1940 Scouts

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Memories of Scouting Days in the 1940's by Gordon May

Everyone knows the Scouting movement was started by Baden-Powell but maybe not that it is as long ago as 1908.

My brother and I joined the Scouts in 1941. The first thing I remember vividly was at the Scout hut which, at the time, was the Rev. Stewart's garage. This was not being used as no-one had a car. Your attention was immediately drawn to a painting on the chimney-breast which was of a head and shoulders of a Boy Scout, complete with hat, woggle and neckerchief.

I found out later that the outline drawing was done by my late uncle, Mr Stanley Rixon, and the painting was done by a Mr Maurice Saunders, known to all as Mosh. Both these Scouts had moved on to service for their King and country. I have been back to that garage and the painting has been whitewashed over.

The Scout troop consisted of two patrols. I was in the Woodpeckers and the other was the Hawks. Scouting activity was treated quite seriously, with cooking, learning how to tie knots and map-reading, so that different boys could earn different badges. Many friendly war-like games were played, one patrol against the other. I was told in later years by two of the boys who were at the siege of Kahima that their tracking and scrumping in the Scouts came in very handy when they had to crawl into the Jap lines at night to get water.

The dark evenings always had plenty of fun and amusement One evening the Hawks patrol was sent out to defend the cricket meadow. The Woodpeckers promptly disturbed a courting couple in a close clinch at the start when some of the Scouts rushed the old white cricket pavilion and some at the back disturbed the couple who were laid on the ground.

Another incident took place on what is now the main road when Scouts were told to look out for a person heavily disguised and probably limping and to "capture" him. The person happened to be old Mr John Saunders, limping his way down to the Crown pub for a pint. He had a few harsh words, wielding his walking stick and the boys retreated post haste.

A sad affair concerned an old lady with a wizened face and no teeth who always wore a beret and collected wood which she carried home on her back- one Mrs Rose Bowler. We had organised a game in the green meadow (now the new road passes through the middle of it) where she was wooding. She told us she had lost her brooch and we were on our hands and knees in line like a police force searching for it but sadly never found it.

Another activity took place at Turnip End. I personally had the experience of being pushed into the pond and another Scout came along and pushed the one who had pushed me in too -we both got out laughing.

Other activities included cross-country running and a large gathering of patrols met one Saturday afternoon for a cross-country challenge. I was called at only three days notice to replace someone who had dropped out and I think I came in 47th out of 50. Another memory was attending a rather large jamboree at a park in Oxford where the Chief Scout, Lord Rowallan was present.

One incident took place with an amusing side. We went on August Bank Holiday weekend camp in 1944 at Waterstock-cum-Ickford. We caught the train from Princes Risborough to Tiddington and had a long walk carrying our kit-bags to camp near the River Thame. It was at the time when the doodle-bugs were falling in the area. One of the farmer's cows got upset and got stuck in the river. The farmer came to the camp to ask for volunteers to help pull the cow out of the river. The bigger boys went to help and some of us were left to cook Sunday lunch. In the activities that followed the billy-cans got knocked over and only some of the food was saved. This was given to the Scout leaders - we never did tell them we went without Sunday lunch.

Another area of great interest to scouts was a field leading from Lacey Green to Turnip End containing Nanny Cooper's Pond. The pond itself was of great interest to boys as they climbed along the branches over the water and took great delight in falling into the pond. Sadly we lost the pond when the the trees were cut down and the pond filled in to provide the airfield. click 1944 Stocken Farm Airfield for more details and photos.