Scout Group

Anson Division. J. N. Yellowley was promoted Leading Seaman and made Section Writer. A.B.s W. N. Marshall and D. J. Barker were made Stores Rating and Quartermaster respectively. A. W. Fieldhouse and C. J. Sinclair were made Electrical and Boat Rating.

Training at School took the form of instruction in Morse code, which has been restored to the syllabus. The following passed Proficiency : — D. J. Barker and A. W. Fieldhouse. A large number of cadets took the A.B. examination but communications remains outstanding.

The section went to Linton-on-Ouse (H.M.S. Heron) for Field Day on Shrove Tuesday. A varied programme was carried out which included flying in the Sea Prince, two cadets flying in a Chipmunk trainer, films on the Kiss of Life method of artificial respiration, parachute packing demonstration, .303 demonstration and visit to the Control Tower. A very successful day was enjoyed by all. J.N.Y.

R.A.F. NOTES

The number in the section decreased to 30 at the beginning of the term. The departures included several senior N.C.O.'s, which enabled others to gain promotion. Sgt. Bennitt assumed command with Sgt. Oliver secondin-charge.

A novel feature of the term was the introduction of aircraft modelling for the recruits, which was very successfully organised by Cpl. Oglesby. The competition in this activity was won by Dronfield House.

On 2nd March a Field Day Visit was paid to R.A.F. Station Lindholme. A varied programme was provided, but the absence of the promised flying as a result of unserviceable aircraft was a great disappointment.

Eight cadets attended the annual camp at R.A.F. Wattisham near Ipswich during the Easter holidays. This was voted as one of the best camps attended in recent years. In addition to the usual Chipmunk flying, cadets were able to inspect Lightnings and Hunters at close quarters, visit an American airbase at Bentwaters and witness an impressive fire-fighting display. Other activities included technical lectures, a survival exercise, a night exercise, shooting, swimming and a drill competition.

SENIOR SCOUT TROOP

This has been a busy and productive term, certainly as far as badge work is concerned. Three Senior Scouts have gained the Queen's Scout badge, namely D. A. Burnell, W. R. Pickersgill and N. J. Smith, and they are to be congratulated on this achievement. It is hoped that they will receive their Royal Certificates from Sir Charles Maclean, the Chief Scout, when he visits a North Riding Camp at Hovingham Hall, in June. The training programme over the last two terms bore fruit in the gaining of a large number of proficiency badges, especially Public Health, Senior Pioneer and Despatch Rider.

A very successful Field Day was held in deep snow on the moors above Rosedale. Despite the difficult conditions this field day ended more promptly than many for a very long time. The weather hazards obviously made everyone more careful about their map reading, and this meant that we were not sitting around waiting for some poor group who had gone off in completely the wrong direction. At the end of a long slog through the snow the patrols were faced by an additional hazard in the form of a most efficient rope bridge, constructed by some of the patrol leaders and, happy to relate, all crossed without falling in.

The latter part of the term was taken up with preparations for the Easter Expedition in the Lake District. Twenty-one Senior Scouts took part in this expedition in fantastic weather conditions. It was a most successful expedition in which great distances were covered, and a separate report of the expedition follows.

SENIOR SCOUT EXPEDITION—EASTER 1965

On the morning of 30th March, a convoy of two "minibuses" driven by Messrs. Coulthard and Duncan and a coach containing twenty-one Senior Scouts set off for Keswick, from where we walked the five miles to Birkrigg Farm in the Newlands Valley where the first and last nights were to be spent.

The following morning all set out on their four-day treks to Grasmere, having been split into four groups. One of these soon became split still further on the detection of a gombeen in its midst! These groups camped separately at sites as far afield as Ennerdale and Hawkeshead ( !) but usually, it was noted, within walking distance of one of the numerous Lakeland hostelries. A number of accidents befell the troop. Smith gave a goat a piece of his anorak to appease its hunger but thankfully found his soap which he had mysteriously left in the stream at Newlands. The mountain, Robinson, was nearly burnt by careless use of matches, and Dizzy, after tramping straight up and down Pillar, was evicted from part of the everincreasing National Trust land for his pains. He and the others, however, arrived safely at Grasmere on the 3rd April and took to slumber there to rest their weary limbs. Sunday was spent quietly with most of the troop going to Church in Grasmere as well as sampling the delicacies of the local Parfumery. It was at this point that the weather which until then, had been like midsummer, finally broke and it rained for most of Sunday night and early Monday morning—Burnell and Fear left ! 'Wet weather' routes, though, were not adopted as the rain abated in time for us to set out on the final 'leg' to Birkrigg. Helvellyn and Skiddaw were conquered; a cuckoo was heard; a red squirrel was made friends with, and the rain, though threatening, did not finally fall again in earnest until Tuesday night by which time all were safely gathered in, to walk to Keswick the following morning and to return to York a little more tired perhaps but greatly satisfied by their achievements during a very enjoyable expedition.

Little has so far been mentioned of the two, the Annual General Meeting and his 'assistant', who organised the expedition, who met and supplied us each night and to whom so much of its success is due. Our G.S.M. did not accomplish another heroic rescue as on Snowdon last year, but Mr. Duncan upheld the tradition by using his mountaineering skill and 22