Scout Troop - 1943-2000
The first leader of the Scout Troop was Mr James Healey. Unfortunately, in spite of a promising start, the number of Scouts dwindled and in 1944 it was decided to close the Scout Troop. From then on boys leaving the Cub Pack who wished to continue their Scouting had to transfer to one of the other Groups in the town - 1st Devizes or 2nd Devizes. Most went to 2nd Devizes.
In June 1978 Mr Christopher Henley, who had been an ASL at 22nd Airedale in Yorkshire, an ASL and SL at 2nd Devizes and ACC (Venture Scouts) in Wiltshire, restarted the Scout Troop along with his brother Michael, who at the time was an Assistant Cub Scout Leader at 3rd. The Troop met each week in an old wooden hut in the church grounds. The first Scout to be invested was David Minty, who had been a Cub and who went on to be a Venture Scout, Assistant Scout Leader, Scout Leader and Venture Scout Leader.
Within a year the Troop had grown to twenty-four members in four Patrols of six - Eagles, Falcons, Kestrels and Owls.
In 1979 Mr C Henley was apppointed Group Scout Leader, but he continued to run the Troop on a weekly basis.
By 2000 the number of Scouts had once again dwindled and so the difficult decision was made to close the Troop.
Also in 2000 Mr C Henley announced that he would like to take a sabbatical from Scouting. He and his wife were intending to buy a touring caravan at the start of 2001 and he wished to have a rest from the regular commitment to Scouting.
Summer Camps (Photos are slowly being added)
1979 - Wambrook, near Chard in Somerset
On this camp the Troop was accompanied by a Boy Scout from America who was visiting his grandparents in Devizes.
1980 - Devon Jamboree, Crediton in Devon
1981 - Llanbedr, near Crickhowell in Powys
1982 - Bury, near Dulverton in Somerset
1983 - Cumnor, near Oxford, Oxfordshire
For this camp the Troop was joined by 1st West Lavington Troop. The 3rd Devizes GSL had been running both Troops since the SL of 1st West Lavington left and had said that he would take the Troop to summer camp, but that the Group had to find new Leaders by then - it did.
1984 - Llanbedr, near Crickhowell in Powis
1985 - Brushford, near Dulverton in Somerset
1986 - Westcountry Jamboree, Mount Edgcumbe in Cornwall
1987 - Llanbedr, near Crickhowell in Powys
1988 - Maiden Bradley, near Frome in Somerset
1989 - Waterlip, near Shepton Mallet in Somerset
This one was a bit different. The Scouts volunteered to assist with the restoration of some of the rolling stock at the East Somerset Railway and spent several days chipping old paint off one of the wagons and repainting it. They also had a couple of rides on the train.
1990 -
1991 -
1992 - TREF 92, The Netherlands
This camp was also a bit different. It was a Wiltshire County Camp. Four of the Scouts attended along with other Troops from the District.
1993 - Llanbedr, near Crickhowell in Powys
1994 - Wiltshire Scout Centre, Potterne near Devizes
This camp was another one that was a bit different. It was a joint camp with 1st Exmouth Scout Troop, two local Guide Companies and a contingent of Scouts and Guides from Tornio in Finland, a twin town of Devizes. At the end of the camp each participant was presented with a certificate of attendance.
1995 - Erlestoke, near Devizes in Wiltshire
Also two Scouts attended TREF 95, the Wiltshire County Camp in The Netherlands.
The first summer camp was held during the summer holidays of 1978 at Duke's Farm, the home of a colleague of Mr C Henley, in Poulshot, just outside Devizes. Equipment was kindly loaned by 2nd Devizes Scout Group and seventeen boys spent four nights at the camp.
Subsequent annual summer camps, each of a week's duration, were held in different parts of Southern England and South Wales.
Highlights (Photos are slowly being added)
Wessex Walks - 1979 onwards
Starting in 1979 and for several years afterwards the Troop took part in the Wessex Walks, a series of sponsored walks to the cathedrals at Salisbury, Wells and Winchester. Salisbury was chosen and the Scouts walked the twenty-one mile route to the cathedral from just outside Chitterne.
Kite Flying - 1980
The Scouts wanted to try to break the World Kite Flying Record which stood at 169 hours, or just over a week. Permission to camp on Oliver's Castle was obtained and the flight was arranged for one of the school holidays. Unfortunately the wind was not consistent and after a couple of days the attempt was called off.
Walk-a-Map Challenge - 1992
One of the regular contributers to Scouting magazine challenged Scouts to walk across a standard Ordnance Survey Landranger map. The map containing Devizes - number 173 - has the Kennet and Avon Canal running right across it from east to west. The decision was soon made to walk from Wootton Rivers in the east to just west of the Avoncliff Aqueduct - a total of 28.8 miles - as it would be level or downhill the whole way.
On Saturday September 26th members of the Troop together with members from 6th Devizes and 1st Seend Troops, who had been invited to join, set off. All participants completed the walk and were presented with a certificate each to commemorate the event.
Papal Visit to Great Britain - 1982
When the visit of Pope John-Paul II was announced a weekend camp adjacent to Coventry Airport, one of the places where he was to say Mass, was arranged by a national Catholic Scout organisation to which the Group belonged. The Troop applied to go and spent the early part of the day of the visit helping to monitor a half-mile track of plywood boards that had been laid to allow wheelchairs easy access across the field. On the following day the Scouts assisted with litter picking on the airport.
Chief Scout's Awards
Over the years several Scouts gained the Chief Scout's Award - at the time the highest training award for members of a Troop. The badges were presented by the SL or GSL and then the certificates were presented at an annual county event by the Chief Scout, the Lord Lieutenant or some other dignitary.
16th World Jamboree - 1987-1988
One of the Scouts, Iain Newell, was selected to represent Great Britain at the 16th World Jamboree. The run-up to the Jamboree saw much fundraising taking place. Iain and the rest of the contingent flew out of England on Christmas Eve and celebrated Christmas Day in the air.
Iain was one of over 14,000 Scouts from eighty-four countries to attend the jamboree at Appin, near Sydney in New South Wales.
Discovery 89 - 1989
In 1989 the Scout Association organised a series of camps in different parts of the country. One of the Scouts, Peter Henley, applied to go the the Perth camp, As he was the only Scout from 3rd he joined 1st Lavington Troop which had several members attending the camp.
Camping Competitions
Each year the District and the County would organise a camping competition. Patrols from 3rd would enter the District competition and in most years one of them - usually the Kestrel Patrol - would win. The winner would then represent the District at the County competition. One year the Kestrel Patrol came a very close second in the County competition.
Scouts go for a Million - 1990
In 1989 the Scout Association launched the Scouts go for a Million campaign challenging Scouts across the UK to achieve a million Scout camp nights, walk a million kilometres etc during 1990. 3rd Devizes took up the challenge and started 1990 with a one million inch hike starting and finishing at its headquarters.
The County Commissioner, Mr Robin Fewings, was persuaded to come and see them off at exactly 00:00 on January 1st 1990 and they walked fifteen miles, six furlongs, two chains, thirteen yards, two feet and four inches. When they arrived back at headquarters the GSL was there to cook them breakfast before they returned to their homes.
Meet the Chief - 1990
In 1990 The Chief Scout, Sir Garth Morrison, visited several locations in Wiltshire. One of these was the County Scout Centre and several of the Scouts went to meet him.
Oliver's Challenge
From 1986 until 1997 the Troop issued an annual challenge to the other Troops of the District that it would attack Oliver's Castle just outside Devizes on a particular date in December between particular times and set off a firework within the ramparts of the earthwork there. It was defeated only once, by 1st Seend in 1994. Most years no one turned up to try to prevent the attack.
Jamborees on the Air
From around 1987 the ADC (Scouts) would arrange for two or three amateur radio enthusiasts to operate the radios at the annual Jamboree on the Air (JOTA). The Troop took part in most of these and the Scouts were able to talk to other Scouts and Guides across the world. Often a weekend camp was arranged at the County Scout Centre and some of the Scouts would sit up until late in the night to talk to other Scouts and Guides.
3rd Devizes (St Joseph's) Scout Group
