The

Aymestrey Magazine

AUTUMN, 1968
 THE AYM ESTR EY MAGAZ INE AUTU MN , 19 68

OLD AYMESTREY ASSOCIATION

The twenty-fifth Annual General Meeting was held in the Memorial Library at the
School on Saturday, 28th October, 1967, at 5 p.m.
Present: The President, Mr. A. B. Aitken, the Chairman, P. G. Dorrell, R. Coates, R.
J. Thomason, A. H. Slade, J. S. Sherwood, R. H. Collins, T. J. Mills, D. W. Henry, A.
G. Duncan, J. B. Hughes, E. R. Lane, J. E. Coates, D. H. Griffith, Brian Massey, W. A.
Hart, G. H. Daniel, D. A. N. Asterley, Julian. Gallimore and C. G. B. Scovell.
The Chairman, P. G. Dorrell welcomed members to the meeting. The notice
convening the meeting was read and apologies were received from J. R. Fink, C. W.
Massey, Peter Thomson, J. A. Chandler, S. Beard, Keith Aitken.
The Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31st August, 1967, was adopted on a
proposition by C. G. B. Scovell and seconded by R. Coates. The Secretary pointed out
that the deficit of £176 on the Edith Asterley Memorial Fund had, since the
publication of an appeal in October, 1967, been reduced by £120, and taking into
consideration the £100 donated by the O.A.A. the Fund had now got a surplus of about
£50. It was hoped that such a surplus would go to provide curtains for the Science
room. The Secretary also pointed out that the Association's funds now stood at their
lowest for a number of years and that regular income came only from ordinary
subscriptions and interest on the Deposit Account and Magazine Fund Savings Bank
Account.
Whilst on the subject of the Memorial Fund the President thanked J. B. Hughes, J.
E. Coates and the Sub-committee for its good work in raising the money and seeing the
project through. It was hoped that those who had not seen the new Science room would come
and see it as soon as possible.
Election of Officers for 1967-68.
Chairman: P. G. Dorrell.
Vice-Chairman: B. W. Massey.
Committee Additions: R. H. Collins and D. W. Henry.
Honorary Auditor: The Chairman accepted the resignation of J. S. Sherwood and
thanked him for his services. R. H. Collins was elected as Auditor.
Honorary Secretary/Treasurer: C. J. A. Gallimore was re-elected.
School Correspondent: D. A. N. Asterley was re-elected.
There being no other business the Chairman then voiced a vote of thanks to Mr. and
Mrs. Hugh Griffith for their hospitality and hoped he would see all members present at the
Georgian Restaurant in Worcester for the dinner.
ANNUAL DINNER
The Annual Dinner was again held at the Georgian Restaurant, where we used the
lower room, which provided a good meal in excellent surroundings.
The health of the School was proposed by E. R. Lane and Mr. Griffith responded.
Both speakers told us that they were not going to talk on Education. Edward Lane told us a
story against his profession - farming; and Mr. Griffith told us briefly how the School
had been progressing during the past year. He then proposed a toast to the Association, to
which Chairman P. G. Dorrell replied.
3
 OLD BOY NEWS
Sir Laurence Helsby has retired as Head of the Home Civil Service and Joint Permanent
Secretary to the Treasury, and has been made a Life Peer.
Two members of the staff from the School's early years have died recently. Col. H. P.
Snowden taught at Aymestrey up to 1914, served through the first world war, and
afterwards was on the staff of Dulwich College until his retirement. H. R. Dodds was
with us during the later years at Malvern and the first years at Crown East, being later
for a long time Second Master at Clifton Preparatory School. Both held the affection of
the boys at Aymestrey in their time to an unusual degree.
O. L. S. Philpot is Chairman of the R.A.F. Escaping Society.
T. O. Holgate was helping to run the Course at Gilwell Park which was attended by the
Aymestrey Patrol Leaders in April.
J. B. Hughes is serving on the Worcestershire County Council.
J. S. Pettigrew is on the staff of McMaster University in Canada.
Dr. B. W. K. Fayle has taken Canadian citizenship.
J. J. Coates has a daughter, born last September.
J. R. E. Coates has a son, born in January.
A. C. Record is a house tutor and in charge of the cricket at Clifton College.
M. A. H. Duncan was married last September to Miss J. M. Walker.
G. M. K. Evans can be seen and heard at intervals on television, singing in opera and
similar programmes.
B. W. Massey was married in December to Miss M. I. Lascelles.
R. W. Robbins is engaged to Miss A. M. Rishworth, and is to be married in September.
Dr. T. Bates is to be married in October to Miss G. E. Menneer.
A. F. Thornely is working in Kenya and was recently a member of a party which
climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.
D. G. Powell, after 2 ½ years in E. Africa, is now Accountant of a Dunlop associated
company at Veenendaal in Holland. While in Africa he was Captain of the Nile Rugby Club.
D. R. Barber has been hunting reptiles with an American museum-curator at Lake Eyre,
Australia.
D. H. Snell was married last September to Miss A. C. Pegrum. He is now working in
the Agricultural Division of I.C.I.
R. H. M. Tildesley is engaged to Miss C. A. Coleman.
C. N. Todd played rugger for the Scottish Universities in all their matches.
C. R. D. Etty-Leal, having left Cheltenham with six 'O' levels, is working for the National
Certificate of Agriculture at Oaklands College in Hertfordshire.
A. M. Gosling is studying Oriental Languages at Canberra University.
J. A. Chandler, after leaving Bromsgrove with two 'A' levels, is at Aberdeen University, taking
the Pure Science degree course.
N. C. H. McNeil has been paying a visit to South Africa; he hitch-hiked to many
different parts of the continent, including Botswana, Mozambique, and Rhodesia, where he
was introduced to various members of the Cabinet.
A. J. Powell got a 2nd Class Pass after his first year at Cirencester; he found himself
playing against I. K. Johnson in a cricket match.
W. E. Jay, working on a farm in Kent, has been playing rugger for Maidstone,
whose opponents include the second teams of such clubs as Harlequins and Wasps.
W. A. Hart goes up to Merton College, Oxford, this autumn.
P. M. A. Ashwell has left Uppingham, where he was Vice-Captain of the School.
 4

A. R. Barber has left Wycliffe, where he was Head of the School, Captain of Rugger in
the school's best season for some years, and Vice-Captain of Rowing.
R. D. C. Maughan has left Cranleigh with three 'A' levels; he was Head of his House.
W. I. Clark, having shot for Epsom when they were third in the Ashburton Shield last
year, was chosen to shoot for the Imperial Cadets against the Canadian Cadets in
Canada. He was a House Prefect, and had the distinction of breaking his neck, fortunately
only slightly, when playing rugger for the 2nd XV.
J. W. G. Perry won the Senior Sculpture Prize at Malvern. He is a House Prefect, has
passed three 'A' levels, and holds two Gliding Certificates.
N. J. K. Brown passed his 'A' levels last year with one A and two B's. He has played
for Malvern several times at tennis, and once in the 2nd pair at rackets, and played for his
house at cricket.
G. A. R. Green has his House Cap for soccer at Repton.
S. R. D. Coates recently visited the school on his way to join C. R. A. Leakey on a
camping holiday. Leakey obtained six 'O' levels last summer, and Coates has also
passed his 'O' levels at Wellington, where he is starting his last year.
S. J. Dorrell got nine 'O' levels at Uppingham last year.
S. L. Hickman was in the Under 15 team for rugger at Sebright, and also in the Under
15 side for Worcestershire and Herefordshire.
A. S. Underwood was Captain of the Under 15 rugger team at King's, Worcester.
A. N. K. Brown spent a holiday in France with a ' pen-friend,' as a result of
correspondence begun when he was at Aymestrey.
B. S. Marshall played rugger for his house juniors at Malvern.
W. H. Collins played rugger and cricket for the Under 14 teams at Bromsgrove,
and won his house junior athletics colours, getting three 2nd and a 4th in the sports.
E. F. Weaving played rugger and cricket for the Under 14 teams at Bromsgrove;
and he and Collins found themselves playing against C. R. W. Bannister who was leading
the forwards in the Under 14 XV at Wrekin.

LEAVERS AND NEW BOYS

The following have left:

J. L. Aldersey. Came Septemper 1962. Rugger XV 1967. Patrol Leader.
A. H. Hartley. Came May 1966. Leader of Greys. Cricket XI 1966-8. Soccer XI 1968.
Rugger XV 1966-7. Shooting Colours.
M. J. Hughes. Came September 1963. Prefect. Leader of Blues. Cricket XI 1968.
Soccer XI, Captain 1968. Rugger XV 1966-7, Captain 1967. Patrol Leader.
R. A. Lane. Came September 1963. Head Prefect. Leader of Greens. Rugger XV
1966-7. Patrol Leader.
R. J. S. Powell. Came May 1965.
J. C. Smith. Came January 1966. Prefect. Scholarship. Cricket XI 1967-8, Captain
1968. Soccer XI 1968. Rugger XV 1967. Pentathlon White Badge. Colours for Shooting and
Swimming.
P. E. M. Ticehurst. Came September 1963. Patrol Leader. Cricket XI 1967-8. Soccer
XI 1968. Rugger XV 1966-7. Gym Colours 1966-8. Shooting Colours.
D. S. Walker. Came January 1966.
R. C. H. Wells. Came September 1964.
 5

R. G. Yeoward. Came September 1963. Prefect. Cricket XI 1968. Soccer XI 1967-8.

Rugger XV 1967.
C. Yuvaboon. Came September 1966. Cricket XI 1968. Soccer XI 1967-8. Rugger
XV 1967. Shooting Colours.

New Boys: September, C. P. Brandram-Jones, N. R. P. Harris, W. J. Lead, N. A.

McCulloch, R. J. Rosoman, J. C. A. Tildesley. January, D. R. A. Hardy, S. A. M. Hardy.
May, M. Hamer.

GIFTS
We are most grateful for the following gifts to the school.
To Mr. and Mrs. Richards for some new Hymn books.
To Mr. and Mrs. Andrews for a Metronome,
Mr. and Mrs. Schilizzi for a Cornet.
To Mr. J. E. Coates for 10 bound volumes of the National Geographical Magazine, 1961-
1965.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hartley for a two-man Tent.
To Mr. Hughes, Col. and Mrs. Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Yeoward, Mr. and Mrs. Davies,
Mr. and Mrs. Wells, Mrs. Ticehurst and Mr. and Mrs. Lane for an Overhead Projector.
To Mrs. Hughes and the O.A.A. for a transparency-maker for the overhead
projector.

MUSIC
It is now nearly two years since the instrumental music in the school was taken over by
Mr. Atherton, who is principal Trombone in the B.B.C. Midland Light Orchestra. When his
enthusiasm proved to be so infectious that there were more boys learning than he had
time to teach, he brought with him Mr. Reid to take on the pianists and Mr. Hutcheon to
teach violin. Last term thirty-one boys learned an instrument and of these six learned
two each. Twelve boys now possess their own instruments.
Six boys were entered for the Worcestershire Schools Music Festival. All were
commended and Harris M. won the Cup for the highest marks for any brass soloist
under 18, and. played in the prize winners' concert the following week. Mr. Atherton
kindly wrote for us a Minuet and Trio for brass quintet which was played by Gaskell
(leader) and Hartley (trumpets), Andrews (horn), Tildesley E. (trombone), and Harris
M. (tuba). They also won their class, being particularly commended for playing without a
conductor, and were awarded the Cup for small brass ensembles.
A group of boys has played hymns on brass in three different churches, Moreton-in-
Marsh, Broadwas (twice) and Bosbury. Abberley Hall School invited the quintet to
come and play the Atherton Minuet at Abberley, and these boys also went to the Downs
School and played with their orchestra on two occasions. This last was a particularly
valuable experience, and the Downs were pleased as they had no brass section in their orchestra.
The Choir too has had a good year. Woodward, Maughan and Ticehurst have been the
best of a good lot of trebles; and Lane A., Tildesley E. and Gaskell form what is probably
the best alto section we have had.
Appreciation also has taken a welcome upward turn in popularity and ability. The
record library has been in more constant use, and there have been up to twenty boys
listening to broadcast concerts. Lane R. has been the most appreciative and intelligent
listener that we have had for a good many years.
6

RUGGER
The harsh fact must first be recorded that, for the first time for over thirty years,
we lost every match. It is probably fair to give half the blame to lack of weight; all our
opponents had bigger sides, some of them far bigger. But we have had good teams that
were small in the past; and there were two other main weaknesses. First, the forwards
were slow as well as light; and slowness, especially in forwards, is chiefly a matter of
mind rather than body. Speed over the ground in rugger is largely a product of a ferocious
eagerness to get there ; and when there the player must be quick in thought. In both
these our forwards failed. Our second weakness was that the tackling was uncertain at
best, and sometimes downright bad; and it is no use blaming this on size (though of
course it had its effect), because Woodward and Schilizzi were two of our youngest and
smallest men, and yet were responsible between them for nine-tenths of the good tackling we
did.
These two were our best players all round. Apart from them, Hughes was the best
among the forwards, with Lane and Smith not far behind, and Yuvaboon was the pick of the
threequarters.
The worst matches were against Seaford at home, and the Elms away. Both had very
heavy teams, but our tackling was something to be ashamed of; and the latter game
produced a score of 49-3, which is our worst defeat for a very long time. The best games
were Abberley away (21-3), in which we did much that was very good; and Winterfold
home (17-6), in which we twice were in the lead and were genuinely unlucky in that we
only went down after Schilizzi was injured.
There were some promising juniors in the team, such as Davies D., Rosoman, and
Maughan; and younger boys who did well in the senior game were Lane A., Averies,
Knox, Kingston, Lead P., and Pratt R. The junior game was keen and good with
McCulloch, Tildesley J., Martineau and Lead W. showing up well.
The Colour Matches were quite good. Blues beat Greens, 11-3 : Yeoward, Woodward
and Powell scored tries, one being converted by Maughan, and Ticehurst got a try for
Greens. Greens beat Greys, 15-10 : Lewin (3), Pratt, and Ticehurst scored for Greens ;
Hartley scored Greys' tries and converted them. Blues beat Greys, 17-13 : Powell (3) and
Woodward (2) were scorers for Blues, and Woodward converted one try ; Hartley (2) and
Yuvaboon got tries and two were converted by Yuvaboon.
The Kicking Cup was also won by Blues. Hughes surprised everyone, not least
himself, by being top scorer with 47 points, and Woodward got 44 and Yuvaboon 43. But
the standard was not high.

SOCCER
No less than eighteen boys were tried for the 1st XI during the term and this was
an indication of our weakness. However ten of these will be here next year and so will
start with some match experience. The nearest they got to a victory was the 1-1 draw against
the Crown East Scouts.
No-one worked harder than Hughes who captained the side from centre-half but
the XI never really settled down at all and became a team in the true sense.
We were most grateful to Mr. MacLaren, a professional F.A. coach, who paid us
three visits during the latter part of the term. He taught us much that will be useful and has
promised to come again next year.
Those who played in the matches were :- Hughes, Yuvaboon, Maughan, Woodward,
Schilizzi, Smith, Yeoward R., Ticehurst, Hartley, Powell A., Blake, Lewin, Lane R.,
Walker, Rosoman M., Lane A., Pratt R. and Averies.
7

CRICKET
Played 6, Won 1, Tied 1, Lost 4, with 3 matches cancelled because of illness and the
Old Boys game completely washed out by rain.
Much the most exciting match was against the Fathers. This was an excellent day and
finished with the most unusual of all cricket results.
The Fathers batted first with Mr. Maughan and Col. Tildesley facing the bowling of
Maughan and Hartley. Father hit son for three cracking 4's in his first two overs, only
to be bowled by a good one from Hartley. Both boys settled into a good length and
Maughan bowled fifteen overs without a rest, taking 5 for 49. However Hartley was the
more hostile and took the important wickets of Mr. Hardy and Mr. Davies, finishing
with an analysis of 5 for 52. The Fathers were all out for 120, the 10th wicket falling off
the last ball before tea, thereby solving very neatly the captain's problem of when to
declare. The fielding had been untidy on the ground but five catches were taken including
two awkward ones in the sun at mid-wicket by Lane R.
The school started well, reaching 80 for 4 before Hughes, who had held things together
very well, was out. Then Hartley set about the bowling, well backed up by Woodward.
When they went, Yeoward R. took over till the score was 107 for 8. 14 to win, 2 wickets to
fall and by now we were very near to 6 o'clock. Yeoward and Blake had succumbed to the
wiles of their own fathers but Mr. Lane failed to dislodge his son and the score crept up.
The last man came in at 116 for 9 amidst tremendous tension. 4 more singles were
scrambled before Mr. Schilizzi took the catch that ended this memorable tie.
THE FATHERS
Mr. Maughan, b Hartley................................... 12
Col. Tildesley, st Hartley, b Maughan ......... 3
Mr. Hardy, lbw Hartley ................................... 9
Mr. Blake, c Lane R., b Maughan................... 17
Mr. Yeoward, c and b Maughan...................... 22
Mr. Davies, c and b Hartley ........................... 9
Mr. McCulloch, c Lane R., b Maughan ........ 2
Mr. Lane, b Maughan........................................ 15
Mr. Schilizzi, not out ....................................... 16
Mr. Hughes (Capt.), b Hartley ....................... 3
Mr. Rosoman, b Hartley .................................. 0
Extras .......................................................... 12
Total ....................................................... 120

AYMESTREY
Maughan, c Mr. Hardy, b Mr. Rosoman ....... 7
Hughes, c Col. Tildesley, b Mr. Hardy.......... 19
Schilizzi, b Mr. Yeoward.................................. 0
Nicholas, b Mr. Blake ...................................... 10
Smith (Capt.), c and b Mr. Hughes ............... 4
Hartley, b Mr. Schilizzi ................................... 35
Woodward, b Mr. Blake .................................. 17
 Yeoward R., b Mr. Yeoward ........................... 10
Blake, b Mr. Blake ........................................... 6
Lane R., not out ................................................ 3
Walker, c Mr. Schilizzi, b Mr. Hughes.......... 0
Extras............................................................ 9
Total ................................................ 120

Ticehurst, Yuvaboon, Lewin, Davies D., Wells and Rosoman M. also played in some
matches.
8

SHOOTING
The average standard was lower than usual for most of the winter, but in the
competition some boys pulled themselves together and did quite well. Hartley and Smith
achieved a consistently high standard throughout, however. The competition was won by
Greys with 388, Blues getting 351 and Greens 315. The scores of the six leading boys, who
were given their Colours, were:-

Grouping : 50 Application : 50 50 150

Hartley ... 50 47 39 136
Smith ... 50 42 43 135
Powell A. 50 44 39 133
Ticehurst ... 45 45 40 130
Nicholas ... 45 41 41 127
Yuvaboon ... 40 45 40 125

GYM
This was disappointing. Only Woodward and Ticehurst were awarded Colours, the
former being particularly good. Most of the other better performers did less well than last
year, and though there were several promising beginners they did not progress as far as
they should have done. Powell A., Davies D., Maughan, Pratt R., and Yuvaboon were
good enough to take part in the show on Open Day, which went quite well; and Knox and Smith
deserve mention.

ATHLETICS
Owing to various unavoidable difficulties, not the least being rain and soft ground, we
had less time than usual, and the performance in Standards was below average, no fewer
than fourteen boys obtaining a smaller number than they did last year. The track events
were particularly poor, and there was too little real effort. Those who passed all their
Standards were Woodward, Maughan, Kingston, Martineau and Hamer - two in Div.
II and three in Div. IV.
Sports Day itself produced perfect weather. Blues had a good lead in Standards and
increased it to win comfortably. Maughan and Woodward both showed very good high-
jumping style with the Western Roll, and though their height was only average their form
should enable them to do well next year. These two and Powell A. also hurdled well,
and Maughan's throw of 54 yards in the Cricket Ball was good for his age. In Div. IV
Martineau's 80 yards was fast, and Kingston's Hurdles and Cricket Ball were good.

DIVISION I.
440 yards 1. Hughes 2. Yeoward 3. Aldersey 68 sec.
100 yards 1. Hartley 2. Yuvaboon 3. Yeoward 12.4 sec.
Hurdles 1. Hartley 2. Yuvaboon 3. Aldersey 11.4 sec.
High Jump 1. Aldersey 2. Yuvaboon 3. Hartley 4ft. 2 ½ in.
Long Jump 1. Yuvaboon 2. Yeoward 3. Hartley 13ft. 2in.
Cricket Ball 1. Hartley 2. Ticehurst 3. Wells 51 ½ yds.

DIVISION II.
220 yards 1. Woodward2. Maughan 3. Knox 30.8 sec.
100 yards 1. Maughan 2. Woodward 3. Knox 13 sec.
Hurdles 1. Maughan 2. Powell 3. Woodward
High Jump 1. Maughan 2. Woodward 3. Powell 4ft. 0 ½ in.
Long Jump 1. Maughan 2. Woodward 3. Jones 12ft.
Cricket Ball 1. Maughan 2. Nicholas 3. Woodward 54 yds.
9

DIVISION III
100 yards 1. Pratt 2. Yeoward 3. Harris 14.2 sec.
Hurdles 1. Pratt, Yeoward.
High Jump 1. Pratt 2. Rosoman 3. Yeoward 3ft. 7 ½ in.
Long Jump 1. Pratt 2. Rosoman 3. Harris, 11ft. 5 in.
Yeoward
Cricket Ball 1. Pratt 2. Harris 3. Rosoman 43 yds.

DIVISION IV.
80 yards 1. Martineau 2. Kingston 3. Hardy 11 sec.
Hurdles 1. Kingston. 2. Hamer 3. Martineau
High Jump 1. Martineau 2. Kingston 3. Hardy 3ft. 3in.
Long Jump 1. Kingston 2. Martineau 3. Hardy 11ft. 4 ½ in.
Cricket Ball 1. Kingston 2. Tildesley 3. Samwells 40 yds.
RELAYS
Hurdles 1. Blue 2. Green
Medley 1. Grey 2. Blue
Sprint 1. Grey 2. Blue

SWIMMING
A pretty good season. Owing to a cold May and an early end to the term we had only
five weeks, but once we started it was warm and good progress was made. The only
serious fault was that far too many boys had a good chance to finish the life-saving section
of the tests but failed to do so. More tests were passed by the less advanced boys than
usual, particularly in the Greys, and this deservedly won them the Cup by a single point,
although they were last in the actual swimming sports.
Out of eight non-swimmers five passed width by the end - Hardy D., Hardy S.,
Samwells, Pratt J., and Martineau. Those who made good progress were Hughes,
Rosoman M., Kingston, Davies P., Averies, Harris M., Yuvaboon, Schilizzi,
Tildesley E., Andrews, Jones, Mead, Lead W., and Tildesley J. Colours were awarded to
Woodward, Smith, Lead P. and Blake; and the individual cup was won by Woodward.
A swimming match was held with the King's School Juniors and Abberley. Yuvaboon
won the Breast Stroke; Woodward in the Free-Style was second to an older and larger
King's representative by only a fraction of a second, beating the Abberley man by some
distance, and was placed equal first in the diving though much below his best; Smith was
unlucky not to be able to show his power in the Life-Saving since our opponents could
not compete at all. Harris, Lead P., and Lead W. were each second in their junior races.
The results of the swimming sports were :-
SENIOR Free Style 1. Woodward 2. Aldersey 3. Walker
Breast Stroke 1. Smith 2. Maughan 3. Woodward
Back Stroke 1. Aldersey 2. Woodward 3. Smith
Life-Saving : 1. Smith 2. Blake 3. Lead P.
Underwater 1. Lead P. 2. Woodward 3. Pratt, Smith
Diving 1. Woodward 2. Davies D., Maughan, Lead W.

JUNIOR : Free Style 1. Lead P. 2. Lead W. 3. Kingston

Breast Stroke 1. Harris, Lead P. 3. Pratt
Back Stroke 1. Lead W. 2. Pratt 3. Harris
Diving 1. Lead W. 2. Lead P., Tildesley J.

RELAY : 1. Blues 2. Greens 3. Greys

10

CAMP
It was Sports Day. Jupiter was leaning over the edge of a cloud, listening to the
conversation to make sure that everyone was properly grateful for the weather. " I do
hope you have it fine for Camp." " Well, we don't want it too fine, you know : we've
had two dry camps running and the boys haven't learnt enough." " Oh ho," said Jupiter : "
not too fine, eh? Not learnt enough? I' ll teach 'em." . . . " Now then : their s econ d
even in g, an d they're all cocky and slack. Thunder and lightning ready? All tanks
full? O.K. Full power. Let her rip!"
The Scouts got to bed early in the gloom and downpour — and, to tell the truth,
rather in disgrace too, because, as Jupiter noticed, some of them were cocky and slack.
The S.M. did not go to bed at all, sloshing up and down the camp once an hour, one
eye on the rising river, one on the lakes spreading over the field. At 1.15 a.m. the
squelch of floundering feet outside his tent announced the arrival of Lane R. with the
news that the Eagles were now ducks. All patrols were woken and Peckers were found to
be perfectly dry, so three of Lane's men were put in there and three in the S.M's. tent.
Cuckoos were on the edge of disaster, so no-one extra could be added to them, though in
the end they kept the tide at bay throughout. But half-an-hour later Pigeons were
afloat, and with what dry groundsheets and blankets could be salved they huddled in the
Shelter till dawn, since the food and tool tents were by this time deeper under water
than any. By 3 a.m. the rain had mercifully stopped, and as soon as it was properly
light the more completely awake of us set to work to light the kitchen fire. It was
naturally not easy to get it going full blast, but the boys concerned were entirely
cheerful and undefeated, Powell R. and Tildesley being particularly good; and at 6 o'clock
we got everybody up and dressed, and served porridge, bacon and eggs, tea and bread-
and-marmalade — and felt pretty triumphant.
It was a good effort, and the courage and determination of the troop not to be
downcast was first rate. But the battle was not without casualties : nine sleepingbags
were wet, and the risk of trying to dry them out on the spot simply could not be taken.
We rang up the school, Mr. Griffith most kindly offered to make two journeys and take
back the scouts concerned and their bedding for return when they were dry, and this was done.
Fortunately it was a lovely sunny day, and the survivors set to work with a will to
repair the damage. This was perhaps the most outstanding day's sheer hard work ever
performed by us in camp. All were short of sleep ; the routine jobs of fetching water,
bread, and milk, of cutting firewood, and of cooking, were harder with reduced
numbers; and yet by the end of the day the two patrol tents had been moved to what the
storm had shown to be the driest sites, the entire kitchen had been transplanted with all
its gadgets, the old one being by this time nothing but mud and water, and innumerable
jobs of drying out and general reconstruction had been done, all with the utmost
cheerfulness and enthusiasm. There was even space for a little free time in the evening;
and then we tumbled into bed and slept like logs.
On Friday it was still dry overhead, though not sunny, the standing water had drained
away, and the mud began to harden. Mrs. Griffith brought back six of the drowned ones,
as well as more food, and we were glad of the chance to show her briefly round the camp.
It was another good day's work, and as well as many other jobs we moved the food tent
and all the stores, remarkably little of which had been damaged, thanks to Hughes' care.
On Saturday we had the usual short hike to Llandegley Rocks, all patrols making the
journey in good time. The S.M. — no sorry; S.L., he has to be called now. (A Scout
Leader is the one who is served first at meals and arrives last at the top of a mountain).
The S.L. stayed behind to comfort Willum, and to welcome the last of the missing ones,
brought by Mrs. Asterley.
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It rained a good deal that night, but by this time we were scornful of anything short of
a cloudburst. We had invented (simple too : why did we not think of it before?) a method of
rigging the groundsheets which ought to keep us dry even with two inches of water all
round, and we were almost — but not quite — hoping for a chance of testing it out.
Sunday was visitors' day as usual, and we had the customary service in Cefn Llys
church and gave over forty people tea afterwards. The rain kept off and they had only
mud to face. No mums complained that George looked too pale, too thin, or too clean.
That night it had another go at real rain, and there had evidently been something
pretty bad further up the valley, because the river began to rise at once and by 11 p.m. it
was higher than ever, though our field was nothing like as bad as before.
Monday was a perfect day, sunny but cool, and sixteen of us, plus Smuggler, had a
splendid Long Hike — Water-break-its-neck first, then the summit of Radnor Forest,
back to the Severn Arms for a mountainous tea, and so home. For several of the
younger scouts this was the longest walk of their lives so far, and their highest climb,
and very courageously they travelled. A specially good feature of the day was the way in
which both those who had not gone, and those who had, worked hard at the routine jobs
instead of flopping about when they got back; and a dozen boys were so unimpressed at
having already walked fifteen miles that they did another four to Alpine Bridge and back
in free time.
Tuesday was our last day, but the weather was too uncertain to allow us to do much
dismantling, though we took down all we could afford to do without. Tea-time brought
a sudden very heavy storm, and also one of the unpredictable bad patches to which the
camp was prone, everyone becoming all at once stupid and messy and inefficient. But
weather and scouts pulled themselves together, we had a peaceful night, and in the
morning the really tough labour of lugging all the gear half way up the hill (it was too
wet for the tractor to come any further) was very well done. We were away by 11.30, and
that was that.
It was a difficult camp to sum up because it was so wildly unpredictable. No sooner
did one think "This is splendid " than some ass did something quite seriously stupid : no
sooner was that dealt with (with suitable comment than something quite exceptionally
good happened. The worst fault was untidiness and even dirtiness. It is true that mud
everywhere and high water in the river made things difficult; but that was all the more
reason for neatness and organization and these were too often lacking. This slovenliness
showed too in the way some scouts at first would not be particular over the way they
wore their clothes in the rain. Wet feet are unavoidable and don't matter as long as you
are moving about : wet clothes are inexcusable and dangerous. It is only fair to say that
everyone became much better over this point as time went on. The other side of the picture
showed some great virtues. For instance there was never, even at the worst moments, any
sign of either grumbling or quarrelsomeness; and above all the S.L., whose experience is
commonly held to date back to somewhere about the Wars of the Roses, has quite
definitely never seen boys work so hard and so steadily at sheer, solid, physical labour,
this being true even of many boys who are not noted for energy in their school life.
Of course the camp, as always, developed its own little collection of minor
characteristics in addition to the important ones, things which you would be almost sure to
see at any hour of the day. Willum would be dozing on a sack, looking gently pleased that
all these kind people have organized a camp for him again. The Camp Buzzard is sitting
on the electricity-wires directly over one of the more private installations, where he
spends most of the day having perhaps been a Sanitary Inspector in a previous incarnation.
Yeoward
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R. has just fallen down in the muddiest place available. Davies D. has been sent to wash
his face. That enormous pair of boots over there, topped by a yellow mackintosh, has
probably just lost something. So has the red mackintosh. Yeoward R. has just fallen down.
Davies D's. face is now dirty again. Here on the ground is a curious collection of black
ribbons which Gaskell, with his well-known humour, refers to as his waterproof. Lane
A. is moving at nearly 1 m.p.h., being in a hurry. Yeoward R. has . . . how did you know?
There are special points for thankfulness and gratitude. Much has been said about the
rain; but at its worst it was not as bad as what some parts of the country were having, and
five days out of eight were fine. Next, the scouts must try to realise what a tremendous
amount of extra work and expense is entailed for Mr. and Mrs. Griffith, not to mention
the extra car-journeys this year. Thirdly, Mr. and Mrs. Collard and Mr. Lloyd make a
present to us not only of the site, but of time, trouble, tractor-fuel and kindness in all
ways, for which they refuse to be paid a penny.
Finally the S.L. would like to thank all the scouts for their loyal backing up in a camp
which was for him interesting, exciting, happy, and in some respects the best for years.

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