Old school scout handbook available

Video

KNYSNA NEWS & VIDEO - Recently an interesting, quirky little story waltzed its way into the offices of the Knysna-Plett Herald in the form of an 86-year-old pensioner from Knysna.

Roger Murray, who is now having to pack up his belongings as he is moving into a retirement home, came across a scout Handbook for Patrol Leaders that he used as a junior scout way back in 1944 while living in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, during the Second Word War.

What makes the book even more special is that it was first printed in 1929 – that’s 88 years ago for those of us who can't calculate.

The reason he approached the Knysna-Plett Herald is that he wants this book to be preserved for future generations of scouts, especially after he saw how well two local girls did in 2016 when they became Knysna’s first Springbok girl scouts.

He brought with the book a cutting from the 3 November 2016 edition of the Knysna-Plett Herald, where Zoe Hahn and Michaela Griffiths were announced as two of 18 Springbok scouts named in the Western Cape.

“I’ve been holding on to the article and book since, hoping I would be able to find the Knysna scouts, but till present I haven’t been able to track them down. Hopefully by coming to the paper they will come find out more about the book. I think it will be very useful to them,” said Murray.

Some of his fondest memories of being a junior scout, he said, was not only getting to use a rifle to earn his marksmanship badge, but also “that all the girls were always chasing me”, he quipped.

“Those days I was very keen and militaristic as I always saw my father in uniform and wanted to be just like him. I loved uniforms and the marching and guns and all else that went with it,” he said.

Note: Of course Knysna-Plett Herald could just contact the Knysna scouts, but we thought that this would be a fun way to attract a worthy new owner.

Watch a video below: