Remembrance Sunday 2009 Monday, Nov 16 2009
Remembrance 7:28 pm
Oh What A Lovely War-time Sleepover Friday, Nov 6 2009
Remembrance 9:52 am
BY OLWYNNE (CUB LEADER)
On the eve of half-term Ramsbury Cub Pack arrived at the Scout Hall laden with sleeping-bags, roll-mats and enough luggage to last them a fortnight, for our Wartime Remembrance Sleepover. It was wonderful to welcome Fiona back as ‘guest leader’.
To begin with we discussed scouting in both world wars, the significance of the poppy and what war meant to Ramsbury as a community; before embarking on some games that children of cub-age might have played in wartime. John-Paul emerged as tiddlywink champion, others played blow-ball (some terrible cheating was witnessed), paper-games and balloon volley-ball.
Dinner was provided by the Wartime Ministry of Food and its representative Kevin Light, with his trusty side-kick, David Langton! Lettuce Soup, Meat Pudding and Walton Pie followed by Grated Apple sweetened by condensed milk; was surprisingly well received. Washing-up abandoned, we headed to the memorial to look at the names of Ramsbury’s fallen.
Back at the hall we had air-raid siren games and drills, listened to Glen Miller all night long and sang rousing war-songs to Bing Crosby, the Beverley Sisters and Fiona’s dulcet tones. Once the hall was cleared and cubs in sleeping bags all over the floor, lights went out and they listened to Churchill’s ‘Fight them on the Beaches’ speech, before each cub recited a name they remembered from the Memorial – a sober note on which to tuck-down!
Much silliness ensued as the night wore on – no surprises there – but they were really incredibly well-behaved, and confounded Bob’s plan to take any night-owls out on a night-patrol, by falling asleep by midnight … how can I be sure? Someone farted at 00.10am and no one laughed!
