As the weather did so little, after all, to damp our ardour, as we had the usual recreational facilities, and as the feeding and administration were very efficiently carried out by the Durham Light Infantry, we did have a successful camp R.S.M. Power has, as usual, hung up a suitable memento of it in the C.C.F. hut.
R.A.F. SECTION The term's classroom training, supplemented by a day's visit to Linton-on-Ouse, brought no great success in the Proficiency Examination; but among the six successful candidates, Partridge did well to gain a Credit. Corporal Plester is to be congratulated on gaining an Advanced Certificate. The visiting Officers at the General Inspection in June were very pleased with the appearance and work of the Section. During the summer holidays Crowe and Partridge gained their Gliding 'Certificates at Rufforth, and Bytheway, handicapped by the summer weather, became the seventh cadet to win his pilot's A licence since the Section was started. He completed his training at Sherburn-in-Elmet.
SUMMER CAMP
One noticeable feature of this year's camp at Shawbury in Shropshire was the considerable reduction in the flying programme. The reason for this is quite clearly given by the Royal Air Force. It is not felt that a sufficient quota of Royal Air Force officers is recruited from Public Schools to justify camps as expensive as most of those in the past. It is pleasing to know that this School has provided what can be regarded as its reasonable quota since the R.A.F. Section started, and we wish success to N. D. Taylor and I. C. Bytheway, who are about to seek entry to Cranwell. The camp provided a useful all-round training, including a strenuous map and compass exercise in the south Shropshire hills. We can say that the camp fulfilled its important functions of making the Section more conscious of itself as a unit, and of giving N.C.O.s additional opportunities of responsibility and leadership.
SCOUTING THE GROUP Early in the Summer Term came the gratifying news that the Chief Scout had awarded the Long Service Decoration to Mr. R. Bennett. Our congratulations to him on this account were soon to be renewed on his appointment to a Headship. We shall be extremely sorry to lose him after so many valuable years' service in charge of the Senior School Troop and are most grateful for all that he has done for Scouting in the School. The annual hikes in the Lake District, which he initiated in this section of the Group, will long be remembered with pleasure by all those who took part in them. 56
