THE Ay m e s t r e y M a g a z i n e , EASTER, 1946. O l d Bo y Ne ws , Edward Speirs received his George Medal at the hands of H.M.

the King at a recent investiture. Nigel Blair-Oliphant, Group Capt., O.B.E., has been at the R.A.F. Staff College. Geoffrey Coaker and Richard Wall are both out of the Army now ; the latter is back at his old job with the G.W.R., and the former has a new railway post and a new house in Lincolnshire. Eric Davies is out of the Navy and back at the B.B.C. ; he and his wife came to see us recently. John Eyton Coates is home and has returned to Lloyd's Bank, Worcester ; he had some very good cricket in South Africa. Dennis Hargreaves and Dick Baron were both in Jap hands for years, but have come through. The former is home, but the latter is still in the East ; he barely survived working on the " Death Railway," but is all right now, barring malaria. David St. Clair Roberts has somehow slipped past the examiners to the extent of being fully qualified with B.M., B.Ch., B.A., after his name. He was for a while House Surgeon at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, and now has a post at Ronkswood Hospital, Worcester. Ronald Ainslie visited us in January ; he has been doing Intelligence work in India for a long time and is an expert at all sorts of obscure languages. Douglas Kellie is out of the Army and has a small fruit farm near Droitwich. Norris Leakey is a Civil Affairs Staff Officer in Malaya ; he is hoping to stay on there in the Civil Service when the Army hands over. Michael Bates, Capt., R.A.M.C., is also in Malaya. Ian Leakey is Gunnery Control Officer in H.M.S. Cadiz, at present in home. waters. Pat Cope was here recently on leave from Malaya, whither he has got to return shortly. Bill Holgate expects to be out of the Navy and home by Easter ; he passed his exam. for the Institute of Actuaries at long rangefrom Japan, in point of fact and will be working in London. Christopher Thomas was here for a few hours last term ; he hopes to be out of the R.A.F. soon and to take up fruit farming. Michael Davison is thinking of applying for a permanent commission in the R.A.F. ; he is in this country at present, instructing. Ken Davison is in H.M.S. Ocean. Owing to the unexpectedly beneficent effect of a strike the two brothers were able to meet a short while ago in Malta. John Holgate is home waiting to know what his Medical Board will do with him. He had a very bad accident while playing rugger in India and was laid up for a long time, but he can get about now and looks fit enough. He and Tom Fletcher came and helped to cheer the Aymestrey XV to victory last term. Tom Fletcher has also been indulging in some waiting about until the Navy tell him what to do. He met David Lead in Colombo a little while ago. David Lead is a Midshipman in H.M.S. Trafalgar ; he was last heard of in Japan. John Page, 60th Rifles, has been attached to the Sherwood Foresters at Ismaila on the Suez Canal. Richard Sykes is at an O.C.T.U. 1

Geoffrey Wood got a Scholarship last year at Keble College, Oxford. Forestry is his ultimate aim, and his main interests seem to be mountaineering and music. He plays soccer for his college. Robert Devereux, we gather, is in the Navy and fed up. John Stallard is at Hertford College, Oxford. Edward Lane left Bromsgrove last summer and is now farming at home ; he finished his last school cricket season well by winning the Batting Cup. John Wood is at the Royal Agricultural College, Circencester. He is Captain of Rugger and had the formidable task of leading an entirely new side. Playing against some R.A.F. station, he found that the opposing captain was Bleddyn Williams, but we gather that the score didn't reach three figures. Colin Cope is at an O.C.T.U. in Staffordshire. Bill Hamilton is on an Army Short Course at Birmingham University. Geoffrey Pugh visited us recently. He has just gone into the Army after being Head Boy at Tettenhall College, and in the rugger XV for four seasons. Another recent visitor was Capt. Cecil Shorter, just back after several years in India. He is not yet out of the Army and is uncertain what he will do. Peter Strong left Cheltenham last summer after getting six Credits in School Certificate. He is now working at Lister's in Dursley. Other good School Certficate performers were Lewis Biggs, one Distinction, five Credits ; Brian Fayle, six Credits ; and Tony Claydon, five Credits. The two former were just 15 and the latter only 14 at the time of the exam. Fayle and Biggs have both been here lately. Bill Dewing led the forwards in the Colts XV at the R.N.C. last season. Nigel Jerram plays outside-left for the Colts XI at Malvern and centre-forward for his house juniors ; in one game for the latter he got nine goals. Bill Sprott has just passed Certficate A at Repton. He plays fives for his house and is goalkeeper in his house 2nd XI. Robert Marshall is head of his house at Stowe. He got his 2nd XV colours and has played in the 1st. John Pettigrew is a Monitor at Ashbury College in Canada. He is Vice-Captain of Soccer, Editor of the College Magazine and Secretary of the Common Room. In School Certficate he got seven Firsts and two Secondswhatever they may be ; they sound all right anyway. Pat Pettigrew is at the Canadian Sedbergh ; he is a mighty man in the games line there, but we know no details. John Macdonald (Winchester) came a short time ago ; it is difficult to get informat ion out of him, but we gather that he still plays back at soccer and that no one had yet stopped him playing the viola. Timothy Macnamara has got out of his waiting house at Wellington into his Dormitory (Hardinge). Jim Page led the forwards in Junior Colts at Bromsgrove, and when they played Cheltenham he found himself marking Michael Tibbetts. He also played sometimes for Senior Colts. In athletics he got all his Standards except the half-mile. He is still an alto and an oboist. Christopher Adams got his Form Prize in the summer at Marlborough. He is head of his Junior House and has his house rugger coloursas hooker ; he plays the French horn, making surprisingly nice noises on it at times. His father and mother are safely home from a Jap prison camp. Theo Christophers also got a Form Prize at Marlborough in July. He is a Junior House Captain, still plays centre at rugger, but has recently been suffering acute damage in the early stages of hockey. Michael Tibbetts has been playing fly-half for Junior Colts at Cheltenham ; he is a first cornet in the J.T.C. band. David Brown has been getting on well all round at Sedbergh. He has taken up the violin. 2

John Maxwell has extricated himself early from the Probationers' House at Glenalmond and got into his proper house. He played for his house junior XV which won the cup and he won the junior hurdles in the sports. Other recent visitors and correspondents have included David Coates, Shim Lowes, Robin Lowes, Robert Mitchell, Geoffrey Howell, John Hughes, Harry Jerram, David Wright, Julian Webb, John Alderney, Tony Tibbetts, Hugh Morley. School Notes Salvete.O. G. M. French, D. C. A. Hughes, T. Leland, P. G. Vale, H. C. Winterton. Valete.R. A. Spreckley. Came May, 1940. Prefect September, 1945. P.L. of Peckers. Soccer Colours, 1945. Choir. (Repton.) We were extremely sorry to have to say good-bye at Christmas to Mrs. Pastfield. She only came to work as Under Matron as her war work, and we knew she would soon have to go back and keep house for her husband, who is Science Master at Llandovery College, but her absence leaves a real gap, especially as she had helped to see the school through most of the worst of the war years. The Bust-Up, still war-time model, took place none the less with unabated fervour and appetite. Officially there were no guests, but three Old Boys from Cheltenham, Roger Phillips, Julian Webb and Michael Tibbetts decided, very properly, that the O.A.A. had got to be represented somehow, and wangled leave to come. Next time we hope there will be an official meeting of the Association to mark the eventbut will there be any food ? In March we revived another old fixture with a lecture on Deep Sea Diving, by Capt. Lawson Smith. His lecture needs no eulogy here ; he is the best lecturer, or talker, we ever have, and that is all there is to be said, except perhaps that his powers of gripping his audience and " putting it across " to boys seem in no way diminished, but rather increased by the lapse of years. School Officials were : Head Prefect : D. C. F. Fayle. Prefects : I. H. Marshall, J. C. F. Schnadhorst, R. A. Spreckley, A. G. F. Young, J. B. Heath, G. F. D. Ellerton. Captain of Rugger : D. C. F. Fayle. Work The Work Section of the Colour Competition in the Easter Term was won by the Blues, with 214 points to the Greys' 203 and the Greens' 63. Boys with 20 or more Alphas and Good Show-Ups were : Blues. Greens. Greys. McLeod I. .... 53 Spreckley .... 28 Fayle .... .... 36 Marshall .... .... 36 Schnadhorst .... 22 Morley .... .... 35 McLeod, D. .... 33 Coley .... .... 22 Coates, J. R. .... 33 French, D. .... 22 Leland .... .... 24 Webb .... .... 20 Gallimore, R. 23 Thornely, N. .... 20 Gallimore, J. 22 Custerson . 20 During this term Fayle got no bad mark of any kindno Gamma, Bad Show-Up, Minor Mark, Late Mark or Untidy Mark. Those who came top of their Sets were as follows : English : V, Marshall ; IV, McLeod, D. ; III, Morley; II, McLeod, I. ; Ia, Thornely, N. Ib, Hughes, D. Mathematics V, Fayle ; IV, Elliott ; III, Mayfield; II, McLeod,I. I a, Thor ne l y, N. I b, M il dm a y. French : V, Fayle ; Remove, Ellerton ; IV, Gallimore, J., and Knight, W.; III, Coates, J. R. ; II, McLeod, I. ; I, Mildmay. Latin : V, Fayle ; Remove, Schnadhorst ; IV, Gallimore, J. I; II, Coates, J. R. ; IIa, McLeod, I. ; IIb, Lolling and McCarthy. History and Geography : V, Marshall ; IV and III, Gallimore, J. II, McLeod, I. ; I, Thornely, N. 3

Music
The Carol Party took place as usual and the only unusual and unpleasant feature of the occasion was that three of the four leading trebles had heavy colds. This, however seemed only to affect volume and not quality, which was good, as was the under standing and balance with the accompanying strings. For variety many verses of various carols were sung by a semi-chorus, Ellerton, Slatter, Marshall and Heath being the trebles, and the underparts being scaled down to balance. Ellerton sang the solo in Myn Lyking, very softly, but in tune and with a pleasant tone. The following Sunday many of the same carols, and rather more for congregational singing, were given at a Carol Service in the Church. The following were successful in the Examinations of the Associated Board in March : P. M. Coates, Primary Violin and Primary Piano, and R. C. L. Gallimore, Preliminary Piano, all with credit. On Sunday, March 10, we were given a most delightful 'cello recital by Miss Margaret Edes, accompanied by Miss Davies. It was a real treat, and the range of expression and delicacy of tone, as well as the activity, of which the instrument is capable in such hands was a revelation to many of those listening. Miss Davies gave her usual " Music Makers" programme on Tuesday, April 2. There were no fewer than 27 performers, of whom the pick were perhaps Hughes, R., McLeod, D., Schnadhorst, Coley, Heath, Gallimore, R., and Knight, R., on the piano, Fayle, Ellerton, Coates, P. M., Elliott and McLeod, L, on the violin, Schnadhorst on the clarinet, and Coates, P. D., on the 'cello. Fayle's performance was outstanding. The main works studied in appreciation classes this winter have been Beethoven's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies and the Emperor Concerto, Schubert's Trio in B Flat, Elgar's Emgina Variations and the Overtures " Mastersingers," " Cochaigne " and " Portsmouth Point." The best attended and most popular wireless performances listened to were of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Sibelius' Second and Walton's Belshazzar's Feast." The Senior Orchestra, besides more elementary and, no doubt, suitable music, has attempted arrangements of the slow movements of Beethoven's Second and Seventh Symphonies and Dvorak's " New World." Highly improper, but great fun ! Welcome additions to the Record Library have been Mozart's Haffner Symphony, presented by Miss Davies, Sibelius' Tapiola," presented by J. A. Macdonald, and Beethoven's Second Symphony. The following are in the Choir Trebles : Ellerton, Marshall, Slatter, Heat Gallimore, J., Coates, J. J., Spreckley, Coates, P. M., Webb, Hughes, R. Altos Fayle, Schnadhorst.

Soccer
Taken all round it was a fair average season. We had expected a weak XI and it was undoubtedly our worst for some seasons ; but it was by no means a bad side and was, if anything, better than we had expected. Gallimore developed very well as a goalkeeper, showing considerable coolness and judgment ; Fayle's kicking and Strong's speed and determination made the backs a useful pair ; Ellerton and Marshall were useful wing halves, the one erratic but often dangerous, the other sound and h a r dwo r k in g; Coley, who finished up as centre-half, was sensible and plucky, though no stylist; Spreckley, on the left wing, improved enormously and was always a sensible though rarely a dashing player, while Thornely, at outside-left, was very fast and promising ; of the insides, Schnadhorst was slow but always knew what he was trying to do, Morley being the reversequick and dashing but apt to lose his head ; Heath was clever and fast and it was not his fault that he was too light for a centre-forward. Other players to do well were Coates, J. R., who was perhaps unlucky not to get his colours, Hughes, R., Young, Webb, Mayfield, Record, Custerson, McLeod, I., and Coates, P. D. The junior game was keen and full of promise without anyone being outstanding. Two rounds of Colour Matches were played ; in the first Greens beat Blues and Greys, and Greys beat Blues ; in the second Greys beat Blues again, and Greens beat Greys, but could only draw with Blues. The cup was therefore won by Greens. 4

Soccer Matches WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31. AYMESTREY v. ABBERLEY HALL, AT ABBERLEY. For a small and inexperienced side we did not put up too bad a show in our first match. The ground was wet, the ball slippery, and Abberley had a very good team, but we were nowhere bad and the game was always fast and interesting. In the first half Abberley scored two goals, but were pressing all the time and our defence did well not to concede more, though the forwards seldom got far and the Abberley goal was only once in danger after a good run and centre by Thornely, which forced them to give away a corner. In the second half the game was territorially more even. Once a big kick by Fayle sent Thornely away again, but we just failed to put the centre in ; and on another occasion Coates centred well and Schnadhorst put in a good shot which was only just saved. But, meanwhile, the Abberley attacks were faster and more thrustful than ours and they got two more goals. Gallimore played a splendid game in goal, making many fine saves ; Fayle was steady and kicked well and Strong worked very hard, as did Coley at right-half. Thornely, Coates and Morley were the pick of our forwards. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7. AYMESTREY v. THE LINK, AT MALVERN. For the first quarter of this game play was somewhat slow and was even, till at last Schnadhorst gave Thornely a good through pass and Heath took the centre n his stride, broke through the backs and scored with an excellent shot as the goal keeper came out. Then we became rather lethargic, and some bad miskicking and slowness by our backs and halves let in The Link forwards, who brought the scores level. We then had one or two narrow escapes, but the defence improved, Fayle and Ellerton saved ugly situations, and Coley did a very good piece of work, beating three men in the goalmouth after Gallimore had come out and missed the ball. Half-time came without further score. Soon afterwards the Link centre-forward broke clean through and put in a hard shot which Gallimore saved very well indeed. More close and even play followed and the pace became faster. Our defence further improved, Strong and Fayle showing a good understanding and kicking well, and Ellerton, Coley and Spreckley doing many nice pieces of work. The forwards were going harder too, and at last Thornely raced down the wing and centred, and Morley did very well to be up and put it in, sending us ahead once more. We pressed more and more strongly ; Coates and Morley worked down the left wing well and Schnadhorst only just failed to score from Coates' centre ; Heath very nearly got one, Ellerton hit the far post with a good long shot, and at last, just a minute from time, Morley made the game safe for us with another goal, after Schnadhorst and Coates had done good approach work. The whole side did well in the second half, Ellerton and Spreckley in particular showing much improved form. Fayle, whose powerful clearances were a feature of the game, was awarded his colours. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17. AYMESTREY v. ABBERLEY HALL, AT AYMESTREY. A very even and interesting match. In the first half Abberley were decidedly on top and were pressing almost continuously ; but our defence worked hard, showing great determination and some skill, and twenty minutes passed before our opponents scored. The play then became even faster and our forwards improved. Once Abberley missed a completely open goal after a very fine centre by their outside- left, and immediately afterwards a big kick by Fayle led to a good movement down our right wing, Thornely and Schnadhorst interpassing until the latter put across a perfect centreand we too missed an open goal. Then Gallimore made two good saves in quick succession, one especially being a very fine effort at full length on the ground, and our forwards went off again on a good run, missing the final shot narrowly. After half-time play was dull for a time, but we recovered first from this bad patch. Fayle and Strong, who had been playing well throughout, became quite masters of the attack, aided by some most persistent worrying by Coley ; Thornely, Schnadhorst and Heath in turn all made dangerous attacks, and right in the last minute Heath put a centre across the goalmouth and Thornely, coming up very fast, just reached the ball, but failed by - y an inch to steer it in. Abberley were certainly a better side than we were, but we played so hard and were so much on top in the last ten minutes that a draw would not have been an unfair result. Our backs and goalkeeper were first rate, Coley worked tirelessly to subdue a very good outside-left, Ellerton kicked well with his right foot (though not at all with his left !) 5

and worked hard, and Marshall made a useful first appearance at left-half. Of the forwards, Heath and the right-wing pair were better, but the left-wing was weaker than in the previous match. Colours were awarded to Coley, Gallimore and Strong. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21. AYMESTREY V. SEAFORD HOUSE, AT AYMESTREY. Our team clearly started this game appalled by the size of their opponents, who were, man for man, head and shoulders taller and probably on the average nearly two stone heavier than we wereperhaps the largest soccer eleven ever seen on our ground We were a goal down in the first two minutes, their outside-left sending in a good high shot which our goalkeeper only made a half-hearted attempt to reach. From the kick-off Seaford House came straight back again and one of our backs was unlucky enough to hit one of his own men with a hard clearance, the ball rebounding at the feet of an opponent, who had merely to tap it in. Five minutes more a Seaford had scored again, our defence being still all at sea with the length of the kicks of which their large men were capable. Then, to our men's very great credit, they pulled themselves together and set to work to play good football in spite of the discouragement of a three-goal lead against them ; they tackled and passed well, took risks in order to attack at all costs, and in every way showed a proper spirit. Heath twice and Schnadhorst once came very near to scoring and a little before halftime we had some well-deserved encouragement when Fayle seized on a clearance in mid-field and with an enormous kick scored a magnificent goal from only just inside the half-way line. It was no fluke, either, but a deliberate, carefully-aimed shot. After halftime the whole side played magnificently. Seaford attacked again and again, but all our halves and backs tackled and kicked well, and Gallimore came back into form with many fine saves, coming right out of goal several times with very good judgment. When our forwards' turn came it was a pleasure to see the way they kept the defence on the run with quick passing, and above all to see the pluck with which they went in to tackle solidly players who towered above them, and to beat them again and again. At last we forced a corner, Spreckley sent the ball right across the goalmouth and Schnadhorst put it in. Excitement rose to fever heat, we played better and better, Ellerton sent a long pass across to the left-wing, Spreckley, Morley and Heath interpassed cleverly to take the ball right up to the goalmouth, and Schnadhorst scored again at close range. In the last five minutes both goals had narrow escapes, but there was no further score. It was a really excellent performance to make it a draw against a three-goal lead and an immeasureably heavier and more powerful side. Colours were awarded to Ellerton, Schnadhorst, Morley and Thornely. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28. AYMESTREY V. SEAFORD HOUSE, AT MALVERN. The return match was an evenly contested game in which our greater skill and teamwork were just insufficient to turn the scale against weight. Seaford pressed territorially rather more than we did, but against keen tackling their shooting was rather wild, and Gallimore in goal played a very good game, being generally completely master of the situation. Quite often we broke away and usually our forwards moved skilfully down the field, but time after time our small players were ridden off the ball by sheer weight before they could shoot. Up to half-time there was no score, but afterwards the Seaford centre-half twice simply forced his way through our backs and halves with the ball at his feet and scored from two or three yards rangeand there was really nothing that could be done about it. In reply we got one goal, Schnadhorst putting it in after a movement by Heath and Spreckley. None of our men did badly, though perhaps the forwards might have showed just that little extra dash and determination near goal which would have carried them through. Special mention should be made of Coley, who worked tirelessly and once saved a certain goal by heading out a hard shot when our goalkeeper was on the ground. (A fact that will interest some old boys is that Seaford House have taken over the old St. Cuthbert's ground, so that we were paying our first visit for many years to an old haunt.) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1. AYMESTREY v. THE LINK, AT AYMESTREY. We finished the season in good style with an emphatic victory. The game began in a rather dreamy lethargy, working up in pace gradually as time went on. The Link were the first to score; their inside-right sent over a hard centre which bounced off another forward, pitched awkwardly and slithered through our goalkeeper's hands and over his shoulder into the net. Recovering somewhat, we did some attacking 6

and presently a good throw-in by Ellerton put Thornely away and his centre was well driven in by Heath with a neat first-time shot. Play was even for some time ; we made some good thrusts, but our halves were not following up well, so that any half-clearance was enough to stop us ; but our defence improved and there was only one anxious moment when Gallimore received a hack in making a good save, and another shot came in while he was immobilised ; but fortunately it came right into his hands and he got it away. Then came a picture goal. Schnadhorst got the ball on the half-way line and gave Thornely a nice pass down the wing ; Thornely went off very fast, and from right on the goal-line sent in a perfect centre which travelled fast along the ground straight across the goal-mouth for Morley to turn it in. This was undoubtedly our prettiest goal of the season. After half-time our forwards really got going and the halves were now closely in support. Marshall set Spreckley off down the left-wing and Heath put the centre in, racing up just in time to beat the goalkeeper as he came out. A good pass up the middle by Coley was pushed out by Heath to Morley, who scored ; then after further good work by Spreckley and Marshall, Ellerton sent up a very good long pass for Schnadhorst to put it in ; and finally Heath got one more after another good run by Thornely. Meanwhile the game had repeatedly swung to the other end of the field, and though our backs' defensive play was not up to their standard in previous matches, Strong being very wild under pressure, we always got it away somehow, Gallimore once coming out very well to save off the centreforward's feet when he was clear away. So the final score was 6-1, and we were good value for the victory. Thornely and Ellerton each played his best game of the season, and Schnadhorst and Heath were also very good. Morley worked hard and Coley, Marshall and Spreckley did well in the second half. Colours were awarded to Spreckley and Marshall. Rugger It was disappointing that sickness caused the scratching of three matches out of the four arranged, but in every other respect it was a most interesting and succesful season. The task of building a team seemed a formidable one with nothing left from last year except two threequarters and one forward, but talent appeared from nowhere and in the end we had a side which was not only promising, in view of its age (II out of 15 should be available next season and 7 the season after that) but pretty good by any standard, even though it was not on the same plane as our last three XV's. Fayle set a good example of hard work as Captain, though he was not a great leader, and he showed himself a sound all-round forward and a fine place kick. Young, Gallimore and Marshall were the pick of the forwards, the first particularly, and Coley and Thornely were a most promising pair of halves ; Webb was guaranteed to be an appalling nuisance to the other side in whatever position he played, and Strong showed considerable skill as a wing. In the centre Ellerton and Heath improved their defence and their handling and often did good things on their own, but they did not combine well. Larkam was a busy forward, never far from the ball, and Coates, J. R., was especially good in the loose with the invaluable knack of backing up in the right place. , At full-back Hughes was slow and apt to be caught in possession, and did not gather well from the feet of the opposing forwards (his hardest job), but his kicking and tackling were excellent. The whole side's keenness and hard work in practice left little to be desired. Other members of the senior game to deserve mention are Billingham, Slatter, Elliott, McLeod, D., McLeod, I., Coates, P. M., Coates, P. D., Coiling, French, A., Knight, W., Underwood, Moore and Morley. The general standard was remarkably high, as is shown by the fact that, with 47 boys in the school, we were able to play 15-a-side on the senior game. As a whole the junior game was perhaps not quite as good as it was last year, but there were some very highly promising performers, notably Hughes, D., Mayfield, Record, Bearcroft, Thornely, N., and Gallimore, R. In the first round of Colour Matches we played 7-a-side. Blues beat Greys 11-5 ; Blues' tries were scored by Ellerton, Elliott and Latham and Ellerton converted one ; Greys' try, converted by Fayle, was scored by Gallimore. Greens beat Blues 11-0 ; Coley, Strong and Heath scored for Greens, Strong converting one try. Then Greys beat Greens, so that all three colours finished level. A knock-out competition was arranged to decide it, played 10-a-side. Blues beat Greys 12-8. For Blues Ellerton scored two tries, of which he converted one, and dropped a goal ; 7

Gallimore and Coates, P. D., scored tries for Greys, Fayle converting one. Finally, at 10 a.m., two days from the end of term, Greens beat Blues 9-5; Greens' tries were scored by Young (2) and Strong, while for Blues Ellerton converted a try scored by Thornely. Greens were thus winners of the cup. The kicking competition was won by Greys with 335 points, Greens coming second with 316 and Blues third with 295. The standard was good ; not a single boy in the school failed to score, and 24 boys got over 20 points. Hughes was the best individual with 68 ; Strong got 51, Ellerton 48, Schnadhorst 46, and Custerson 40. Rugger Match SATURDAY, MARCH 9. AYMESTREY V. ABBERLEY HALL, AT AYMESTREY. We were lucky to have a warm, still, dry day for this game after a good deal of bad weather. Playing down the hill first we started rather shakily and several movements were spoilt by knocks-on The Abberley tackling was very keen, and though we got more of the ball we could not make much progress ; at last, however, our backs put in a really good movement, the ball passing rapidly down the line, gaining ground all the time, until Strong was tackled into touch on the 25. From the line-out Gallimore and Young dribbled right down to the line and then a quick heel enabled Coley to dive over for a try, which Fayle converted with a very fine kick from only five yards in. For the rest of the half play was mostly in midfield and neither side came very near scoring. The second half was tremendously exciting. Abberley put in many strong attacks, but our defence was sound, Webb in particular making several beautiful low tackles to save ugly situations. These attacks developed chiefly from the loose play, as our forwards largely controlled the set scrums and line-outs and made some good rushes as well. When on the attack,Coley and Thornely opened up the game beautifully and our three-quarters were all playing well ; but we could never quite get through, though once a run by Heath and Strong, well backed up by Fayle, all but led to a score. Twice Abberley were forced to touch down, but at last they broke away and some strong running and good backing up gave their scrum-half, who was easily their best man, a try in the corner, which was not converted. With only two points in it play became even more desperately exciting, Abberley continuing to press ; but our whole side defended gallantly, Webb being again prominent. Marshall, Larkam and Coates in turn led good defensive rushes,and at last Thornely picked up in the loose and cleared with a very good kick to touch, and the whistle for no-side went immediately afterwards. It was an extremely fast and exciting game in which the more aggressive running of individual Abberley men was offset by cleverer play and a better understanding of the game on our part : a greater margin of victory would not have flattered us. After the first few minutes the handling of Thornely, Heath and Ellerton was very good, Strong was often dangerous on the wing and Webb did splendid work in defence. Hughes at full-back had quite a sound first match, though he had not much to do. Coley was a tower of strength throughout. All the forwards did well, Fayle, Young and Gallimore being perhaps the best.

Boxing and Gym

Boxing this winter has reached a very fair level in all sets. The competition was won by the Blues with 59 points, Greys being second with 52 and Greens third with 44. The outstanding bout was that between Fayle and Young, narrowly won by the former ; these are the two best heavyweights we have had for a long time, thoroughly sound in every respect and wonderfully quick and light on their feet for their size. Two other good fights were those between Morley and Thornely, A., won by Thornely, and between Marshall and Heath, in which Marshall was victorious but Heath scored more points for style. Other boys worthy of special mention for good performances over the season as a whole were Gallimore, J., Ellerton, McLeod, D., McCarthy, Hughes, R., Webb, Gallimore, R., Coates, P. M., McLeod, L, Thornely, N., and Hughes, D. Gym work also reached a satisfactory standard, just over half the school quali fying for the List. Heath got the largest number of points, with Gallimore, J., second, and Spreckley third. Others deserving mention were Thornely, A., Webb, Moore Larkam, Elliott, Slatter and Coley. Greens scored 79 points, Blues 75 and Greys 59. 8

Scouting
The main feature of the winter's activities has been the revival of badge work, given up in favour of war work for the duration, and a large class started out in September on an Ambulance Course. Searching tests were applied at intervals with the result that the candidates were whittled down to seven by December, when they were examined by the official examiner. They were P.L's Marshall, Fayle, Spreckley, Sec. Moore and Scouts Elliott, Young and Underwood ; all seven passed. Another important event took place on Saturday, March 2, when a team of older scouts, representing the Troop, took part with four other local troops in a wide game organised by Mr. Howell with the assistance of other S.M's. We came third of five in the game, getting very good reports from the umpire on the various tests which were brought in. Afterwards all the troops assembled in the Crown East Hut for tea, a few songs and a lot of chatter. It was very good fun and a noteworthy occasion in that it was the first time we have been able to join in local scout activities and 'meet other scouts in any numbers. The Patrol Cup was won in both terms easily by the Pigeons, who are without doubt the best patrol at the moment by a considerable margin. At Christmas the Cuckoos were second, and at Easter the Peckers. An investiture was held in November, and Mayfield, Coates, J. R., Billingham, Custerson, Webb, Colling, McCarthy, Hughes and Thornely were invested as Scouts. There are 29 scouts in the troop, of whom 16 have their Second Class Badges. Finally, there is the new Scout Room to talk about. We have been given the run of what was the air-raid shelter in the cellar, and all our cupboards and clothes and gear of all sorts is kept there. Various scouts have contributed papers, books, diagrams for the wall and so on ; we parade there and scouts can use it whenever they like. Home-made chairs and tables and gallons of paint are the next items, and then we shall have a first-class H.Q. of our own. We are grateful for a Slasher and some cooking utensils presented by Macdonald, and for the Scout paper contributed regularly by Larkam.