The Scout Group

C.C.F. Leadership Course, 1959

"In 1958 Northern Command held a Leadership Course at Otterburn for boys from the C.C.F. detachments of schools in the Command. This was so successful that the experiment is to be repeated this year. The aim of the Course is to develop in cadets, through physical endeavour, the qualities of discipline and initiative that make a leader."

On the 2nd of April I was seated in a railway carriage, travelling towards Newcastle, with very mixed feelings. The above paragraph was all I knew of the next 10 days of my life. Where I was to sleep, what I was to eat were all shrouded in mystery.

On arriving at Otterburn I was delighted to find the living conditions excellent (clean, well heated barrack-rooms); a further shock awaited me—the food and service were undoubtedly of Officers' Mess standard.

However it soon became apparent that a contented soldier was expected to do more work.

The first few days of the Course were really preparation for the culminating 36 hour exercise, which was to test us all to the full.

This initial training period consisted of Battle P.T., always followed by an assault course (first individually and then as a team carrying an 8 foot log), weapon training, demonstrations, short exercises in fieldcraft and map reading, even lecturettes—in fact we did the lot, working 14 hours a day.

On the final exercise I was lucky enough to be a platoon commander, which gave me an excellent excuse for remaining stationary and directing operations from "an armchair". Even so, this exercise was a very severe test.

These were the most rewarding ten days I have ever spent in any holiday. For anyone thinking of the services as a career this is an ideal opportunity. The certificate given at the end of the Course will carry a lot of weight with the Regular Commissions Board. Moreover, it is an excellent holiday on which a lot can be learnt, and it is to be hoped that in future years more people will take advantage of it. N.R.B.

At the end of term all members of the Group went home equipped with "Bob-a-Job" cards, to take part in an activity which has become something of a national institution. It might be appropriate to explain the reasons for "Bob-a-Job" week as it enters its second decade. The Scout movement is, of course, entirely self-supporting and by 1949 rising costs were putting a severe strain on the movement's slender resources, and a reliable source of income had to be found to support Imperial Headquarters, Gilwell Park, and a number 39

of camp sites in various parts of the country. In addition money was required to meet local administrative costs. Bob-a-Job week started as an experiment, but it proved to be such a success that it has continued annually and shows no sign of dying out. Out of the earnings of each Scout 2/- is sent to I.H.Q. in London, 6d. is contributed to local funds, threepence goes towards a national insurance scheme, and the balance goes into Group funds to help cover replacement of equipment and day-to-day expenses. Though the idea of working for money may seem a far cry from the traditional "Good Turn", it is only done during one week in the year and Scouts are officially recommended to return to those people who have paid them for work and to offer to do a further job for nothing. The School Groups have greatly benefited from the annual earnings of the members, which have helped us to keep our tentage and other equipment up-to-date and in good order.

SENIOR SCOUT TROOP

Though we have no further Queen's Scouts to report this term, a number of Senior Scouts made good progress towards this goal. Ten members of the Troop were tested for the Ambulance Badge; five passed and the other five will have a second opportunity in May. The badge requires a very high standard of First Aid and we are very grateful to the examiner, Mr. Featherstone, for the time he has given up to us, not merely in testing but also in explaining where mistakes have been made. Fresh ground was broken when the first Rescuer Badge to be attempted by one of our Seniors was gained. This is a Public Service Badge and is therefore one of the qualifying badges for the Queen's Scout award. The present high standard of swimming in the School should lead to further attempts at the Rescuer Badge.

We again entered a team in the district Ambulance Competition arranged by the St. John's Ambulance Brigade. The standard of the competition was high and, though our team performed well, they only managed to occupy ninth place out of fourteen teams. Our team consisted of Senior Scouts R. A. B. Wood and J. F. Williams with three Scouts, who no doubt gained valuable experience for future competitions.

The team was trained by Acting A.S.M. D. E. Coulson and he has now turned his attention to training teams for the Senior Scout Competition arranged by the York district next term. Coulson has arranged two "toughening-up" expeditions for four teams of volunteers during the Easter holidays.

Again we are to be well represented at the annual Public Schoolboys' course to be held at Gilwell Park in late April. Our representatives will be Acting A.S.M.'s D. E. Coulson and J. M. Smith, together with P/L's (S) S. K. D. Hill and D. Marsden. The course is designed to encourage Public Schoolboys to continue in the movement after leaving school and many of the activities are similar to those of Wood Badge courses for the training of Scouters.

Unfortunately it will be impossible to hold a full Senior Scout Camp this year, but a number of Seniors have shown interest in a camp which J. M. Smith and D. E. Coulson are proposing to run in Wharfedale and full details will be sent to parents. In addition there will be opportunities to attend other Senior Scouts' camps, notably a district one in North Wales, or to assist at Scout camps where Groups are short of Scouters.

SCOUT TROOP

After the early blizzards, the weather was kinder to us than usual during the Easter Term. The customary programme of training and testing under the Scouters has therefore proceeded steadily both inside and outside the Scout Hut. Nevertheless the Troop as a whole is lagging behind its energetic predecessors of last year and it will not be easy for some Scouts to complete their First Class tests by the end of the Summer Term unless they make a greater effort.

Three events provided welcome breaks in the training programme during the term : first, another successful York Quest suggests that this form of outside activity is in some ways more suited to our surrounding terrain than Wide Games. Secondly, an afternoon of film-strips on Life-saving and Natural History seemed to provide a good deal of interest. And last but by no means least, Coulson's Casualty Corps instructed and entertained us one afternoon by demonstrating how to deal with Emergencies under adverse conditions : needless to say, much of the liveliness was supplied by interfering do-gooders !

Mr. Craine's recommendation of his own home-ground, the Isle of Man, for this year's Summer Camp met with general approval. He has found a good site on the west coast near Kirk Michael, which is connected with other parts of the island by the sturdy Manx Railway and a good bus service. We hope that most of the Troop will seize this opportunity to travel "abroad" at an overall cost that will not exceed the camp expenses for Scotland last year. The Camp will extend from 28th July until 5th August and parents will be sent full details in good time.