Date: 9th – 12th April 1971
Participants: Graham Beevor, Peter Cox, Dick Flack, Melvyn Gardner, Graham Hicks, Phil Knowles, Jim Salter, Eddy Wilson and Geoff Wright.
Nine merry travellers set off from the Den at about 07.30 hours on Good Friday, none of us realising quite what sort of a weekend we had in store.
Our mode of travel was a twelve seater Bedford Utilabrake, hired from Scout Park, Bounds Green. By the time we reached the edges of SE London the clutch was starting to slip, and just outside Chatham, the AA had to be called to adjust it. The mechanic cheerfully informed us that there was very little adjustment left and a new clutch would be needed before long. Sure enough, about 6 miles short of Canterbury eight of us could be seen pushing one Bedford up the A2. During this exercise Phil dropped his camera, which was immediately crushed under the wheels of the van.
Fortunately a passing motorist with a VW dormobile noticed our plight, and as his wife was an Akela in Southend, stopped to help. He very kindly ferried 6 of us with one large tent all the way to Kingsdown, while Jim and the 2 Grahams stayed with the vehicle.
Having got the van to a nearby garage, and having been told that a new clutch could be fitted the next day for £17, they made their way to Canterbury on foot, before getting a bus to Deal. After another walk to the site they finally arrived at about 21.30 to find the tent deserted. Putting 2 and 2 together they headed for town and got a resounding cheer as they entered the King’s Head.
Everyone slept well that night.
Next morning, Jim, Graham H and Eddy went back to collect the van while everyone else performed a ‘task’ for the Camp Warden, which was actually tree felling for two hours. This was great fun, especially as two of the trees were right up against the boundary fence, and leaning over it. Somehow they managed to fall the right way, but this was probably more luck that judgement, with Peter and Graham B standing precariously on the fence to get as much leverage as possible. With hindsight a rope would have been handy.
By now the six workers were beginning to develop quite a hunger and were keen for the arrival of the van that contained all the food. Thankfully relief was provided through the hot cross buns that Eddy had a habit of buying for everyone. Nevertheless there was great delight when the van eventually chugged in.
Needless to say, food became our chief preoccupation, although the remainder of the tents did get pitched during preparation and at last we were able to sit down to a decent meal. However, it was a case of jumping out of the frying pan into the fire, as we then had to recover from over eating.
We then sat and watched the oil slicks, from the recent tanker disaster float past in the sea below, while dusk approached. Later we went for an evening drive round the Kent countryside, stopping at one or two ‘Licensed Houses’ en route.
Next morning (Easter Sunday) we were up bright and late, but nevertheless, well nourished, clean and smartly turned out in uniform ready to go to church – St John’s, just a short walk away.
Lunch was prepared by Graham H and Dick; a stew, with just about everything imaginable in it, which tasted great at the time, but had prolonged after effects on all who partook of it.
The afternoon provided time for relaxation and such games as football and rugby, and of course oil slick spotting.
We had a short break for a light tea, before setting off on operation PH, our night activity. This had been organised by Peter, who took an enforced trip to Coventry as a result. The object of the exercise was to find out the names of various public houses located by means of map references. We were working in pairs, changing partners at pre selected rendezvous points, although it was an individual competition. Each person had half a set of map references.
Peter had said that we would have to walk about 15 miles in all, but it was not long before we realised that he had got his calculations wrong and if anybody had bothered to finish it would have been more like 40 miles. Instead we all headed, after the first rendezvous, to the final meeting place where the van was parked.
As it was, it was well into the early hours before we got back to the site. We all filed into the stores where Graham H prepared some sandwiches, skilfully slicing the cheese with a hand axe. It was then off to bed having had a most enjoyable evening.
The next morning, once we were up, we started packing. All but one of the tents were down before we had lunch, and it was not long before we had finished clearing up, and were ready to leave.
Except for the lack of uphill speed, the limousine went quite well, although due to typical Bank Holiday traffic, it still took about 6 hours to get back to the Den.
Everyone enjoyed the weekend, even Geoff Wright of the 22nd Finchley, who was on his first activity with us. It has been a shame that the first day had been lost, and that the oil had caused swimming to be cut from the programme.