defence when the Winterfold pack seemed camped for
ever on our line. We had a good share of the ball in the line-out, mainly through
MacGregor; Samwells was hooking well; and the rucking of the whole pack was
splendid. So we did plenty of attacking; but our opponents' defence was very good
indeed and we could only score three tries. One came from a scissors between Tildesley
at number eight and the scrum half, Kingston; one from a blind-side break by Hamer at
fly-half and an inside pass to his partner; and the third from a move in which half-a-
dozen forwards handled before a sudden switch to the backs sent Martineau clear. At the
end the referee, a stranger to both sides, called all the players together and congratulated
them on what he said was the best game he had taken for a long time.
Our two highest-scoring games were contrasted. Against Seaford we were able to
throw the ball about, and the fact that eleven tries were shared between nine different
players is evidence of the team-work involved. The best was perhaps the most copy-book
affair of the whole season; a scrummage inside our own half, a vast spin pass from
Kingston, slick handling by Hamer and Martineau, a classic break up to the full back by
Elt (the youngest man in the side), and an inside pass to Martineau for the run-in. Against
Hawford, our threequarters were well held by good tackling; so the forwards, though
giving away stones in weight, took matters in hand - literally, since their interpassing
was a delight - and forwards scored five of our seven tries, each half-back betting one.
Two scores stood out; once number eight took the heel and broke close to the scrum, the
ball went to scrum half, back to number eight, back to scrum half, and the fly half came
inside him and side-stepped the remaining defence; and once Hardy, McCulloch, Lead,
Bennett and MacGregor - all forwards - handled in a move covering forty yards up
the touchline, and when at last they were checked they won the ruck, and Tildesley was
with Kingston for the scoring pass.
The front row were solid scrummagers, with Samwells a good hooker and an
intelligent all-round forward, MacGregor very useful in the line-out, and Bennett using his
speed well to get about the field. Lead and Jones
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scrummaged well in the second row, were always up, and always doing the right thing.
Of the flankers, Hardy revelled in the open play and was a beautiful passer,
McCulloch was a driving tackler, and both were adept at setting up rucks; while
Tildesley at number eight was perhaps the best all-round forward of all. At full back
Johnson had good hands and sound positional sense. The wings, Davies and Peters,
were young and lacked speed, but both did some good things and Davies' tackling was
outstanding. The centres, Martineau and Elt, were strong and fast and knew where the
openings were, and Martineau was another splendid tackler. And finally the half-backs : not
perhaps quite the equal of Edwards and John, but there was a resemblance - Hamer,
minute but courageous, always turning up in unexpected places, and invariably able to
catch any pass he could touch; and Kingston, spidery and indestructible, always up to
something with his back row men, and sending out a spin-pass of prodigious length.
A good season. With their successors looking likely to be the youngest side we have
ever had, we must be prepared for our next report to be decidedly humble.

SOCCER
There was not much soccer talent in the school and the weather was so wet that for
most of the term we could not play at all. As it often was possible to play rugger, and we
played it better, it was with something like a sense of relief that we changed back again to it
in the second half of term.
Early in the season we played two 'Friendly' games ; first with the Downs, who were
just starting soccer, and then with Winterfold. In both games the two sides were mixed for
the second half, which was an interesting experience.
Hardy was the best player and he captained the side from centre-half. Davies J. was
the best forward and Elt showed promise on the wing. The strongest part of a weak side
was the defence where Harris and Bennett did well as full backs as did Johnson A. in goal.

CRICKET
Played 9, won 2, lost 5, drew 2. Not very distinguished figures for a not very
distinguished side.
 Considering that he had so few real cricketers in the side Tildesley managed the
captaincy with credit, made fairly good use of his limited bowling resources and batted
with a determination lacking in many of those higher up the order. In fact the tail-end
batting was perhaps the best feature of the season. There was a last wicket partnership
of 37 between McCulloch and Tildesley in the Fathers' Match and two good draws
were achieved ; one against Abberley, when Tildesley and McCulloch held out for twenty
minutes against good bowling, and one at Seaford where Burgoyne and McCulloch played very
sensible straight bat stuff for six overs when all hope of winning had gone.
Hardy, who can hit the ball very hard, looked to be the best batsman but only twice
scored more than 20. Johnson A. has a good free style but lacks concentration. Harris
batted well at times but nearly always got out playing across the line. Jones C. and
MacGregor played straight. Burgoyne, Masters A. and Moore D. promise well for next year.
Fielding was patchy with Davies R., who only got into the side for the last match,
being the safest catcher. At their best Martineau, Johnson A. and MacGregor threw
well, McCulloch N. kept wicket with rather more courage than skill.
Of the bowlers Hardy, Lead W., Johnson A., Burgoyne and Samwells C. can all bowl a
bit but none has much 'devil' and all were prone to have days when they could not bowl
at all. The best figures were :- Samwells 3 for 11 and Johnson A. 3 for 27 against the
Elms, Burgoyne 4 for 10 against Winterfold and Hardy 4 for 51 against Abberley.
Greys beat both Blues and Greens in the Colour Matches, Lead W. taking 5 for 19 in
each match and he was also top scorer with 27.
Other boys in the senior games who deserve a mention are Ridley, Munns, Samwells J.
and Twinberrow and of the juniors Hughes, Miles, MacLaren, Tyler, Harvey, Wallace and
Moore A. showed up well.
7

GYM
The level of performance at the top was high. Colours were awarded to Hamer,
Tildesley, Hardy, Bennett and Lead W., and others who did very well were Martineau,
Johnson A., Peters and Ridley. The cup was won by Greens, with Blues second.
SHOOTING
For the second year running the standard was poor, though improvement was made
and the level was a little higher than last year. The competition was won by Greys, the
individual cup by MacGregor, and he and Tildesley had their Colours.
CROSS COUNTRY
This was perhaps a little less good than in the last few years, but Hardy ran well for
first place, the next two being Tildesley and Martineau. Blues won by a single point
from Greys. Younger boys who did well were Elt, Davies J., MacLaren, Fields S. and
Masters J.
PENTATHLON
White Badges were won during the year by Bennett, Peters, Martineau and Lead W.;
and with Tildesley holding his already, we had a record total of five at one time. Blues
came first, with Greens second.
SWIMMING
We started very late because of cold weather, but some boys a t least made good
progress, and the standard at the top was as good as it has ever been. The individual
cup was shared by Lead W. and Peters, and others who were awarded their Colours
were MacGregor, Bennett, McCulloch N., Munns, Tildesley and Martineau. Others who
did specially well in tests were McCulloch I., Miles, Elt, Jones C., Masters J., and
Edwards D. Greys won the swimming sports by a single point from Blues, but Blues
were a long way ahead in tests and won the cup. The results of the swimming sports
were :-
S E N I O R Free Style 1. Peters 2. Lead W. 3. Martineau
Breast Stroke 1. Lead 2. Peters 3. Bennett
Back Stroke 1. Peters 2. Lead 3. MacGregor, Munns
Life Saving 1. McCulloch N. 2. Lead 3. Munns
Underwater 1. Peters 2. Martineau 3. Lead
Diving 1. Lead 2. Peters 3. Bennett

J U N I O R Free Style 1. Edwards D. 2. Masters J. 3. Ridley

Breast Stroke 1. Miles 2. Ridley 3. Waine
Back Stroke 1. Ridley 2. Edwards 3. Samwells J.
Diving 1. Ridley 2. Masters 3. Miles

R E L AY 1. Greys 2. Blues

ATHLETICS
Competition between the three Colours was closer than usual, and very keen in the
finals, though more keenness might have been shown by Colour-leaders in encouraging
and coaching their younger boys in Standards. This part of the competition was just won
by Greys, with Greens second; and in the end the order was the same, Greys getting most
of their points in Divs. I and IV, and Greens in II and III. Those who got all their
Standards were Elt, Ridley, Fields S., Waine, Godsall and Edwards D. - all in the two
junior divisions, which does not speak too well for the seniors.
Sports Day itself was a complete washout, and the finals had to be decided on the
Monday. Partly, no doubt, because of the soft ground, performances were nearly all
worse than last year; but the senior 440 provided a notable exception, Martineau
getting within 1.6 seconds of the record, which he might well have broken under better
conditions. He was easily the best
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all-rounder in 1; Johnson A. and Peters doing best in 11; Ridley, Moore D. and Elt in III;
and Waine and Hughes in IV. Results :-
DIVISION I.
440 yards 1. Martineau 2. Hardy 3. Tildesley 63.4 sec.
100 yards 1. Martineau 2. Bennett 3. Tildesley 13.0 sec.
Hurdles 1. Martineau 2. Hamer 3. Bennett
High Jump 1 = Jones C., Lead W., Martineau 3ft. 11in.
Long Jump 1. Martineau 2. Hamer 3. Bennett 13ft 5 ½ in.
Cricket Ball 1. Hardy 2. Martineau 3. Lead 52 yds.

DIVISION II.
220 yards 1. Peters 2. Johnson A. 3. Elt 32.2 sec.
100 yards 1. Peters 2. Masters A. 3. Johnson 14.0 sec.
Hurdles 1. Johnson 2. Peters 3. Masters
High Jump 1 = Johnson, Masters, Peters 3ft. 11in.
Long Jump 1. Johnson 2. Leece 3. Peters 12ft. 2in.
Cricket Ball 1. Johnson 2. Munns 3. Masters 44 ½ yds.

DIVISION III.
100 yards 1. Moore D. 2. Elt 3. Fields S. 14.2 sec.
Hurdles 1. Elt 2. Fields 3. Ridley
High Jump 1. Jones M., Ridley 3. Elt 3ft. 11in.
Long Jump 1. Moore 2. Ridley 3. Fields 11 ft. 4in.
Cricket Ball 1. Ridley 2. Moore 3. Masters J. 43 yds.

DIVISION IV.
80 yards 1. Hughes 2. Edwards D. 3. Waine 11.8 sec.
Hurdles 1. Waine 2. Hughes 3. Edwards
High Jump 1. Edwards 2. Waine 3. Fields 3ft. 6 ½ in.
Long Jump 1. Hughes 2. Godsall 3. Edwards J.W. 10ft. 11in.
 Thomas
Cricket Ball 1. Waine 2. Moore A. 3. Edwards J.W. 34 ½ yds.

RELAYS : Medley 1. Blues 2. Greys

Sprint 1. Greens 2. Greys
POINTS Greys 139, Greens 122, Blues 105.

CAMP
When the S.L. was a little boy, he had a model of a battleship of those days. (No, it
was not H.M.S. Victory). You shot at it with a sort of torpedo; and if you hit the vital spot
amidships, you touched off a spring inside and the whole thing blew up; then you put it
together again and had another go. This year's camp was rather like that. All would go
well for several hours, or even a day and a half, and then some mysterious spring would
be touched and either there would be a really disheartening incident or else the whole
show would collapse with startling suddenness into a sort of caricature of bad camping
- such as that ghastly meal when half the troop turned up with trailing bootlaces,
stockings down, shirts hanging out, filthy hands and quarrelsome voices, to be fed
with tepid muddy water and black wafers mysteriously spotted here and there with
white, which the cooks humourously called tea and fried eggs. That meal can, after an
interval, be laughed at; but one or two of the incidents involving selfishness, bad
manners, and deceitful disobedience were not funny, and we don't want them again.
Now let's look at the bright side; because the camp as a whole was, unlike those eggs,
mostly white, with only occasional black blotches; and, to carry the metaphor on a bit, I
think we can say that the yolk was unbroken. Taking the troop members individually,
twenty of the twenty-five can be said to have contributed more good than bad; and at
least a dozen were really first-rate scouts who would have been an asset in any camp
we have ever had. These included several of the younger ones, and - very pleasingly -
more than one of those who are not, shall we say, exactly famous for saintly behaviour at
school. Individual responsibilities were extremely well dealt with. Even allowing for
Mrs. Griffith's perfect organisation at base, Tildesley's management of the food stores was
absolutely first-rate; everything was tidy, he knew without fail where everything was, and
there was not a fly or wasp to be seen

in the food tent. Martineau too was excellent at the packing and management of the
cooking and eating implements, and only someone who has seen how troublesome this
department can be in less competent hands can appreciate how well he did his job. Hardy
was very good with the tools, though of course it was his hat that did it; apparently the hat
was as essential as his hair was to Samson, since Hardy worked, played, ate, walked, and
even slept in it, and the fact that he didn't bathe in it no doubt accounted for his taking
so long to get wet. Then there were the unofficial experts. Bennett, for instance,
became the Kindling King and could be relied on to produce as much kindling as all the
rest put together, in half the time. And Ridley became Chief Latrine Engineer. He and
Harris were a strong combination : they worked a shift system - first Ridley dug and
Harris supervised, and then Harris supervised and Ridley dug. Seriously though, this
may not be a romantic job but it is essential, and Ridley did it as well as I have ever seen it
done.
This subject leads on to a more general survey; for the latrine discipline as a whole
was one of the strong points, and everything was always spotlessly clean, offering no
encouragement to flies or threat to health. Health in fact was excellent; one trifling
indisposition and one scald were all that the S.L. had to deal with, and the inevitable
scratches and blisters and so on were competently seen to by the scouts themselves.
Apart from one poor meal (which after all we could eat) and the fact that the troop
as a whole was bad at the simple job of making tea, cooking was sound and sometimes
very good. The two lots of suet pudding for example were really excellent; 'fantastic'
was the eaters' description, though to some imaginations a 'fantastic' pudding might seem
to suggest something pale blue with writhing tentacles, coming out of a witch's
cauldron. But perhaps the best culinary performance was the Peckers' breakfast of
porridge, kippers, tea and 'bread-and' produced in exactly 40 minutes from the moment
that the P.L. was woken up.
Peckers were, in fact, for most of the camp, the best patrol. Looking at the list before
we started, one could be pardoned perhaps for expecting that they would be the worst;
but somehow or other they achieved that mysterious thing known as team-work, which
makes a group of people stronger than any of the individuals in it. Credit must go to
Lead as P.L. and to Rosoman as his Second ; though it is doubtful if they have the
slightest idea of how they managed it, since the main feature of team-work is that you
completely forget the 'I' in your keenness on the 'we' and on the job in hand. Another
example of their good work was the way in which the woodpile, previously on the verge
of failing to keep up with the fires, shot up in no time to a comforting height under
their hands ; though it is fair to say that the other patrols were quick to realise then
what could be done, and we had no fuel-shortage afterwards.
Finding and choosing firewood is a skilled job, and not everyone realises that there is
much to be learnt about it. On the first day some stuff came in which would have foiled
Prometheus' best efforts or put out the Fire of London; and though this did not
happen again, there is also skill in the selection by the cooks of the right size, and
quality, and quantity of wood to be used at any particular time. In fact it is not too much
to say that the most important man in the cooking patrol is the chap who is looking after
the fires. For instance, that time when you were trying to fry bacon, and the fat was
spitting, and your eyes were smarting, and you couldn't get near the pan for heat, it was
because there was too fierce a fire underneath the boiler-plate; and on the same occasion
maybe you were held up because the tea-billy wouldn't boil, and that was due to there
being only a glow and not a blaze in the open fire. Each type of cooking needs the right
size of wood, of the right kind of dryness, put on at the right time. It needs learning.
right
And talking of learning, Cuckoos were best at this ; and MacGregor in particular
was the P.L. who showed most willingness to try and put into practice the advice given
him. Though indeed all the P.L's. did well in this respect; and perhaps this is the place
to give honourable mention to some others who not only worked hard but learnt -
McCulloch among the older hands, and Munns, Davies R., Davies J., Masters A., and
Fields, among the first-year men.
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An encouraging sign of the will to learn was that one or two boys were heard wishing
that it would rain; for we have had three dry camps running, and have no boys with
experience of how to cope with rain, and of the feeling of pride and triumph that comes
when you know you have got safely through something that might have beaten you,
uncomfortable though the battle may have been. Heat however brings its own
difficulties ; and one thing that it would be easy to forget to praise was the way
everybody not only remembered the chores of carrying water, bread, and milk, but
performed this decidedly hard work without grumbling or trying to get out of it. At
least . . . well, perhaps Johnson's water-can was heavier than all the others.
Free time was on the whole well spent. Besides the usual activities of playing on the
Castle, dam-building, hunting bull-heads and loaches, and so on, there were four or five
apprentice fly-fishers ; and even if we might be glad that we did not depend on them to
keep us from starvation, they can remember that many a notable angler has started
with salmon parr. Two enterprising juniors made a successful ascent of One Tree Hill;
and there was generally a considerable body of scientists hunting fossils.
This of course was one example of Mr. Chandler's influence ; not for nothing does
one have a B.Sc. in camp. He also demonstrated the principle of the displacement of
water, and every time he did a 'bomb' there was a flood in Llandrindod half an hour
later. This apart, the improvement in the use of the bathing pool noted last year was
continued. There were no fewer than eleven regular users of the diving rock, and most
people spent at least part of their bathe in discovering the pleasure of merely swimming,
with currents, lots of room, and lovely surroundings. Lead spent so long exploring the bed
of the river ten or twelve feet down that rescue parties were sometimes on the point of
setting out when he surfaced ; and he seemed so much more seal than human that one
expected to see him emerge from the depths with a salmon in his teeth.
Discipline? Well, even apart from the one or two things that are not to be joked
about, it must be admitted that we had our little problems. Pigeons in fact had two little
problems, each of whom was to be seen occasionally standing in a certain magic
circle ; one with a thunder-red face, ferocious scowl, pouting lower lip, and one foot
and knee sticking out sideways; and the other with black head hung down, hands
behind him, and shoulders swinging from side to side. Each however had his
decidedly good - and much happier - patches.
For the short hike we split into three groups this year. The moderates under Mr.
Chandler did the traditional course to Llandegley Rocks ; the tigers (eleven boys and one
Hat) covered a much more entertaining route to the same destination, walking and
navigating very well indeed ; and the rabbits, led by an elderly animal with grey hair,
performed a gentler amble, which nevertheless included a quite tough bit, and had a
memorable conversation with a delightful party of assorted dogs and their owner at
Cwm Brith. The long hike was carried out by nearly the same party of tigers, whom Mr.
Chandler led on a splendid journey over Radnor Forest, taking in the Wimble, the
summit, and Water-break-its neck; while the rabbits, some from choice and others
compelled by misfortune to be temporarily cunicular, plodded gently up the river to the
Severn Arms, an unenterprising journey enlivened by a bathe and some good views of
kingfishers and herons.
The service in Cefn Llys Church on Sunday was marked by a beautifully read lesson
by McCulloch, and a sermon by the Rector's son which, recalling a camp attended by him
in Scotland, summed up a large proportion of what the S.L. had been trying to teach
during the week. There were rather fewer visitors than usual, but most of them accepted
our tea, and no one asked to take little Albert home from this horrid camp.
The Collards and Mr. Lloyd were, as always, kindness itself ; and it is to be hoped
that the scouts have a true sense of gratitude both to them and to those at the School who
not only let them go but helped in so many ways. The S.L. himself is grateful for some
more happy memories, for the bad things you could have done and didn't, for the good
things that perhaps he failed to notice as well as those he did, and for the fact that no one
asked for extra Latin in free time.
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