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Denis Hill Group Scout Leader seated centre of the second row. Alan Candy holding a flag at the back.
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2nd Ash Cub Pack in 1952, on their first parade night. Denis Hill was the Group Scout Leader.
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St George's Day Parade on the Queen's Avenue Aldershot outside the Garrison Church. c.1958. Group Scout Leader Dennis Hill leading. |
New Forest trek with cart (the wheel broke). Mid 1960s. |
2nd Ash Cub Pack in the Catholic Church Hall. c.1964-5. |
Scoutcar 1983. Alan Budd, Neil Scudder, Dale Kyte, Christopher Hollis, Andrew Michie, Paul Hotham, Brian Budd. |
St George's Day Parade, 1979. Ron McLoughlin leading. |
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The 2nd Ash Scout Group existed during the 1914-18 Great War, when some of the boys
attending Heathcote School are recorded as being frequently absent due to duties at North
Camp Railway Station as messengers for troops en route to the front. There are official
records of the group in 1919; and there is new registration dated 30 November 1921 for a
Wolf Cub Pack and Scout Troop. The group disbanded in 1928 due to lack of adult
leadership.
The group was registered again in 1952, when the Group Scout Leader was Mr Denis Hill. The next Group Scout Leader was Mr C Dowle, who took over in the late 1950s and retired through ill health in 1961. Mr Ron McLaughlin then took over and led the group for 22 years until his retirement in December 1983. Mr Chas Brine then took over until December 1987, when he left to become Assistant District Commissioner, Venture Scouts. Pat Hollis (Cub Scout Leader of the Kipling Pack) then became Acting GSL until Mr Alan Norris became GSL in 1990/1. The group has now closed. For many years the group met in the Holy Angels Church Hall. However, when the building was declared by the Public Health Inspector to be a health hazard, the priest regrettably had to close it and ask the group to find another meeting place. Thereafter they met in various schools in the village, including Yeoman's Bridge, South Ash, Shawfield and Walsh Middle School, and for a short time in the headquarters of 1st Ash Vale in Wood Street. In the early 1970s a campaign began to build the headquarters at Harpers Road. Parents raised money and their names were in due course listed on a commemorative plaque in the building. The building was erected with the help of the 9 Independent Parachute Brigade of the Royal Engineers between October 1973 and June 1974. The Army helped under a seldom used Military Aid to the Civil Community (MACC) project regulation. This regulation permitted the use of military manpower and resources for projects likely to be of benefit to the community and of social value, provided that the task was good military training, there were no objections from the trade unions and employers federations, and the recipient body was non profit making. Once the Army had agreed to help (subject to higher priority commitments worldwide) the group organised a massive campaign to raise funds, called "Target 73". The "Buy a Brick" campaign went on all year and was aimed at every household in Ash and raised over £500. Over £600 was raised in grant aid. The materials cost £4600 and the Army's work was valued at £7000. The official handover took place on Friday 14th June 1974, when Brigadier D The O'Morchoe MBE handed over to John H Mitchener, the Hampshire County Commissioner for Scouting. The Regimental Band of the Royal Engineers attended and a bronze plaque was unveiled following a short dedication by the Venerable JM Evans MA Archdeacon of Surrey. The group expanded until in 1978 there were three Cub Packs, two Scout Troops and a Venture Unit. By around 1984-5 there were a Beaver Colony, two Cub Packs, two Scout Troops and Venture Unit, a total of 120 boys and leaders, with meetings every night of the week. The 2nd Ash Scout Group closed in 2010. There are lots of other photos in the History Room |