Rovers’ Bulletin No. 39

NUMBER THIRTY NINE. 30th November 1944

Dear Lads,

Our home news this month is that Jack (Stewart) has had another medical (has gone down a grade – to II) and an interview for the Army so everything is very much in the balance for him, though many of his fellow firemen have returned to industry. We do hope he gets back.

Sandy (Millar) has got a house (very near the cottage – next to Fultons Garage) and is to be married on the 29th December at 2.30 p.m. at Warrender Church by the Moderator. Any of you who may be able to attend are most welcome.

Jack (Piper) was here and again and sends you hearty good wishes. There is a suggestion that he may go overseas.

Ian (Moffat) also called. He is now fully trained (Driver -operator) and this leave was “embarkation”. Best of luck, Ian.

Trumpets!!! Attention!!! Yet another, this time David (Clark) is now engaged, to Peggy Barney a London girl he first met a year ago exactly, tomorrow. Congratulations, David and to Peggy we wish every joy. David has written from Holland amid the mud, saying “Double Dutch may be bad but the plain ordinary single variety is too much for me. We are leading a very quiet life. If we go shopping, for about a tanner (6d) we get as many apples and pears as we can carry.”

Joey (Stewart) has passed his preliminary course (congrats) and is now flying. He is in East London (S.A.) a dead hole compared to P. Elizabeth.

Bruce (Bailie) now at Aldershot is on a driver-operator course. He wants a shift for more engineering experience. He hopes to be home about the 12th December. 10 weeks concentrated wireless wait him when he goes back.

HO!HO! a letter from Tommy (Thomson) at last. The mail service is almost hopeless for he speaks of receiving only one letter (from Robbie). We have regularly each month sent him all the dope – same as we do for Jimmy. He spends his time keeping fit – running, playing games, listening to gramophone or playing cards and says “With varying thoughts I wished bon voyage to a number of repatriation cases leaving recently (11/8/44)

Rowan (Finlay) thanks us for congratulations. Her name is Louise, lads, and she will be another addition to the Crews potential nursing staff, Rowan says. Also she is a mid-wife. She plays the piano too.

Ian (Thomson) is still aboard H.M.S. “Never Budge” awaiting draft – on a new job though. Incoming Mess Party. He has now got into the category he wanted Ordinary Coder – highly secret and demands discretion. What! It’s true.

George (Pringle) amid all the farm troubles of Government bungles and bad weather remembers you all and remarks how queer it is to him to read of some of his Scouts now in the Army. He hopes to get out of the N.F.S. at last. Good farming, George!

George (Simpson) sits his “Wings” exams in about a fortnight. Thumbs up George. He may visit Betty and Eck again.

Murray (Frier) is back in Palestine and has Tom Geary and Bill Buchan beside him. We’re glad he is now in a much better job (static) and given the Infantry the slip. The court martial he was to witness at didn’t take place after all. He’s keeping much better.

Ian (Furnival) is now in writing contact with Will Taylor. He says “Believe it or not, I’m trying to run a Troop of young Africans. If I could bring some of them home to do their dancing they would be a riot in a show. Numbering forty or so, all members of an industrial school, some orphans and learning to read and write and in some cases to speak English, my first problem was the teaching of the Scout Law! To their own music they’re learning “Trusty, Loyal, Helpful etc” “My one hope is to see the old Brown & White neckerchief flourishing in just one more outpost of the Empire.”

Would they wear the neckerchief round their necks or their middles, Ian? Really outstanding.

About Ian Jim says “Great!!! I can see at the next International Gathering we will have Brown & White neckerchiefs all over the place. “also” If any of the lads are near London tell them they can have a good time if they report to the Nuffield Centre in Wardour Street. There are conducted tours and if you’re lucky, seats for the theatre thrown in (A Scotsmans paradise) Jim was recently overheard by an officer (Lt) (who turned out to be Commissioner for Surrey or Sussex) while speaking about Scouting to a soldier, at Winchester (of King Arthur and the Round Table fame).

The Commissioner talked of the job he had keeping in touch with his lads by letter. Jim says “When I told him of “Our Bulletin” he was greatly interested. I’m sure he’ll have a crack at it.” “The soldier pal was amazed at me being so free with one of my superiors and when I told him we did not recognise any other spirit in Scouting, I’m sure he was interested also. The officers attitude was just like one of the boys, and he agreed with me when I said it was the fellows who were in real danger (officers and others) who realised that to be “A Jock Tamsons Bairns” paid the best dividends. We shook hands and finished with the verdict ” A grand game Scouting” In that spirit we pass on to you our Christmas wishes (as expressed in a card from David (Gosman) from India