Dyb dyb! Appeal for former scouts

Ex-boy scout Jon Harris has vowed to do his best in tracking down a troop from the Black Country and Birmingham area who went to one of the first international jamborees.

He wants to find the other members of the party which represented Great Britain at the 10th World Jamboree in the Philippines in 1959. Mr Harris, aged 67, of Larkhill Road, Wollaston, Stourbridge, hopes to arrange a reunion of the old friends so they reminisce about their adventures and find out what they have all been up to in the past 50 years.

The retired electrical engineer, who was 17 at the time, was one of 116 scouts from around the country selected to go to the jamboree held at Mount Makiling, in Laguna.

It was attended by 12,000 boys from 50 nations. The troop included 30 boys from the Black Country and Birmingham area.

The names of the scouts in the area were: D Anderson, J Baily, W Branston, L Davies, D Evans, R Homer, B Hulse, R Ingram, E Lambert, B Lee, G McGregor, J Maskell, J Morley, M Peele, M Phillips, J Reid, C Rowland, P Sampson, M Scott, B Shermer, B Spillaine, D Steele, J Sykes, J Taylor, R Temple, R Warren, D Wiseman, B Woodcock and finally R Write.

Mr Harris said he would love to hear from any of the group who shared the adventure on the other side of the world.

"We were there for a month and to say it was an eye-opener is something of an understatement," he said. "For many of us it was the first time we'd been out of the country and en-route to the jamboree we stopped in Damascus and Delhi," he went on to say.

"For the first few days we stayed with members of the British Consulate before going to the week-long jamboree.

"The water supply ran out, but at 17 nothing phases you and the scout motto is 'Be prepared' after all.

"The trip instilled a real love of travel in me and I've been to Australia, Egypt, America and all round Europe since," continued Mr Harris.

"We've all lost touch over the years. and seeing as though it's coming up to the 50th anniversary I thought it would be nice to try and organise a reunion."

To get in contact with Mr Harris about the reunion call 01384 442924 or email him at harrisjohn5@sky.com