42Q3 - THE QUINTINIAN, AUTUMN 1942

ANOTHER Christmas finds us still in Minehead. With the good war news we are getting as I am writing these Notes, the temptation to speculate as to whether or not next Christmas they will be written in London is very strong. I suppose this is largely brought about by the strong rumours in Minehead.

I have no information on this subject, so I think once more Minehead rumour is unfounded!

All parents, as well as former and present members of the Staff, will be shocked to hear of the death of Mr. H. O. Coleman. As those who knew him realise, he was a man of many parts, and an expert in many branches of his subject, but what most of us mourn is the loss of a very loyal, interesting, and versatile colleague. An appreciation of Mr. Coleman appears on a later page of this issue.

Another Master who left us in the summer, after the last issue of the Magazine went to press, is the late School Chaplain, Mr. Dixon, who had a varied and active time with us both in London and in Minehead. We all said "Good-bye" to Mr. Dixon with many expressions of our hopes for his future happiness, both in his new estate as Minister and as husband.

We welcome Mr. H. H. Althoff to our midst. He has been associated with the Polytechnic in Mr. Clark's department, teaching German, for some time and he has already thrown himself whole-heartedly into the teaching of this subject with the boys here. We also welcome Mr. R. T. Newman, who has taken Mr. Dixon's place. It is a very curious coincidence that Mr. Newman, in addition to being a theologian of some standing, is also interested in economics, a subject taught in the School by his namesake here. We certainly extend a very hearty welcome to both these gentlemen and hope that they will enjoy their time with us in the School.

The examination results in the summer examinations were very gratifying. We entered 71 boys for the General School Certificate and 47 boys for the Higher School Certificate. In both the examinations, the pass list for the Certificate was of the order of 82 per cent., and in the Higher School Examination the percentage of boys obtaining exemption from the Intermediate Examination in Arts, Science, Engineering, and Medicine was higher than it has been for some time, in spite of the difficulties which one associates with evacuation.

P/O. L. Brandon, who was in the School some time ago (then known by the name of Van Boolen), has added another to our growing list of awards for gallantry. He was awarded the D.F.C. as announced in the London papers in October of this year. Some of the staff remember some of his exploits with other quick-moving objects and a tale associated with him and a classic flat race is guaranteed to raise a laugh in the Staff Room! We offer him our congratulations on his latest achievement.

I understand that Mr. Galloway, who was at Singapore, is still in the list of the "missing," but so many officers and men have been taken to Japan that we are still hoping to hear good news of him very soon. L. Trussell, who was with us at School as Captain of Lamberts, only a short time ago in Minehead, is missing with his 'plane. Clyde Watts, too, is still missing, and we are hoping against hope that soon we shall have brighter news.

This term the only visitors from London have been Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey, who came down bringing with them Dr. Williams and Major Marchant. We are always glad to receive them, and I believe, in spite of the difficult travel conditions, they found something of interest and pleasure in their visit here. The doctor, by the way, still gives the School very good marks for the marvellous bill of health and physical development of the boys.

In spite of Government advice, which I have passed on to the School, I understand from early estimates that some 300 boys are going to London for the Christmas vacation, and it is just possible that the Speech Day will be held there during the Christmas break. For the last few years I have missed having parents at the Speech Day, and consequently have been unable to give them an account of the affairs of the School. I sincerely hope we shall be able to arrange for a meeting in London - the first for just over three years.

In the summer E. G. Steward was awarded a scholarship in Oil Technology, valued at £140 a year, for three years, and he is now working at the School of Mines. A large number of boys were awarded State Bursaries - for example, Grant is at Clare College, Stocker at St. Catharine's, Hartley, Gibbons, and Beck are at King's, and so the tale goes on - not forgetting the State Bursaries held at the Polytechnic. Our representatives there are Catchpole, Chatterjee, Norman, and Tourret.

The end of term, too, saw many of the 6th Formers going to one of the Services. Jackson and St. John entered the Navy by means of the "Y" Scheme, and Wells and Bidgood are in the R.A.F.

I continue to get very interesting letters from the Old Boys, and I am always most cheered to receive them. All these are passed on to Mr. Eckersley, who, I know, is going to make selections for the Magazine.

Another very gratifying thing is that some of the Old Boys out in the Middle East, in Canada, and apparently all over the world, send airgraph letters, and as I am writing these Notes I see I have a pile of six or seven blanks which I propose to despatch to those boys who have written, giving them news of the School through this very satisfactory Airgraph Service.

I understand that there is a shortage of paper and a consequent reduction of space allotted, so I will close down, wishing the very best of greetings to all connected with the School, and expressing a pious hope that, because of the successful prosecution of the war, we shall be united in London in the near future.

IT is with profound regret and a deep sense of personal loss that we record the death, on August 4th, of Mr. H. O. Coleman. Not only his friends, but the academic world are much the poorer by his death, for in the realm of linguistics and phonetics he was a recognised authority of international repute, and his erudition here was unapproached, except by a mere handful of scholars. He could have written the best grammar of spoken English that has ever been written. For almost a whole lifetime he had been collecting material for it, and for the better part of 20 years we urged him to begin the writing of it. But, though he had genius, he lacked, unfortunately, that more pedestrian gift, the power of plodding at an uncongenial task. And now the great work will not be written.

Besides being a great scholar, Coleman was a genuine poet; a poet of originality and passion and power. The few poems that follow here illustrate his wit, his epigrammatic polish and technical skill, and the breadth and depth of his feeling.

But it is not the scholar or the poet, but the man and the friend that we shall miss most. His courage and gaiety, his greathearted championing of lost causes, his genius for the unexpected point of view, and the brilliance (or obstinacy) with which he defended it, his absent-mindedness and sense of humour, his fine generosity of mind, his uncompromising honesty, his passionate indignation at injustice, his unswerving loyalty; these are the things that endeared him to us: it is by these that we shall remember him.

(His friends are hoping to bring out, by private subscription, a volume of his poems. We should welcome offers to subscribe to such a volume, if publication is possible - ED.)

WITH the beginning of a new School year, the members of Andrews-Hough must congratulate Grainger on having been made House Captain and Gregory Football Captain. I have no doubt that they will fulfil their duties as competently as Norman did last year, when he held both those positions. Likewise, we must extend a hearty welcome to the newcomers who have joined us this term, and may they prove to be very worthy members.

Fortunately, the House football team has not felt the loss of Norman too severely, for we have again succeeded in defeating Broodbanks this season by six goals to three; but, although we put up a good resistance against Russells, we were beaten by seven goals to one. Andrews-Hough has one player, Gregory, regularly in the School 1st XI., while Grainger, O'Neill, and Scarborough are reliable reserves.

More recruits are required for the Air Training Corps and Junior Training Corps, and I hope the majority of Andrews join one of these organisations. However, do not neglect the School work for, remember, we usually won the Conduct Trophy in London. Every member must see that he is doing his fair share.

It is necessary to stress the importance of National Savings again, although the conscientious work of Jones prevents many from being spendthrifts. I feel, however, that there are more in the House who could spare an occasional shilling.

[We note that Cocks, with his usual modesty, omits to congratulate himself on being House Secretary. The House Masters hereby remedy this omission].

To commence these notes, may I join the House in congratulating McColvin on his appointment as House Captain and Sub-Prefect; and M. Lesser, our Football Captain, on becoming a very worthy member of the School 1st XI.

I think it may be stated for the first time that the War Savings Campaign has reached a really successful standard. A very pleasing sum is deposited each week, although in a few cases individual contributions are still a little irregular.

The contrary has, unfortunately, to be said of football. Our team suffered a defeat in the very first match of the knock-out competition, losing by 6-3. The main fault appears to be due to to the fact that a considerable proportion of the team is composed of smaller boys, who, however, show great promise of scoring successes in coming seasons.

This year, for the first time, we must forbear the customary House Tea, which has, hitherto, always been a popular feature at the end of the Christmas term. In view of the difficulties of rationing it must be appreciated that catering has become almost impracticable. The Concert will take place, nevertheless, and we hope that it will be as entertaining as it has been in previous years.

The House will be interested to learn that Hartley and Muzikant, two former officials, are now studying at King's College, which has been evacuated to Bristol. They expect to pay us a visit before the end of term. Catchpole, last year's Captain, is taking a course in engineering at the Poly., in London.

I regret to say that Mr. Broodbank has been incapacitated by illness for several weeks, but hope that he may soon recover.

In conclusion, the officials wish both the Masters and the House the compliments of the season.

WE have been unfortunate in losing many of our senior members this term, amongst them our two School Captains, Woodage and Steward, and Methley. They will be greatly missed.

We welcome the new boys into the House, and hope they are fully settled down now.

Congratulations to Za on being elected House Captain and Football Captain; Denham, Vice-captain; and Goodman, Vice-Football Captain.

At half term the House football team unfortunately lost to L.-N. in the first round of the competition. But Hesters never say die, and we have very good material for the next time.

After a gratifying start, the House Savings dwindled badly. That's not good enough, Hester's! Remember the more money that you put in the sooner will you be back in London. Fish expects to have the number of regularly contributing members doubled next term.

The Boxing Club is progressing favourably, and the House has some excellent members, but more are required if we are to win the boxing competition.

THE House has been very fortunate in having lost comparatively few of its Senior members at the end of the last School year. Grant, our Vice-captain, however, is now at Cambridge, where we wish him a very successful career. Davis is to be congratulated as his successor in the House. Congratulations are also due to Cockman and Robertson on their promotion to Full Prefects, and to Mazower, Davis, and Oggier on their appointment as Sub-Prefects.

The House again reached the final of the Knock-out House Football Competition, where we were unfortunate in being defeated by a chance goal. Let us hope (though not with folded arms) that next year complete success will crown our efforts.

Barbieri who is now in charge of the House National Savings, informs me that in this direction our achievement is by no means all that could be desired. The excellence of our best weekly contribution serves only to show the true capability of the House in marked contrast to our average effort.

By the time these notes appear in print the House will have had its annual Concert, in conjunction with our old friends, Lambert-Newman. The work of preparation has already begun.

In conclusion, the House extends a cordial welcome to all its new members, who will, we hope, continue the best Kerridge-Swan traditions.

AT intervals during the past term new boys have joined the Lambert-Newman House. To them we extend a hearty welcome, and a wish that they will be happy with us and a credit to the School in the coming years.

A number of boys in the top of the House are to be congratulated on recent promotions. Pantry, in particular, who has been elected School Football Captain for this season. R. W. Jeffery has been made a Full Prefect, in recognition of his work for the J.T.C.; while Menzies and Sheardown have risen to the rank of Sub-Prefect.

A less pleasant matter for discussion is conduct, which appears to be one of the House's chief failings at present. A relatively small number of careless boys in the Middle and Lower School, through their regular appearance in detention, are constantly bringing discredit upon the whole House. They must make a real effort to improve and settle down to steady work next term.

Contributions to the National Savings are still much too small, and a decided improvement is hoped for after Christmas. Ansell has now kindly taken over the duties of Savings Secretary, in succession to Menzies, whose Saturday mornings are now occupied by A.T.C. parades.

These notes are not complete without a word about the Knockout House Football Competition, which was held at half term. The Lambert-Newman team successfully reached the semi-final, but there was defeated by Kerridge's after a hotly-contested game. Our victors were only narrowly beaten in the final, so we have no cause for complaint.

THIS term began with the distressing news that Mr. Coleman had died during the summer holidays. His death is a sad loss to the House.

We lost nearly all our House officials and Prefects last term, but we have a big contingent of new boys, who, together with the new officials and the rest of the House, should put the House right to the fore this year. We had an encouraging start when we won the House Football Competition at half term. Congratulations to Warran and the rest of the team. It is now the duty of the House to maintain and improve this beginning. Do not forget that good conduct and hard work are as much a part of House support as games. The House is well represented in the School Football team this year.

The House Savings Movement, which Beck, A. E., has now taken over from his brother, could do with more support than it is getting, although we are certainly not the worst House in this respect.

By the time these notes are printed the House Concert will probably be over. Thanks are due to the Committee and performers for spending so much time in maintaining the usual high level of entertainment.

WE commenced the term in a rather sorry condition, having lost two sergeants and a number of n.c.o.'s. Since then we have more than made up the deficiency. A number of Cadets who left School have applied for Cadet Commissions, these include S. Catchpole T. Delves, and L. Steedon. V. S. Doswell is now at Reading University, where he is doing good work in the S.T.C.

We were fortunate to have in the town an officer as helpful as Major Jupp, who lectured to us twice on Tank and Tank Tactics, and arranged three or four visits to the Tank Corps. A number of Cadets saw, and actually rode in, one of the newer types of tank. These visits were extremely interesting and helpful to those boys who are hoping to join the R.A.C. later on. Thank you, Major Jupp.

Another piece of good fortune was the visit of Lt. Kennett to Minehead. Lt. Kennett is an O.Q., and is now a travelling instructor to the Army and the H.G. He gave two very interesting lectures on "Leadership" and "Street Fighting." A large portion of the latter deals with grenades. These were demonstrated on the beach. Thank you, Lt. Kennett.

A great majority of the senior Cadets, and a number of the juniors, now work with the H.G., some as messengers and others as signallers. The Corps was well represented in the H.G. part of the Armistice Day parade. The C.S.M. and Cpl. Driffield blew the "Last Post" and the "Reveille" at the service.

Work for Cert. A, parts I. and II., is still going to schedule. At time of going to press, shooting with .303 shorts is going strong. Later on we hope to arrange matches with local units.

Once more I wish to thank the officers and n.c.o.'s for the splendid work which they are doing. I should also like to thank Mr. Checkley and Mr. Rowe-Smith for the help they are giving us in the Signals Section.

WHEN these notes were last written the unit was looking forward to its first camp. This was an enormous success, due to the helpfulness of everybody at the R.A.F. Station, from the Wing Commander to the Storekeeper, and not least to the spirit of the Cadets, who left behind a very favourable impression of Flight 622.

At the conclusion of camp we had to say good-bye to many Cadets whose sterling qualities had built up the unit. The loss of Sergt. Bidgood was particularly heavy. Our memories of them all remain and we wish them all well, whether in other A.T.C. units or in the R.A.F.

This term recruits, who are well on with their work for Proficiency, Part I., kept up the numbers of the unit. Senior members are hard at work at the tough syllabus for Proficiency, Part II. Cpl. Dunford has been promoted to Sergeant, and Sheardown and Fountain to Corporal.

During the term we have had a visit from P.O. Kneale, who spoke of his work as instructor of pilots. We have also had a visit from Commander Goodfellow and Lt.-Commander Bailey, D.S.O., who gave us admirable and inspiring talks on the Navy and the Fleet Air Arm.

We have continued reason to be grateful to members of the Staff for their more than willing co-operation. Messrs. Robinson, Elgood, Turner, Stevenson, and Rowe-Smith are largely responsible for the steady progress of the unit.

AT the beginning of the term prospects for the football season were none too good. Almost the whole of last year's XI. had left School, and we were faced with the problem of getting together an almost new side. It looked, too, as if it would be difficult, if not impossible, to make up a good fixture list, for nearly all the Army units had left the neighbourhood. Happily the latter difficulty has been overcome, and we have had many attractive and keenly-contested games.

The season opened shakily with wins over the Minehead Youth Movement (3-1) and over the County School (10-0), and though the scores seem to flatter us, the play was by no means convincing.

The next match against the Minehead A.T.C. was lost (1-2), but our form was infinitely better than formerly, and quite encouraging. Still further improvement was seen against the R.A.S.C., which resulted in a draw (2-2), but we led 2-1 till the middle of the second half, when the greater weight and speed of the Army side became evident.

This much-improved form was continued the following week, when we entertained the R.A. Wireless Wing, and our boys put up their best performance so far. We only lost by the narrow margin 1-2, after a skilful, fast, and hard-fought game. In the return match with the same side the following week we had almost as good a game, which resulted in a loss by 1-3, but there was little to choose between the teams, and our opponents had the luck.

Up to this time, then, we witnessed a steady improvement in the side, and were beginning to look to the future with confidence. Alas! the form was not maintained, and we have had two bad matches since. Against Minehead Home Guard we won (1-0), but nobody could be pleased about it, and again at Williton, opposing the A.T.C., we lost (2-3) after a poor display, particularly by the forwards, who appear to have lost both drive and initiative.

We sincerely hope that during the rest of the term we shall see a return to that form shown against the Army sides.

Form matches continue three or four times a week at The Dene, though often the enthusiasm shown is far greater than the skill. It is difficult to imagine what we should have done without this ground, and we could use even another if we had the opportunity.

Finally I am sure the School will wish to be associated with me in saying how pleased we are to find Mr. Sambrook taking Mr. Dixon's place as Games Master. He has undertaken the onerous task of "reffing" the 1st XI. matches, which task he has done so efficiently that he has everyone's confidence.

DURING the summer holidays the Club suffered a severe blow in the loss of Mr. Coleman, who for so many years had given to it the full benefit of his rich experience. Mr. Coleman helped the Club through its most critical years into its most prosperous phase, and will ever be remembered for the invaluable and friendly advice which he never failed willingly to give.

We are fortunate, however, in having as his successor Mr. S. Newman, who is proving the value of his experience of so many aspects of the noble art. Under his direction the club now meets every Thursday evening in the main Methodist Hall, which has been divided into six rings. Some of those members who were beginners this season are already showing signs of considerable promise. This term boxing is again proving its popularity: on one evening alone nearly 50 members were present. New members, however, will always be welcomed.

In consequence, an ambitious programme is being arranged for next term, when it is hoped to hold the now annual Inter-House Competition. There is also the prospect of a tournament between the two Training Corps of the School. Above all, an attempt is being made to secure the recognition of boxing as a School sport. There seems to be no valid reason that cricket, football, athletics, swimming, basket-ball, physical training, and, more recently, rowing, should enjoy one status and boxing another, especially since the School has accepted the trophy so kindly offered by B.S.M. Clues.

In conclusion, I should like to express the gratitude of all members to Messrs. Chenappa and H. B. Smith for the kind assistance they have voluntarily given at some of the meetings.

THOSE members of the Troop who have remained loyal during the ups and downs of the past three years can have some sense of achievement this term now that there are 32 keen members in the Troop, with an increasing spirit of comradeship and the things for which Scouting really stands. The privilege of having a special evening for games in the Gym. has been appreciated by every Scout.

A fourth Patrol has been formed and named the Kestrels, with A. E. Beck as the Patrol Leader and E. R. Farmer as Second. The re-forming of the Patrols has also made Rudolff Patrol Leader of the Owls with B. Peissel as Second, and Gilhead has become Second of the Wolves.

D. J. Barnett has served the Troop very well in his new job as Troop Leader. C. L. Jones, as a regular "visitor," has given valuable help, too.

THE Friday evening meetings this term have gained considerably in interest by the addition of 10 newcomers to the Troop. Subjects for instruction have all had something to do with the sea, although it has only been possible to go boating once.

ALTHOUGH the Troop lost some of its most proficient members to the A.T.C., new recruits have sent the numbers above those of last year. The four Patrols, under their P.L.'s, Wheatley, King, Radford, and Lefcovitch, are all doing good work, and competition between them is very keen. Jones has been appointed Assistant Scoutmaster, and he has given a good deal of his time to helping fellows through their Second Class tests. We are also indebted to Mr. Eckersley and Mr. Newman, who have given up their Monday evenings to be with us in the Gym. Several of the older Scouts found much to interest them in a two-day course for Patrol Leaders, which they attended at the end of October. Another week-end saw an interesting competition with the Sea Scouts. Those boys who have been working with Wells for their Air Mechanic's Badge are now nearing the end of their course.

AT the end of last term the Society gave three public performances of Wallace's "The Case of the Frightened Lady." It was our second large scale effort, and its success was at least equal to that of the last one. Much hard work was put in by the cast at the many rehearsals, and on that score alone the play's success was justly deserved.

All those who took part in "The Case of the Frightened Lady" wish to express their sincerest thanks to Dr. F. Matthews, whose constant guidance and patience were of the greatest value to us. I should like also to thank Miss Patricia Joyce and Miss Joan Escott, the two young ladies in the cast, for their kind cooperation and the generous way in which they sacrificed their leisure time in the interests of the Society.

We have suffered a severe blow in the loss of Methley, our old Secretary, and Bernard Stocker, now at Cambridge, but we hope to produce another three-act play in the coming year.

THERE has been a good attendance at the Club this term, although we have not been able to hold many meetings owing to the difficulties of "where and when." However, I notice that too many of our regular attenders come merely to listen, and leave the discussion to the same people on each occasion. I hope that this will improve in the near future.

The first discussion was on "Post-war Education," with an interesting paper by Mr. Coates, which was followed by a lively debate. The second meeting, when Captain Field spoke on "Banks Create Money," was also extremely interesting, but was unfortunately limited in its scope for argument. Two more meetings have been arranged for this term: "Federal Union," by Mr. Eckersley, and "The India Question," by Mr. Newman, which will complete the programme. Let there be a good attendance at both of these meetings.

Next term I hope to have another "outside" speaker of some local importance to begin the new session. Lastly, I am very pleased to see members of the Staff attending the meetings, and I hope they will continue to do so throughout the year.

THIS term has been mainly devoted to passing members through their Third and Second Class tests. The results have been very good, and during this term 16 members have passed their Third and 20 their Second, our motto being, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

The new Aircraft Recognition journals issued to Spotters' Clubs, have been gladly welcomed by all, and have helped to vary the work of recognition a good deal.

By the end of this term, or at the beginning of next, we hope to hold a bumper First Class test, and, judging by the keenness which prevails, we can expect excellent results.

Mr. Elgood has continued his good work as Competition Officer, and the Club is very grateful to him.

We have now been issued with Government equipment, such as 72nd scale models of some of the latest machines, and large scale silhouettes, &c. We hope to show a film at each meeting in the near future, so next term should hold some interesting spotting in store.

G. SIM is working in the National Physics Laboratories. He writes: "I enjoy the work, though I am rather impatient to get in the R.A.F. My call up is not expected till mid-January. I have seen many familiar faces from the School up in town recently, including Norman, Catchpole, Chatterjee, and Tourret, all of whom seem to be enjoying the life of a Bursar at the Poly."

J. D. AIBL is apprenticed to the Electrical Engineering firm of W. G. Walter, Ltd., in North Somerset.

R. MITCHELL-LANMAN has been elected Associate of the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors.

K. CLARKE managed to pull off a couple of first-class passes in the June exams. of his College. To gain practical experience he took a temporary job during the vacation at Mullards.

J. E. BENNET (L.A.C., No. 2 Armoured Co., R.A.F., Middle East) sent an airgraph letter to Dr. Worsnop to say he is "still in one piece and going strong."

R. MUSGROVE has started University life with King's College, at Bristol. He has joined the S.T.C., but finds time for some rowing. He adds, "The Poly. is quite well represented down here. Beck, Hartley, and myself in the Science Faculty, and Gibbons in the Engineering Faculty. I have seen Shuttleworth and Graham also."

P. VANTOL is learning the commercial side of the textile trade, and is with the big wholesale firm of Bradbury, Greatorex & Co.

DICK WORSWICK is with his Squadron in East Anglia, and says he has had an airgraph letter from George Evans, who is in the Middle East. He says that G. Hawkes has just got his "wings" in Canada, and hopes to be home by Christmas. He adds that M. Lawton is now with him there on Beaufighters.

D. PEGRUM has just got his commission in the Royal Marines, and is now posted to a depot on the South Coast.

G. WARREN writes: "At the beginning of October I am going to a pre-0.C.T.U. course of about 6-10 weeks duration for a motor transport course. The course consists of learning to drive all Army vehicles and - more important - maintaining them . . . . The toughest part of our present work is P.T. Today saw us climbing up cliffs in the neighbourhood. Last week we had to carry a man of our own weight 200 yards in a specified time."

BASIL LEWIS, who left in summer 1940, has been studying at the London School of Economics, and is now in the R.A.O.C. as a radio mechanic, and is applying for a commission in that Corps.

I. JACOBS is at Aberystwyth, with University College, doing chemistry. He is keeping up his rowing, and has qualified for Evacuation Colours when his boat beat a Welsh crew. He has joined the S.T.C., taken Cert. A, and is now doing Cert. B. "One part of which consists of running 200 yards in full equipment and then scoring 50 per cent. with five shots, all in lmin. 40secs.; two miles cross-country in 17mins.; and 10 miles in two hours, all in full equipment."

D. H. GRANT gained a State Bursary to Clare College, Cambridge, and seems to be enjoying the life there, though he adds: "The system of lectures took rather a lot of getting used to, and now I can see how easily we were treated at School, having everything nicely pre-digested before it was served to us in nicely-worded notes. B. Stocker is up at St. Kats., and we have the same lectures, so I see quite a lot of him. We generally spend an afternoon together in our rooms about once a week, ostensibly to work, but really to talk mainly about the Poly. and the good old days at The Dene. Leslie Smith is at an R.A.F. Station not far from Cambridge, and we had an O.Q. gathering in my rooms last night. R. Vir is at Fitzwilliam House reading English." Grant has joined the S.T.C. and adds: "The S.T.C. is composed of an infantry unit and three technical units. To join a technical unit one must have Cert. A, and I am taking this fairly soon, so that I can transfer to the tanks. At the risk of incurring the eternal hatred of the A.T.C., I would advise anyone who is coming up next year to get Cert. A, and then they can go straight into a technical unit and avoid quite a lot of blanco-ing and button polishing."

MICHAEL WILBY is in the R.A.F. in Canada. His brother, Geoffrey, is in the Ministry of Works, in Edinburgh,

E. A. DRAKE, who left the School in 1938, has been training with the R.A.F. in Cape Province, South Africa. He has just passed his Observer's Course and received a commission. Meanwhile news has just come from the Ministry of Aircraft production, where he was a clerical officer, informing him that he has been promoted to the rank of Junior Executive Officer in absentia.

K. J. D. RAWLINS, after training with the U.S. Army Air Force, has now gained his commission and is doing a course on twin-engined fighters, preparatory to night-fighting. He says that while in the States he met Westwood and A. H. Smith.

B. A. WHATELEY is an assistant surveyor, studying to become a qualified quantity surveyor, and is now working on an aerodrome in the Midlands. He hopes to join the R.E. Surveying Corps.

PETER CROMBACH, now a graduate of the Royal Aeronautical Society, is a draughtsman with Handley Page.

H. BRITTLEBANK is in the same firm, in the Aerodynamics Section. E. A. Wright is experimental engineer there, and Tommy Voss an apprentice.

P. J. G. HART and his brother, I. J. G. Hart, are both in the R.A.F., the former in Johannesburg, the latter in Georgia.

_. ROBB is a night fighter pilot officer in a Canadian Squadron. He is flying Beaufighters.

K. J. HUME, who left here in 1931, is working on air screws in the Meteorological Department of the De Haviland works.

W. BIDGOOD, who left us last July, went to an R.A.F. Depot in Lincolnshire, "But," he writes, "My eyes let me down in the air crew medical, so I am training to be a compass adjuster. It is a rather special job; it seems only offered to those who fail air crew on medical grounds, but, all the same, you can probably estimate how I feel about the matter. The worst is over now and I am more or less resigned, except for a pang of jealousy whenever I see anyone with a white flash in his cap." In a later letter he writes (from Cheshire):-

Dear Dr. Worsnop, - When I was posted here to the Central Navigation School from Lincolnshire, I thought all my troubles were over, and that the path to a job of work was open, that per ardua I would become a compass buster. Vain hope! At the moment I am doing the work of a clerk G.D. in the Orderly Room here; a pleasant enough job were I a clerk, but, being an aspirant to compass adjustership, a bit galling. On or about November 14th, I shall move off to B-------, some miles south of here, there to do a four weeks' course in maths. and I.T.W. Navigation. From there back here, to finish with eight weeks with the nose well and truly to the grindstone, at the end of which I should emerge with stripes and a large store of knowledge on astro navigation and all sorts of compasses.

I've learnt a good deal more about the job since I've been here. In days of yore, it seems, the air crews swung their own compasses, and sallied over foreign parts with hearts full of hope that their estimated deviations were accurate. Now there are so many different types of compass and ranges are increasing, thus cutting down the error that can be tolerated, and so it has become a specialised job, with plenty more added on to it; some say it is the most technical and specialised job in the R.A.F. Perhaps.

To my delight it entails flying, providing one is posted to Bomber Command or Coastal. Single-seat fighters, of course, must be swung on the ground, and these jobs are reserved for those compass busters who are ex-air crew owing to air sickness. All adjusters up to now have been ex-air crew for one reason or another. I am one of the first direct entry boys.

The following is an extract from a letter to Dr. Worsnop by V. S. DOSWELL, now at Reading University:- "I'm getting on very well here; the French prof. is a proper live wire and gasses interminably in French all the time with great force and energy. The Latin I like not so well, but it is tolerable, and there's not much of it. Have had several parades with the S.T.C., and it looks like good stuff; we are well equipped and the instructors are hot. I find that I apparently have done far more on the Bren than any of the others in No. 4 Platoon (there are 300 altogether), and, therefore, Mr. Smith may have no qualms about training if things are as they were when I left.

"As a last fling in the G.W.R. Home Guard I won the Company shooting competition, beating the C.S.M., and getting 98 out of 100, plus 10s. Then we had a shoot for a 3d. stake per head, and I won that, too, another 3s. This was Saturday. I went to Bisley Sunday, and, as we always have a levy of a tanner all round for the highest score, I had to win that, too; six bob more. So I went home quite happy and left a rather demoralised Company, glad I was leaving for awhile. I'm joining the Varsity Rifle Club, so perhaps I may get some more chances; it's certainly an easy way of earning money.

Next Wednesday I'm for the Joint Recruiting Board, to be sworn in, &c., and put on the reserve. The C.O. says that by a special scheme, wherein we do about twice as much instruction as normally, we can get a commission within six weeks of leaving in July. Yours truly - V. S. DOSWELL."

B. WARREN writes: - my career in repertory ended when I journeyed up to London in search of fame and fortune. I found neither. The pavements were not liberally spattered with gold; but rain and snow. A little filming which I detested, and several generous stage offers, which all eventually fell through, were all I gained. Optimism was slowly giving way to despair. Everyone around me admitted to my histrionic ability, but said the stage was a closed book, the only readers being those fortunate enough to possess an income. With the cries of 'precariousness' almost bursting my ear drums, I took refuge in the precincts of Bridgeway House. To be more explicit, the offices of Slipper & Co., Incorporated Accountants. I was to have been the Irving, Kemble, and Kean of the English Theatre - and here I was, and still am, a mere exploited automaton. Please convey my sincerest regards to those who made my life at School a happy one, and those who made my existence at The Dene a home from home. Until the day I forsake the black coat of my profession for the 'nighted colour' of Hamlet, or a costume of Air Force blue, I remain a depressed and home-sick evacuee - BASIL WARREN."

P. A. KING, who left us in July to join the Tanks, writes to Mr. Andrews:- "In the first place I would like you to advise anybody who wishes to volunteer for the Army to volunteer for the R.A.C. It is a fine life. The recruit enters the P.T.W. for six weeks' training - and we don't have room for slackers and weaklings - the course is hard and tough. Week-end passes and Saturday and Sunday passes are issued - a limited number to each hut, of course. After the six-week course, the recruit passes out to the --th T.R.R.A.C., where he takes a four-week course on drill, four-week course on driving, and maintenance. He then has leave. On his return there follows a four-week course on gunnery, i.e., tank gunnery, then a four-week course of wireless. He is now fully trained for all tank duties. There is the final course, four weeks on manoeuvres in Hampshire. The trooper can then express a preference for any Tank Regiment he likes, and being trained in this camp, goes with a recommendation for a stripe, and probably more. If he has been exceptionally good the trooper goes before a Selection Board, and returns here as a member of an O.C.T.U. I might add that the trooper does not leave this camp until he has passed all his courses, and, so you can see, only the best is good enough."

R. HENLEY writes to Mr. Lambert: "I have heard from my brother, Francis, all your most interesting news, which is like a breath of fresh Chiswick breeze wafting over the sun-tortured desert, where man is eternally at grips with his enemies, both temporary and permanent. It is grand to know that so many Poly. boys are working for the same firm, and I am sure that the training we were all given in those far-off days will bring its just rewards. Up-to-date I have been unable to contact any red and green caps in the M.E., but, without doubt, they are around, and doing a grand spot of work. I have been in the desert for only a short time, and find the life very tough, exciting, and exhilarating. At daybreak we are up and alert, and carry on with our work through the heat and sand of the desert, stopping at meal times to prepare food with the help of a little petrol in an old, disused can. At nightfall a hole is dug in the sand, and sleep is taken and enjoyed, under a star-lit sky. This seems to be all that ever happens, broken only occasionally by a little enemy activity. My appointment in the Battalion is that of Intelligence Officer, and the work is really most engrossing. I dream of the magnetic North, bearings, and codes, which is my main work in a mobile Battalion. Map reading and compass work are both terribly important."

Mr. Andrews has passed the following letter on to me:- Dear Sir, - I mentioned in my last letter that I was shortly joining the Navy, and as I write I have just finished by twelfth day of training. I am, up to the present, finding life quite pleasant and, except for a few fatigues, I might just as well be at a holiday camp. I shall be here for about ten weeks to complete my initial training, then, should I not take up any special subject, I shall be given seven days leave and then transferred to another camp to await a ship. The training up to now has consisted mainly of medical inspections, vision tests, inoculations, vaccinations, tooth extractions, and foot drill. My home here is a mess containing 37 other fellows, all of my own age, and nearly all from London, so as you can well imagine, we get along quite well together. We have been given a list of special courses that we may take up, other than gunnery and ordinary seamanship. I think I shall take up radio location, if I get a chance . . . . I shall be getting my first 48 hours' leave this week-end, but, apart from the fact that it is against regulations to go to London, the journey is too far to make it worth going home . . . I hope when I get my next 48 hours to get across to Minehead. I heard from King yesterday, and from what I can gather, he is a very proud Trooper now, and no longer a private. He is only 40 miles away from me, and we hope to be able to meet and spend a leave together; that is, if we can get our leaves at the same time. - DENIS C. JONES.

J. H. JACKSON writes to Mr. Lambert: " . . Ten days after leaving School I went to S--------, where I was fitted up in my square-rig (the ordinary sailor's kit), and after inoculation and vaccination, and plenty of P.T. we went to L--------- Here we received our white cap bands, and were looked upon as future officers. We did nothing tangible - we attended lectures on general Naval routine, and filled the rest of the time with odds and ends, such as rifle drill, revolver and rifle shooting, and P.T. From there we went to the ship where I am now. Our syllabus here includes signals, navigation, and general Naval subjects, and we do six one-hour periods a day, with three on Saturday morning. I am pretty fit. We play football and cricket, and so far I have played cricket for the ship (as opening bowler), and now that football is here I play for my team at outside left. I have had a trial only this week, but I was prevented from representing the ship by the presence of an Oldham Athletic outside left."

From Flight-Sergeant G. NICHOLS to Mr. Lambert: " . . . Did I go on the 1,000 a night raids? . . Sorry, but I didn't. Everyone asks us that because we are Bomber Command, but we do all the day raids, and, surely, that's a fair share. Not that we can't fly by night. We can, and do, but our operational work is daylight raids over France, Belgium, and Holland. Sometimes it is as pleasant as a Poly. tour, you know - blue or azure skies, little white fleecy clouds, a blue sea, green fields - lovely, isn't it, sometimes!! Then, of course, we sometimes drop in for lunch, or tea, at, say, Dunkerque. We are very fond of Dunkerque on this Squadron - when we've left it. Then the skies may be blue, &c.; but instead of fleecy white clouds, there is a thick black cloud of bursting flak. Then we do have fun. There are highlights in daylight raids that one doesn't get at night. Fight Formation at low level, a gigantic climb with motors really racing, the evasive action up to the target (then the training and practice formation flights have their value). The short, straight run up - bombs gone - watching them fall out of the belly of the kite ahead - bomb doors closed - and the turn away and diving home. The Spits. weaving above and around you. Funny, but some of my own friends have been out with us; blokes with whom I learned to fly. Each doing his own job now. Those fighter boys are really tough. They look upon the loss of a Boston by an enemy fighter as a black mark against their Squadron, and they always get any Jerry that gets one of us. I'll never forget a Czech pilot half apologetically explaining how one out of six Jerry FW.190's got through to shoot down one of our boys. But quite calmly and, almost matter-of-fact, he added, ' I get him. One burst I blow his tail off, but I make sure, I shoot again. He hit sea. Good? No?'"

LESLIE SMITH (R.A.F.), stationed in Lincolnshire, wrote last July to say he had met Faithfull and Trussell there at the same station, and they had wild hopes of arranging "an Old Quintinians' flip in Trussell's kite." Unfortunately, the flight will not take. place for, as readers will have seen on another page, Trussell is missing, and Faithfull is now in Ontario. Smith says he also caught a glimpse of John Iles, who left the 6th Mods. about three years ago, and has heard from Graham Edwards (contemporary with Smith), who is now an armourer instructor in West England, "binding blokes on the Browning."

The following are extracts from the letters of A. W. THOMPSON (in the R.A.F.) to Mr. Lambert:

As you can see I am now on the other side of the "Pond," in Moncton, Canada. On the 16th May we boarded a converted Polish luxury liner and were given our bunks and messes that were to be our "home" for the next ten days. The journey across was made without any excitement. On the way over, whilst walking round the sun deck, I saw a figure that somehow I recognised, in spite of not having seen him since 1938. It was "Bobby" Scarlett, of the old "Lambs," and we spent a pleasant half-hour or so talking of days at the Poly. The boat was a fast one and we did the journey in 6½ days. For four of these days the mists of Newfoundland and the North Atlantic enveloped us, and everything was damp and dull. On Whit-Monday land was sighted, and everyone seemed to radiate pleasure at the thought of setting foot on solid ground again. The coast was wild, but lovely, and I cursed the order that had compelled us to give up our cameras before the journey commenced. A royal welcome awaited us on the quayside as we docked at about 17.00 hours. The R.A.F. brass band played some stirring marches, such as "Colonel Bogey," &c. The crowds cheered and the ships tugged at their sirens and strung up messages of welcome to us in gaily-coloured flags. We soon disembarked, and with an orange in each hand, given to us by some lovely Canadian girls, we climbed upon a huge express troop train and settled down for a six-hour journey. Throughout the journey odd coppers and small silver were flung from the windows to the small Canadian children and many were the cheers given us as we passed crossings. We arrived at Moncton at about 00.30 hours, and after a feed of ham and eggs and coffee, we retired to bed. The town of Moncton received us splendidly, and I don't think I'll ever forget it. It is not a large place, but what there is is free and open and lovely. The grub given us has been good and there has been plenty of it. Everyone is in the best of spirits, but all are awaiting the day when we will board our train and start the four days of travel to Texas and more flying.

I have been here in Terrell, Texas, for just over seven weeks now, and I say with certainty that I have enjoyed every one of them. We left Moncton on the 17th, and for three days we had a really marvellous experience. We travelled down through Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, St. Louis, and on through Arkansaw. At Montreal we alighted for a couple of hours, and had a grand time looking over the town. It was raining, and only 7.30 a.m., but people were out, and we were received with open arms. Throughout the three day journey we had the best of food and comfort. Dinners were made of chickens, turkeys, and pork chops, and we ate some fruit that they call bananas. We arrived here, in Terrell, on a Saturday morning. The heat was intense, but it seemed as if half the town welcomed us. Since being here we have eaten of the fat of the land, and have lived like lords. The American people are the most hospitable I have met, and it is seldom a week-end passes without one gets two or three invitations out for the next one. When out we are treated as friends of the family, and nothing seems to be too good for us. Work is being carried on in earnest. Ground school takes up half the day and flying the rest. In the evenings we "swat up" and sometimes fly. We are flying a biplane, by name P.T.18, or Stearman. It is larger and heavier than the Tiger Moth of my earlier days, and has a greater cruising speed. It has a Jacob's 225h.p. engine, and cruises at 90 m.p.h. It is easily handled, and acrobatics are just like plain flying. We have started night flying, and it was one night when I saw the grandest of sights. We held a cross-country flight to Dallas, about 35 miles west of Terrell. We arrived over there at about 10.30 p.m., and the city was ablaze with light. The huge arterial road looked like a silver ribbon, along which ran small glow-worms. Electric signs winked on and off, and huge street lamps cast a silvery glow over everything. To the east was the fair park, looking as if it had been cut from a fairy story. The big Eli Wheel turned slowly, aeroplanes whirled around ablaze with multi-coloured lights, and coloured searchlights bathed the park in an eerie light. It was really a wonderful sight, and it will live with me for a long while. I circled Dallas for around 20 minutes before turning the nose of my aircraft towards the dim far-off lights of Terrell. I looked back at Dallas, however, until it was just a glow on the horizon.

Manitoba - As you can see I am no longer in Texas as a pilot. Due to a rather nasty crash on August 13th, I was eliminated from the pilot's course. As the next best thing I chose navigation, and am now under training as an air navigator. I have been here for a month, whilst another "Lamb" has been here for just over a week. He is Nabarro, who left the Poly. at Minehead. Like me, he was washed out as a pilot from the States, and has chosen to be navigator. Our course here is not much different from that of pilot, except that we do not learn to fly, but rather take an advanced course in navigation. On this course we learn to take readings of the sun and stars, and already I have had three night trips where I have navigated mostly by stars. It is really fascinating to be above the earth with only stars for a guidance. We also take a course in photography and wireless operation, and both, so far, have proved interesting and of valuable help. I am now looking forward to passing out in January and arriving in England soon after with a wing. By the way, Viatkin, jnr., was seen on his way to New York as a Pilot Officer Air Observer about 10 days ago. He was seen by one of the Old Queen's Westminster's who used to attend Kingsdown Cadet Camp, and who joined the happy(?) throng here last week.

DEAR DR. WORSNOP, - We must begin by apologising for not sending this earlier. Your request for a Cambridge letter rather scared us as we were not quite certain what was required of us. After several long Cabinet meetings, we produced the following, which we hope is not too frivolous.

Our first term at Cambridge has been very enjoyable, and rich in new experiences of all kinds. From the budding scientist's point of view the programme of lectures and laboratory work has been rather stiff, and consequently we have a comparatively busy time. The Physics and Chemistry Courses are the logical extensions of Higher Certificate work, and we found that we can cope with them, although the lecturers maintain a pace which is reminiscent of Mr. Beresford in the last few weeks before the Inter-Exams. Of course, even lectures have their lighter sides. Two or three minutes before the entrance of the lecturer the waiting students begin a rhythmic which reaches a thunderous climax upon his, or her, appearance. In the case of the chemistry lecturer, a Miss ------, the waiting undergrads generally sing, "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes," &c., and other variations on this well-known theme! The late-comers are greeted with a chorus of joyful hisses and, feeling somewhat maltreated, usually hiss in reply, thus concluding games. The practical work is worthy of mention, notably the Physics, in which we have a well-known reputation among the motley crowd of demonstrators!

In the case of our Arts member, the lectures are given to a more civilised audience. A surprisingly large number are reading English, and even in the largest lecture room the late-comers have to find seats on the floor. The course is both extensive and detailed, but the number of lectures and supervisions is comparatively small, but the greater part of our time is taken up by reading, writing essays, and participating in weekly discussions.

Apart from work, Cambridge offers a bewildering array of Clubs and Societies, covering every conceivable activity. The supporters of every political party have flourishing Clubs, at which one may hear speakers such as Harry Pollitt, or one of our foremost Conservatives. Others are purely social, which justify their existence by holding dances, &c., at every opportunity. The more serious Scientific Societies give the student the opportunity of hearing some of the leading chemists, physicists, astronomers, and so forth, such as Professor Eddington and Lawrence Bragg, thus keeping touch with the modern train of thought.

At present there are three O.Q.'s at various Colleges in Cambridge, but Les. Smith, who was up two years ago, is now stationed very near, and makes frequent visits into town to spend an evening with us at a show, or to sit round the fire talking of old times. We hope, very sincerely, that next year the number of O.Q.'s sitting round this fire will be greatly increased, for we assure you that this life at Cambridge is well worth working for. So come and help us keep the O.Q. tie well to the fore at Cambridge.

P.S. - This evening, during the interval at the opera, we were very much surprised to bump into Mr. Cottam (now a Captain in the Army), looking very robust, and apparently enjoying Army life. Fortunately Les. Smith was with us and, knowing Mr. Cottam well, was able to make himself known without difficulty. This meeting, chance as it was, was celebrated in a suitable manner!

It is with very deep regret that we print the following. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the parent and relatives in their great sorrow.

DEAR MR. ECKERSLEY, - My son, Clyde A. Watts, was the acting Fourth Officer on the "Avila Star," which, from the newspapers and elsewhere, you will have learned was sunk on 5th July. Clyde had written you a letter, which was published in the School Magazine, and which came to our hands after his liner had been sunk. In this he wrote: "I have also under my charge one lifeboat, which will have about 40 people in it if it comes to the point of using it." It came to that point, and to my great sorrow, and the sorrow of his mother, that lifeboat has never been heard of since.

The story I have gathered was that Clyde was at first in Lifeboat No. 5, which, through a torpedo hitting a nearby lifeboat, was capsized. He with the others was thrown into the sea, but except those who had been killed, the remainder were picked up by the remaining five lifeboats. They got together and started off on their journey of approximately 1,000 miles to get to land. You will have seen from the newspapers that after 72 hours three lifeboats were picked up and 110 saved. The other two lifeboats were not heard of. It appears, however, that Clyde was moved from one, with three passengers, into the other lifeboat as navigating officer. The lifeboat from which he was transferred arrived off Lisbon after 20 days. Eleven were dead, 28 alive. Three died afterwards. Clyde's lifeboat and its 37 occupants have never been heard of since, and the notification I have now received must tell of another Old Quintinian who has sacrificed his young life.

Almost his career can be traced through the School Magazine, and I take this opportunity of thanking the Masters, and also the Merchant Navy Comforts Committee, for their thought for him.

DEAR DR. WORSNOP, - It is in grief I have to inform you our dear son, Leslie, has been missing from operations since 15th July. I have waited and prayed we would perhaps get some small detail which would give us hope, but the information we have gathered from different sources has given us nothing to cling to. He was on a Wellington, and it seems it was caught in terrible storms near St. Kilda, and an air and sea search was made, but nothing at all was found. It is a terrible blow to us, as you who knew him would realise. He was still the same loyal and good-living boy, and had only one thing in his mind, and that was to do his job well, and the authorities even say what a grand chap he was, and had great confidence in his abilities to do well.

DEAR MR. LAMBERT, - Thank you very much for kind enquiry about Jim. I regret I cannot give you any information. We feel quite sure he is alive and a prisoner in Malaya. Two small lists of names have arrived - 1st, 1,100 names, nearly all Royal Signals; and the other, last week, I think principally infantry. A mining engineer (16 years in M.), who escaped last June and arrived here two weeks ago, told us at the W.V.S. that all prisoners were either in Central and North M., or taken to Japan, and as far as he could find out, the Japs were making no effort to list the names. This man was more or less in hiding after he got out of the camp till he found a means of escape. James was alive at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 13th; he sent us a cable (S. fell on 15th), but the mystery is where this cable was handed in. The War Office has had an extensive search made, but the origin can't be traced. I suppose there was such awful confusion at the end. I should say he received your August, '41, letter. The earliest date that I have had returned was October 27th, posted here. One of his Captains escaped, and is now in Egypt push. Many escaped, but, of course, they got away days before the end. As soon as we hear about him I shall let you know. Thanking you and all the Masters for thinking of him. Kindest regards, yours sincerely,

IN MEMORIAM.

E. B. JONES, Sub-Lt., Fleet Air Arm Observer. Killed in flying accident, September, 1942.

I HAVE been asked to write an original story that would interest boys, but as I am not a bit original, I can't. But I can give extracts from letters to me from my father that have interested me very much.

Thank you for your Airgraphs of March 24th and 5th of April. I haven't heard about the rocket to the moon; we don't get much news in the Egyptian papers. Write and tell me all about it. We have found an old Roman wall here, nearly buried, and done a bit of digging, and found some very interesting things. There's lots of broken pottery lying about, some of which is very old indeed. There are some huge water cisterns, underground, with a hole in the rock to let a vessel down. Some are empty and some have water in. We are in a place nobody ever came to before the war, so there was no road and no railway. I will tell more next time.

In one of your letters you asked about the Roman remains. Well, we didn't get very far, because things began to get a bit exciting about that time, but I did get a Stone Age arrowhead and a Stone Age spearhead, also another doubtful. Unfortunately my batman found the arrowhead on the locker in my tent and thought it was an old stone (which it was!) and threw it away! Soon after this things began to go wrong in Libya and traffic on the road began to get very heavy (going the wrong way!), and for about a week there was an endless stream, nose to tail, as far as the eye could see, in both directions: and you can see a long way in the desert from the top of a hill. There was nothing in the least disorderly about the retreat; although the vehicles could only move very slowly - it might have been going down Oxford Street. When Tobruk fell several officers I know were taken prisoner, but all our stuff was blown up before Jerry got there. Seventeen of the airmen got away at the last minute, driving a lorry down the hillside of the road to the Quay, where they got aboard that ship, which I expect you heard about, eventually landing at Mersah Matruh. This place, to which I have often been, is a very pretty well-laid-out town, and not an "Arab fishing village," as it said in the papers. I felt quite cross when I read this! The view of Mersah from the top of the hill is very beautiful, and well worth seeing. (The word Mersah means "a port)." We had to stay to the very last (not at Mersah), and for the last few days there was very little traffic; for the last 24 hours none at all. It was too quiet to be pleasant, except at nights, when it was too noisy to be pleasant! When we did go the Army had gone back past us, and we had heard they were to make a stand a short distance behind us. We didn't quite like the idea of this, with nowt between us and Jerry, but when we didn't catch up with the Army - until we came on them in depth at El Alamein - as you've read in the papers, we liked it still less. There was little Hun air activity in the day, and all along the coast road our fighters were flying up and down. I don't think there was any doubt that we had definite air superiority. You'll have read in the papers of the recent arrival of Spitfires in the Desert, and it did us good to see them, not having seen any since we left England. They are the finest fighters yet, and Jerry knows it. There's not room for much more, but I hope one day to tell you the full story of Jumbo Hill (which you won't find on the map).

(Son of Flight-Lt. Money, R.A.F. Flight-Lt. Money received a personal letter from Air Vice-Marshal Cunningham, commending him for this stand. We send him our congratulations and good wishes. - ED.)

IT was midnight and not a sound could be heard. Then suddenly from the bushes appeared a man dressed in black and making for my house. I could tell you all this because I was looking from my window. So as quickly as I possibly could I ran and got a hockey stick and went back to the window, but found the man had disappeared. What was he, a burglar? A German parachutist? I would run downstairs and see if he was there. So quickly and quietly I went downstairs, and when I had got to the bottom of the stairs I suddenly stopped. I heard the creak of a chair. I crouched behind a table to wait till he came by. He came, quietly groping his way. Then, as he passed, I hit him on the head with the hockey stick and he fell down, senseless. In my mind I thought what a prize I would have, so, quickly turning on the light, I had a look to see what my victim looked like. To my horror I saw it was my cousin. I should have remembered that he telegraphed to say he would be late.

ALFRED and John, two Poly. boys, decided to spend their Saturday afternoon in a walk over the moors. They asked their billetor for some sandwiches for tea, and directly after lunch they set out on their afternoon tramp. All went well, and after about an hour, when they sat down on a high hill, they could just see Minehead in the distance.

They decided to leave their sandwiches until later, and went on walking with a map to guide them. At last they got to a wood, and suddenly found themselves in a circular path. After walking round it twice they discovered that they were lost, and that the path was not marked on the map.

"It's no good," said Alfred, after looking around him carefully. So, as there did not seem to be a way out, they rationed themselves to a sandwich each, and set to work making a shelter of sticks and leaves. By the time this was finished it was getting late, and they were both very tired, so they went inside their shelter, doing their best to go to sleep in their uncomfortable position.

It was at about half-past nine at night when John suddenly said, "There's somebody outside."

John looked, and saw above the bushes a deer, racing into the distance, leaving behind him a neat path, which he had forced out of the bracken.

"We must try to get home immediately," said Alfred. So, picking up their sandwiches, they raced through the darkness in the footsteps of the deer, until they were on the main path again. Sitting down, they shared the rest of their food supply, and headed for home, with nothing but the stars and a map to guide them.

Of course, they got into trouble when they arrived back at Minehead, but if their picnic did nothing else, it gave them something to write about in their next letters home - and made an article for the "Quintinian."

ONE day I went to Watchet, taking my dinner and tea, and while I was there happened to see a net stretched across the narrow channel between the two small stone piers. Now, as the tide was going out, the corks which were keeping the net afloat were sinking lower and lower, until the bottom of the net was touching mud and slime on the bed of the outlet. Then three men waded into the water and held the corks at that level. In the harbour the mud was showing above the dirty water in some places, and when this happened, the fish that were entrapped made for the only way out to the sea - the channel across which the net was stretched. As the fish made a dash to get through, they were caught in the net, where the men were waiting with a sack. They were soon extracted from the meshes and wriggling out their last breaths in the sack. Soon there was no more water left in the harbour, except little streamlets and pools. It was then the fishers counted their catch - four eels, six flat fish, and ten cod.

MY friend, Jim, and I, who were evacuated to Rutley on the South Coast, decided to explore the vicinity, so we walked down to the beach and, after looking around for about five minutes, we came across a cave. We entered and, finding it rather interesting, walked along it, and tried to find an opening at the other end, but all we were met with was a dead end - a wall about 9ft. high and 4ft. wide. We tapped several times at the wall and found it gave back a hollow sound. But it was beginning to get dark, and we had to return home.

We carne regularly every evening till darkness fell on Rutley. Now and again we heard noises behind the wall and a swishing of water, but we failed completely to find out what was happening there.

One evening, about a month after our first visit to the cave, we decided to stop till ten o'clock, instead of eight o'clock. This evening brought the solution to our puzzle.

At about eight thirty, we heard the voices behind the wall coming nearer. We hid behind a rock, just in time to see the wall slide back and five rather tired-looking men appear. Then one of the men pressed a button (which we had not noticed before) and the wall closed again. We followed the men out of the cave, keeping about 20 yards behind them. Their destination was a little hut along the beach, about a hundred yards from the cave. They entered, turned on the light, and began talking in low and monotonous tones. We managed to lift the bottom of the window up outside, and we could hear snatches of conversation, and saw them handling kegs of wine.

What we heard and what we saw convinced us that these men were smugglers. We returned home as fast as our legs could carry us to tell our foster-parents the news.

Next evening, at about 7.30, we reached the cave with six detectives fully armed with revolvers.

On reaching the dead end we pressed the button, and when the wall opened about half-way, we pressed the button again, and thus the wall stopped stationary. This enabled two of the detectives to watch the smugglers and catch them red-handed. Just as the last keg of wine was being loaded on to the boat the detectives pressed the button, appeared on the cove, and ordered the smugglers to raise their hands.

They were then taken to the police-station and were locked up in cells. Much booty was recovered and handled in the proper way.

Jim. and I were rewarded handsomely with £5 each for helping to round up the most dangerous smugglers of the twentieth century.

1. According to the -------- Master, M---------, of 4C, takes Sweeny Todd for his hero.

2. Do 4A take Music in the Art Room; or is it only R.W.G., who likes singing "To the Shores of Tripoli"?

3. The -------- Master would like to know the origin of his nickname. Form 4C could provide some very helpful suggestions.

4. Any boy on the "science" side of the School wishing to get a free haircut has only to work hard enough to be promoted to 4A, and that Form's kind Form Master will give him one when he needs it.

5. Boys in that Form have only to bite their nails 20 times each day for a year, then, if they are lucky, they will become members of that very "honourable" society known as the Cannibal Club.

6. Why do boys in 4B and C rub their shoes on the back of their stockings just before Mr. E. ------- enters the room?

7. It is remarkable what a number of boys in the 4th Form have morning lessons on the days when volunteers are wanted for the School garden!

Always carry a handkerchief with you if you don't want to cut grass for an hour on Saturday morning.

MY friend and I were evacuated to a small Cornish village, about six or seven miles from the sea, and we had not been there very long before we were told of some smugglers' caves about four miles from our billet. So one dark night we went in search of these caves, taking a bicycle lamp with us. It took us about half-an-hour to get to the narrow entrance of the first cave, after nearly falling into a clay pit about 50ft. deep. We scrambled through the opening, my friend, who had the lamp, being in front. We had only gone forward about 20 yards when suddenly we beard an ear-piercing wail. We stood petrified, and out of the mysterious darkness a pair of green eyes stared at us. My friend flashed the lamp on the spot and there, to our unexpected relief, we saw a small tabby cat looking pitifully at us. We approached it and picked it up, when suddenly we heard a low rumbling behind us. The cave was falling in!

We ran as fast as we could in the other direction, stumbling and falling all the way, the cat in my arms. At last, after what seemed years, we found ourselves on a moonlit beach. We were covered in mud, the cat as well. We made our way towards a speck of light further along the beach, which we found to be a coastguard's house, and, after a good hot bath, stayed there the night. In the morning we went back to our billet, where we were greeted by a string of questions. My billetor decided to keep the cat, and it is still there to-day.

OUR School had been evacuated to the country. There were many surrounding fields, and we had been given the use of a large-sized one, which was fairly level, for a games field. But, unfortunately, there were some trees in awkward positions, so they had to be cut down. We got the consent of the farmer, and arranged with a firm to cut them down for us. We boys were allowed to watch the men sawing at one tree, and every now and then knocking in an iron block to make it easier for the men sawing. After a time we were told to stand back as the tree would fall any moment. It came down with a rending crash, and dust flew in the air as it hit the ground. It was most exciting whilst it lasted. The men then went forward with short axes and cut off the branches, leaving the bare trunk.

Whilst all this was happening a team of six horses had arrived pulling a waggon for the logs. A big hawser had been attached to the tree, and it was dragged along the ground by a massive steam-engine, specially designed for such work. We watched with interest the piston of the engine, as it went backwards and forwards. A little runway had been put up to the waggon, and along this the great tree trunk was hauled into position. This procedure happened many times until all the trees were gone. But still the roots were left. They were just as bad as the trees themselves.

A nearby Searchlight Station came to our aid. One evening an Army lorry arrived with a box of explosives, consisting of dynamite, guncotton, and ammonal. We were allowed to watch again.

A soldier got out a brace and bit and started to bore a big hole, slightly to one side, but leading to the centre of the roots. He bored the depth of the bit, leaving a nice clean hole. Two sticks of dynamite were placed in the hole. One stick had attached to it what we thought was blue cotton, but was really the fuse-wire. This led to a square box with a switch in one corner.

We were all told to take cover from flying chunks of earth. So we hid in a dry ditch at one end of the field. The soldiers, about seven in all, also took cover, one holding the little square box which was to blow up the roots. The explosion was deafening, and as we had been told, chunks of earth and roots flew in the air. Some landed on the house where we had been evacuated. Another small bit landed on a boy's hand; he was not hurt much, though. Directly after the explosion we rushed out to the scene. The smooth, round surface had split across one side, and one corner looked as if a giant had eaten a mouthful of wood. In one part of the railings which surrounded the field, a great dent had been made, and the chunk of earth that made it was lying on the ground.

Again another charge was set, and we had to take cover. The Army did this many times, about twice to each tree root. When they had finished, about two hours later, the field was covered with earth and roots, and we were given the job of clearing up. With ashes we levelled up the craters, and then laid turf on top. We got hold of a last war steam-roller, which we nick-named "The Hurricane," and at last our sports field was ready.

IN the Regal Theatre on Sunday, the 8th of November, there was a British Legion service. About 12 Home Guards formed the guard of honour. The choirs of St. Michael's and St. Andrew's Churches, and several last war men and women, assembled on the stage. The Vicar of Minehead preached before the singing of the hymns, "Jerusalem" and "The Supreme Sacrifice." Then during the singing of "The Supreme Sacrifice," little red petals of poppies floated down from above the stage, which made a glorious scene. To make it more effective the lights faded out and a big red cross was lowered from above. It shone with a red glow over the heads of the assembled people. After the singing of "The Supreme Sacrifice " the National Anthem finished an interesting and impressive evening.

SOMETHING moved among the dense undergrowth of an African jungle, which grew right down to the shores of a deep bay. Again a noise, this time louder; some kind of jungle giant was ploughing its way, obviously to get cooled after being half baked under the torturing, blistering sun.

Then with a bellow a huge female elephant, followed by a squealing baby elephant, burst through the jungle into the open, and stood blinking. in the dazzling sunlight. Then both rushed into the sea, in which they frolicked about with glee. The water was quite deep, and nearly covered up baby jumbo, who kept jumping up and down and turning somersaults in the cool water.

For a full quarter of an hour this went on, whilst neither of them saw the water begin to swirl near little jumbo. Something touched the wee elephant, which shot out of the water with lightning rapidity. From out of the still waters arose a grey mass of flesh; higher and higher, till it was nearly as high as his mother.

Suddenly, out whipped a tentacle, which wrapped itself with an agonising tightness round the elephant's leg. Then another, and yet another and another, till there were seven of those horrible clammy tentacles wrapped round her in a vice-like grip. Then started a tug-of-war between the two, but the elephant began to slide deeper and deeper, through lack of foothold. For fully five minutes this battle went on, when the elephant, seeing that she was being beaten, gave a vicious thrust at the octopus with her tusks, which pierced the octopus' main tentacle. This sudden onslaught forced the hideous monster to loosen its grip, and the elephant wasted no time in heaving the octopus ashore, where another terrible fight commenced. But by this time the female elephant was losing strength through loss of blood from a jagged wound made by her opponent's beaky jaws.

The tide of battle then changed again, and the elephant was slowly dragged back into the sea. Suddenly from out of the jungle burst a gigantic bull elephant which had heard the bellows of his mate and had come to investigate the trouble. On seeing her being slowly crushed, he lowered his head and charged. Four times he charged, and each time those long pointed tusks buried themselves deeply into the octopus' head, whose huge blue eyes rolled about in agony. A black, inky fluid was squirted all over the place, but did no harm.

Then the great bull arose on its hind legs and brought its fore legs smack on to the brute's head, which gave way under the terrific force of the blow, like an eggshell. The octopus was dead. The female fondly caressed her gallant rescuer, then the three elephants slowly walked back to the jungle and disappeared from view.

THEY said it was a warm day when I got to the Swimming-bath. Like a fool, I believed them, until I changed into my swimming trunks and found I was freezing . . . . Warm! my foot.

My swimming instructor was there to meet me with a smile . . . How he smiled on a day like this, Lord only knows . . . .

"Well, you do your first dive to-day " he greeted me . . . . On remembering this my stomach gave a first-class lurch. . . . . "Today?" I quavered.

"Dive in?" I repeated slowly . . . One degree lower and the water would be solid ice; and he wanted me to dive in! Oh, how cruel is fate . . . . I pondered. "All right," I murmured in an uncertain manner.

I went to the edge and put my foot in . . . . I could have sworn it turned blue. . . . I quickly withdrew it and turned to the instructor, hoping he would sympathise with me. He merely greeted me with a sardonic eye. . . . I have never seen an eye so cold as his - and said, "Go on! Dive in."

I climbed . . . shivering all the way . . . . on to the spring-board. Perhaps it would be easier from there . . . still, the side . . . . No, the spring-board was safer . . . . or was it? I tensed myself and thought, "Well, what's a little dive to a boy like me? Nothing at all" . . . I looked down into the water. Well, perhaps a little dive was something to a boy like me after all.

"One, two three, and, - no, I could have gone on counting till Doomsday for all it was worth to me. I was scared. This thought struck me like a whip. Me scared! Is this the way Nelson fought at Trafalgar? Or Montgomery in Egypt? Or L.5.A. at football? NO! I'll do it.

For whole minutes I fell through space. The water rushed up to meet me. I opened my mouth to breathe . . . too late . . . . gurgle! gurgle! . . . OW!! . . . my stomach hit the water with a hollow thud that would have knocked a "Valentine" over. It was like a knife cutting me open. . . . "But what of that," I consoled myself. There was a dive which an Olympic diver would have been proud of . . . a real beauty. Yes, it was worth the stomach-ache, the three gallons of water I had swallowed, and the numerous icicles which, I felt sure, must be encrusted on my back. I tried to stop my teeth chattering, as I climbed out, to show how brave I was. I would enjoy hearing that disbelieving instructor saying what a superb dive it was. Ah! here he comes. Now for it.

I was thrilled with excitement, longing to see it again. At seven o'clock in the evening I arrived in Edinburgh, and climbed the Waverley steps which led into Princes Street. On one side of this beautiful street are the magnificent shops, while on the other is Edinburgh Castle towering above the glorious gardens. Later I went to Edinburgh Castle to see the Scottish National War Memorial.

The Memorial is the highest building in Edinburgh. Its walls spring from the jagged ledges of rock. I entered the great porch into a dim place of coloured light. Left and right lies the hall, divided into bays, lit by a stained-glass window, pale enough to let you read the inscriptions on the regimental memorials. The Arches, in which the regimental memorials are placed, differ slightly, but are on the same principle. Beside each hangs the colour of the regiment commemorated. Even the mice, the tunnellers' friends, the carrier pigeons, and the mules are remembered. I passed from the Hall of Honour into a place of prayer. Bronze gates divide it from the main building. From the roof hangs a vault, and on the vault stands St. Michael, in full armour, trampling under foot the Spirit of Evil. Round the Shrine is a miracle in bronze. Every Scotsman and Scotswoman who took part in the war is represented in the long procession. In the centre the living rock pierces the smooth rock, with which the Shrine is paved. It stands, the highest point of the crag on which the Castle is built in its native roughness, jagged, and immovable. Upon it is an Altar, on which, guarded by four kneeling angels, is a casket containing the names of the hundred thousand Scotsmen who died in the last war.

Allegory - Creature with four legs, long tail, and a large mouth, lives in rivers and sometimes devours humans.

Agrarian - A building made specially for keeping fish, water plants, and water animals.

THIS story is about a man who comes into a lot of dough, and finds it a sticky job to get rid of it. He is a well-bred but rather half-baked hero with a somewhat crusty father. The story is full of surprises; soft in some parts and rather overdone in others. It is well spiced with wit, but rather hard to digest. On the whole, it fairly takes the biscuit.

This book acts like a magnet, gives some vivid impressions and several very sudden shocks. It is conducted along the same lines as the "Telephone." Light is thrown on the villain by a broken bulb. The scene keeps switching from the villain's cell to the hero's house. The hero, who holds the torch of right, gives strong resistance to the villain, but he receives a battery of blows and gets very heated. He is, like his father, a live wire. All through the story there is a positive under-current of wit.

GAZING dreamily out of a window and on to the Quadrangle, which was at that moment being washed by some of Somerset's choicest weather, I felt at peace with the world in general. I was lulled into a state of false security by the drumming of the rain and by the peaceful murmur of the "fish shop" behind. "Yes," I reflected, "If I had been playing in the football match we should have won easily. Yes, no doubt about it. I would first get the ball by my twinkling footwork and quickness of brainwork. After trapping the ball I would dash up the field, leaving an envious-looking rabbit behind, up to the goal-mouth now 20 yards distant, now 15 yards - 10 - 5, and draw back my foot to send the ball crashing into the net. Now my foot was coming forward, now it touched it, and -

"Durham, what are you staring at? You look asleep. Now what do I mean by the 'Refractive index of a diamond?'"

"SCRUFFY! Scruffy!" the cry rang out clear through the chill morning air. A frisky wire-haired terrier came bounding out of his kennel, raced across the intervening farmyard, and barked joyously at his master's feet. It was time for his early morning walk, and after his collar had been put on, ran to the gate, barking impatiently for his master to follow.

After they had gone about a mile Scruffy suddenly stopped dead in his tracks; a deep-throated baying could be heard in the distance above the rustling of the autumn leaves. "So old Scrapper's out, is he?" thought Scruffy, "Well, I'll show him this time." All went quietly for the next few minutes, then, quite suddenly, the head of a big Alsatian appeared round the corner. Scruffy stiffened all over, and crouched, waiting.

The big dog slowly advanced. Scruffy prepared to spring. The Alsatian was now within four or five feet of the smaller dog. Scruffy leapt; straight at Scrapper's throat he hurtled. There was an angry snarling as the two dogs met. Soon they were rolling in the dust, biting at each others throats. Scruffy had just got his teeth firmly embedded in his adversary's throat when his master arrived on the scene and separated them. Scruffy got a good hiding; but it was Scrapper who went home with his tail between his legs.

THE far-off striking of the village clock was the signal for the pack to start off. Down the lane they went, their many shaded coats blending picturesquely with the golden colours of the autumn countryside. Old Jim, the Master. was hurrying along with them, calling each one by name as it strayed from the pack - Harlequin, Ranger, Taska, he was calling. They made their way through a field and down to the marshes.

Behind the pack came the rather mixed band of spectators. Some carrying poles and sticks, while others were almost drawn along by their eager terriers. The pack was busy picking up the scent now; up and down the banks of the brook they went, some even in it.

Suddenly, with a howl from Ranger, the whole pack swarmed through the brook and went bounding away through the reeds. Ranger was well in the lead: his large white tail could be seen quite distinctly as he bounded along in the wake of the unlucky otter, which, some time before, had passed that way. The scent led round in a semi-circle and, as it once more reached the brook, there was confusion. The hounds were racing around trying vainly once more to pick up the scent.

Black Boy, a large black-and-white hound, who was swimming in the middle, suddenly dived. He had seen the otter leave a bolt beneath him in the water. That was the last ever seen of Black Boy alive.

A large air bubble broke on the surface. Some minutes later the body of Black Boy was hauled to the bank. It had large tooth sears on the throat. This otter, at least, had killed the killer.

THE man sitting opposite us was obviously trying to draw us into conversation. He made the usual obvious remarks about the weather and about the luxuriousness of the new coaches, to all of which we gave non-committal grunts. Then, he added: "A queer thing happened to me on this very line the other week. I was travelling home for the week-end, as I am now, and I was standing in the corridor talking to a young doctor when suddenly a telegraph wire broke, whipped in with a vicious hiss, and curved round my head."

"No," he went on unperturbed, "It did more; it sliced the top of my head off like slicing the top off an egg."

This was too much. "Surely you don't expect us to believe that?" I said, "it would have killed you."

"It would have done," he replied, "but for the doctor. He clapped the top of my head back on and held it there until I could be taken to hospital."

Our faces all plainly expressed our incredulity. The lady in the corner muttered something about Dr. Goebels not being in it.

He was not in the last abashed. "You can still see the mark of the join," he said, and with that he took off his hat.

We certainly could see a thin. red line going across his forehead, probably where his bowler hat had been pressing on his head tightly. The man was obviously as mad as a hatter.

"Well," he said, "I get out at the next station," and he began to collect his things together and make his way to the door. He made as if to raise his hat to the lady in the corner, but it seemed to be stuck on his head. He fumbled at it, gave it a tug, and off it came. A ghastly expression came over his face. He staggered, and his hat rolled out of his hand with the top of his head and its horrible contents in it.

DURING our journey to Minehead I had been telling my young brother the general rules of the School, the names of the Masters, and, above all, the fact that he must obey the fellows who wear the little discs of authority.

The following afternoon I took him to School to attend the first assembly of the term. As we stood in the playground waiting for Mr. Beadon to blow the whistle, he noticed the aeroplanes in one corner of the field. "I say, what smashing aeroplanes! What days are 3rd-Formers allowed to have a go in them? Is the field where they are in the one where the 1st XI. play? And look at all those bikes piled up against that wall. I suppose the prefects come round and put them straight after we've gone in."

We entered the hall, where he stood in wonderment, drinking in the noise with awed admiration.

For the next few days he was deeply absorbed in his school work, and he was even delighted to do homework. His reverence for the Masters who taught him was unbounded; he even spoke of the Masters as "Mr. This," or "Mr. That" when we were out of School.

Once, I remember, I had to take him to the School Office, and on the way we passed a Classroom where IV. Remove sat, perfectly quiet, with heads bent over books. "I say!" my brother whispered as if afraid to disturb the peace, I'll bet they're jolly clever. WHAT A SCHOOL" he breathed.

I was coming out of School one evening last week and I heard a familiar voice shouting, "Leggo my cap, Puplett! Come on; hand over! All right, wait 'till I get you in School to-morrow! I'll bash you!" And then seeing me, "Hullo, C---------- let's get home; I'm hungry, and I'm in a hurry. I want to go to pictures to-night with Franks." "Wouldn't it be better to do your homework to-night? You know what a row you got into last time from S . . . o, for forgetting your French homework." "No, I won't. I'll do it tomorrow morning." "But you can't. You've got morning school; three periods, in fact," I reminded him. "Oh, well, I'll just have to 'forget' it again."

"How did you get on with your work this afternoon?" "Oh all right, I s'pose. I got 50 chestnuts from Elphick for last week's 'Film Fun'" "Well, where are they?" "I ate most of them in the Maths lesson, and I got a detention from that he-man, H . . . " he said, as he handed me half-a-dozen maltreated chestnuts. "Is this all that's left?" "Well, I couldn't help it if I felt hungry. Oh, yes, and I got another from H . . . y for not bringing my handkerchief. I'd put that hedgehog in it. And I've got a stiff neck from sitting in the draught all afternoon. None of the windows in the place ever shut properly. WHAT A SCHOOL!" he muttered.

"GOOD Evening," said the Elephant, as he tripped lightly downstairs. He handed his green silk hat and the vermillion umbrella to the butler, who looked suspiciously like a penguin. Elephant looked rather ludicrous in his dress suit. The trousers were much too long, and the jacket too short, and the yellow waistcoat, with pink spots, looked slightly incongruous.

He walked across the hall, climbing over a camel which had dozed off while sitting on the umbrella stand, and walked into the sitting room. There, as was his habit, he sat on a very small stool, and, pulling a large alarm clock from his waistcoat pocket, he looked at the time.

"Quarter to March," he murmured. "It's getting very late. She promised to be here by half-past February."

At this moment an entrancing creature entered the room. A hippopotamus, dressed in a beautiful evening gown (designed by Hartnell).

The elephant blushed and, gliding over to her, he bowed very low, his trunk sweeping the floor. "May I have the honour of this dance?" he asked.

This graceful pair slid into a waltz and went round and round, faster and faster; round, round, quicker and quicker, till they became mere blurs on the horizon, growing fainter and fainter . . .

THOUGH flying is not the hazardous experiment which it once was, there is still an element of adventure in it. One's first flight, in particular, is in the nature of an adventure, for it is an entry into the infinite in which nothing ever stands still and which has no beginning and no end. To conquer this world has been the dream of centuries, and its inexorable laws have made it no place for the inaccurate or the foolish.

To embark upon this adventure of flight is the ambition of every A.T.C. Cadet from the moment he joins. During this summer camps which have been established at R.A.F. Stations throughout the country have facilitated the realisation of this ambition. I was one of the thousands of Cadets who were privileged to be flown by the R.A.F.

I was at the camp for ten days, and on the morning of the sixth day I, together with five others, was told to present myself for flying. Naturally we were very excited, and arrived earlier than we had been expected at the hangar to which we had been detailed. The aircraft in which we were to fly was not any operational machine by whose performances we had been impressed, but an aircraft which had explored the skies long before our present operational types existed, even as a thought. The aircraft was the Tiger Moth, the backbone of elementary training in the R.A.F. We were somewhat disappointed that we were not going to be hurled about the skies in the latest service types, but we were reconciled to the Tiger when we were told that in no operational aircraft would we have the "feel" of flying as we should in a Tiger Moth. Indeed, the ground crew maintained that no-one who had not flown in a Tiger Moth could claim to have "flown."

I was fourth on the list for flying, and after three Cadets had flown a fresh pilot took over. When I first saw him he had just landed from his Mustang and was having a cup of tea from the Y.M.C.A. van. He was a short and rather sparse Australian, with bright eyes and a bronzed face, which could be both serious and gay. Having drained his cup of tea and swallowed the last mouthful of bun, he beckoned me over, and as we walked to the Tiger he talked with a soft Australian burr. Two flight mechanics quickly helped me into my parachute, and I was soon installed in the rear cockpit and safely secured by straps. I put on my flying helmet and goggles and exchanged a brief word with the pilot in order to test the "inter-com." The flight mechanics then swung the propeller and the engines roared into vibrant life. We began to taxi across the flying field, swinging now to right and now to left in order to avoid blind spots. Having reached the other side of the flying field, we did a 180 degrees turn and faced into wind. The pilot opened the throttle, and such was the sensation of being pulled along that an irresistible magnetic force seemed to be attracting us on the other side of the field, A smoother sensation of motion caused me to look down and, to my surprise, we were already some 10ft. above the ground. The pilot had mercy on my inexperienced stomach and put the 'plane into a gentle climb, and, in my serenity, I felt like some young fledgling who, having overcome the forces which bound him to the earth, soars upwards In the ecstacy of flight.

A 90 degrees turn and a few minutes steady flying brought us over a town in the neighbourhood, and the changes in the atmosphere induced by air currents rising from the town made flying slightly bumpy. We soon passed over the town and flew over rural land whose numerous fields were divided by neat hedges in a haphazard pattern of arable and pasture land. I realised how apt was the description of Somerset as "a patchwork quilt," and pondered over the insignificance of man, lost in the might of nature and the infinity of space. I was disturbed from these reflections by a voice over the inter-com. which said, "I want you to take over now." The voice gave furtber instructions and, with my heart beating with pride and excitement, I tentatively grasped the "joy stick" between my thumb and first finger. After flying her "straight and level," I executed some cautious shallow turns, which occasioned grunts of approval from the pilot. The voice then told me to put my feet on the rudder-bar and, after further instructions, I did steeper turns, which destroyed my sense of direction, and made me wonder whether we were sideslipping to the ground. A quick glance at the instrument board relieved my feelings, however, and once more I flew "straight and level." Five minutes went by, and I was told to turn round and head for home. I executed a cautious steep turn and, with pride, set course for home. I was beginning to lose my feeling of tension and, in the intervals between keeping my wings level and my nose straight, I snatched quick glances over the cockpit. We arrived at the aerodrome all too soon and, with regret, I took my feet and hands off the controls for the pilot to sideslip in and land. We touched down, and I began to take off my goggles and helmet ready for the next man. I stepped out of the cockpit and received a few words of modest praise from the pilot. I felt, indeed, that my adventure had not ended, but only just begun.

THE Tiger Moth was ticking over as we stood in a group round the instructor. Someone had told me that I would never know what flying was like unless I had been up in a Tiger, so it was with particular attention that I listened to our "do's and dont's." Having been initiated into the mysteries of the parachute, I began to think that baling out, though not actually expected of me, was more than a probability.

We decided among ourselves in what order we should go up, and the first Cadet climbed into the front cockpit. The machine taxied up to the take off and was soon in the air and out of sight. After a time it returned and a Cadet climbed out with a triumphant beam on his face. Soon it was my turn. Those who had preceded me maintained that it was very bumpy up above, in spite of the bright August weather. Putting on the flying helmet, I climbed into the cockpit and, with the help of a flight-mechanic, plugged in the Gosport tubing and strapped myself in. We taxied towards the take-off.

"Do you want dives and loops or straight and level?" asked the pilot. I naturally said, "Dives and loops."

Turning into wind, we gathered speed with a roar, and the flying field rushed by and gradually dropped below us. We climbed higher and, as I looked down over the side at the small, neat fields and the winding ribbon of a main road, I had a feeling of immobility and of being suspended high in the air without support. We climbed still higher until the altimeter registered 3,000ft. The green expanse of fields below was dappled with the shadows of isolated patches of cloud, and in the distance the Parret could be seen winding out to sea.

Yes, the weather certainly was bumpy. At times the machine would drop suddenly and my stomach would lag behind. "How are you feeling?" said the pilot. "Fine," I replied. "All right, we'll do a couple of loops," he said, and we began diving to earth. Suddenly the earth fell from view and a succession of clouds and sky passed down in front of the nose of the aircraft. Looking up, I saw the earth above me and this, in turn, passed in front of me and came underneath to its accustomed place. This was repeated and concluded with a steep dive and a bank to the left and right when the earth slid first on to the port and then the starboard wing. By now the airfield was in view - a collection of camouflaged hangars, aeroplanes, and two orderly rows of tents where the A.T.C. was quartered. We began to drop to earth gradually and, turning into wind, we glided down until the altimeter registered zero. Then, with a bump, we touched down on the airfield that was racing by on either side. Turning towards a small group of Cadets, we taxied towards them and came to a standstill.

After thanking the pilot through the Gosport tubing, I released myself from the straps and climbed out, grinning broadly, just as the others had done. My first flight was at an end, but my flying career had just begun.

[REFERENCE to any person, whether dead or alive, is purely coincidental - or is it ?]

Is it true that the boy who shouts out in the cinema belongs to the Poly? But B*ok*r never asks for late leave.

I have seen written on a School desk, "Jeep-M-C-." In a recent interview with the former, I was assured that this platonic friendship is only for the purpose of getting a close-up of the County School prefect system.

For other seniors who wish to get an "insight on the above system," I refer them to S*il*r and A*n*w*r*h.

It is officially reported that Clues was not drowned when stepping into a puddle.

It is rumoured in high circles that the Prefect system will be disbanded when Gottier, Dulinsky, and Silverstein leave the School.

Is it true that the Head is giving a School holiday on the occasion Gr*y, B*k*r, and M*r*li*ll giving in their physics homework at the right time?

I have been asked by certain members of the County School to convey their thanks to Al*x R*b*rt*on for the comfort and companionship he has provided them with whilst "working" in the Library.

I hear that G*or*e Gr*y asked for late leave to go to the cinema on Monday. (Who says the age of miracles has past?)

School football fans have no doubt noticed the inspired footwork of L*s*er that often helps the team in time of trouble. She has the most exquisite hair I have ever seen. (Even better than B*nj*m*n's).

How many Upper Sixth-formers do NOT do homework for the County School girls? There must be one in the School. Find him! I'll swop him for Jeep's bike.

AS I was going up-over a week ago come to-morrow the Duke called out, "Rather sharp for the time of year!" And so we got talking. I don't usually speak to Dukes in London; but down here no one's very particular. Then he offered me a bag of apples out of his orchard, and charged me 1s. 4d. for them; so I offered him a 2d. bar of chocolate I'd got for 1½d., and charged him 4d. for it.

Then we talked about the 'untin', and came to the conclusion it wasn't what it was when it used to be. The hunters were out of sorts, as he was out of oats, so I suggested that he should try feeding them on cake; but this, he explained, was too fattening. He then asked me if I could get some Poly. boys who would take his 10 horses out for a canter each morning; but I pointed out that you were all too busy, so keen on your homework that I daren't ask you; thank you very much all the same.

The pack was getting thin - not enough meat; and the kennel maids were tired of giving up their ration for the 'ounds. Then when I told him I had the same difficulty with mine (I have a sausage dog and a pedigree bull pup with a sort of Heinkel 108 body and P.38 Lockheed-Lightning tail), he got extremely interested and invited me to visit the ducal estate.

Augustus (he asked me to use his Christian name rather than "Your Supreme Highness," as soon as I got there), Augustus is now living in a small wing of the Palace owing to the shortage of valets, butlers, cooks, equerries, and between maids; these have become aides-de-camp (French for "assistant evacuation officers"), and so on. In the main block all his ancestors (done in oils) have been turned facing the wall, on account of the blast.

There's a sort of je ne sais quoi about these old scions of noble lineage. Even when he proposed to me he did it with a grace that put us on equal terms immediately, by pretending to be short of cash and borrowing a fiver from me. By jove, I was glad I'd just been paid! Wasn't I lucky?! When I got to School all the Poly. Masters congratulated me when they'd had their three or four cups of tea in the Dom. Sci.

But, boys, you must really come to my wedding. I shall want you all there, and I'm getting Mr. Hough's choir to wash its face, or is it "their faces," and to sing the Bridal Chorus by Faust, from Verdi's opera "Cavaleria Caseara," and that sweet little aria from Lowhengrin and High Pagliacci.

I'm getting awfully excited about it all; but I'm just a little worried about my bridal dresses. Could any of you lend me a few of those "growing boys over-weight coupons"? Augustus says he'll dig out his great grand-aunt's coronet and gown, trimmed with vermin; and a young Home Guard friend of mine has promised me his camouflage netting, which, he says, will be just the thing for a bridal veil for me. For a going-away frock I thought of wearing something diaphanous and filmy. We shan't be going far on account of Augustus's rheumatism.

But what am I doing? I'm so full of my own personal happiness that I've forgotten you boys. Well, here's a secret for you, dears. It's now practically certain that we shall be returning to London within the next four or five years at least!

I thought that we had better start on a record of Poly. activities in the West Country, so here's a start:-

EDITOR'S NOTE:- As we go to press we regret to announce that Aunt Kate's little romance has again fallen asunder. The Duke has transferred his affections, so we hear, to the conductress on the midnight 'bus from Minehead to Porlock on Tuesdays and Thursdays only - ED.

9 Four 880 h.p. Junker Jumbo 211 12-cylinder inverted vee liquid-cooled engines.