Reading the piece on school uniform recently raised a gallimaufry of memories which perhaps, a few old boys might recognize. I must say that in my day the light blue ribbon on the blazer was strictly for the Prefects and much desired.
The other uniform was the khaki serge of the CCF and was worn on Thursdays - Parade day. Our Captain was 'Taffy' Davies and Lieutenant 'Albert' Hall. We were affiliated to the Royal Sussex Regt. but specialised as a signal unit. One course we did as a unit was at Maresfield which was R. Sigs. covering telephone & radio. Another camp was at Shorncliffe where we underwent firearms & fieldcraft training. A night display of firearms with lots of tracer on the Hythe ranges was spectacular. Our 'enemies' were Tonbridge School but we evened things up by loosening the guy ropes of their tents in middle of the night. I was also privileged to be sent on a Junior Leaders course with the Queens Regt at Guilford and had a visit to the Pirbright Ranges.
As a change from communications, we had a R Engineers Staff Sgt visit with a large crate containing a training version of a 'Bailey Bridge'. After showing us how to assemble the model, we successfully bridged the Dining Hall. Does anybody remember the Old Naval Prison, now the Police Station? It was the Territorial's HQ with two rather dank rifle ranges in the basement. We were occasionally marched up there to practise .22 rifle shooting.
Of the school itself, little comes to mind. However, Mr Auld requiring us to to have hand mirrors so that we could see ourselves produce a proper french sound remains. Mr Pett telling me I was 'a pain in the neck' is vivid. The swimming pool was also to be feared until the water was green.
Possibly the greatest memory of my life was the afternoon in 1951 when John Christie (a governor) came to the school to request four young gentlemen to be flunkeys in 'The Marriage of Figaro' at Glyndebourne. To my delight I was selected to be one of the four. Keith Herbert(who later ushered) was one other but I forget who the others were. It was remunerative too - £3.00/rehearsal & £5.00/performance. So many great names of the Opera World but we four got no credit as the programmes were very short and the big 'glossies' only started in 1952.
That just leaves two school camps.One was at Lee, outside Ilfracombe. A particular memory of this was getting cut-off on the beach by the rising tide. The cliff was only about 20 ft high so we climbed up to be met by a very indignant lady in her back garden. The last up was our leader, Mr Hall who suffered all the wrath the lady could produce.Two short flashes are, coming back to camp from Ilfracombe with a cricket bag full of sausages on my own and a heavy rain storm one night that raced under the tents making everything rather wet. The next camp (no surprise) was Stratford. The stand-out of this camp was Colin Silk visiting each tent at lights-out with the refrain ' have you emptied your bowels today Boys?' As a prelude to the camps, there was scrubbing out the big dixie cans and getting all the equipment ready.
One lasting memory which I cannot date the occasion other than a Saturday. Four or so of us went to Hove to pick up a barrel organ which we brought back to Lewes and trundled it around & stopping to play it. The idea was to get donations for the school chapel, yet to be built. Pushing the organ up School Hill was an experience in itself. We were somewhat tired when unloading back in Hove. I am afraid I cannot remember how much we collected.
Add in the 'O' levels and I think you will agree that we had a pretty wide education.
Editor's note :
I expect everyone but me knows exactly what a 'Gallimaufry' is ?
But for anyone else who needs help :-
"a hodgepodge; jumble; confused medley"
Gallimaufry is an unusual but delightful word for “a hodgepodge; jumble;
confused medley.” It was borrowed into English in the mid-1500s from Middle
French galimafree, a kind of stew or hash, apparently concocted from a
mishmash of ingredients.