HAPPY memories came flooding back for resort resident Peter Blockley when he saw a recent Scouts march in the town.
The octogenarian, from Emmanuel Road, re-kindled thoughts of carrying the troop flag as a youngster.
Mr Blockley paraded on St George’s Day at both Holy Trinity and West End and on one occasion when camping at Clarach Bay in Wales.
He said: “In Wales we paraded on the Sunday morning over Constitution Hill into a church in Aberystwyth. I was in the 24th Southport (St Andrew’s). It was a happy troop.
“Our group scoutmaster was Ben Morgan, our scoutmaster was Eddie Hitchen and his assistant was Jimmy Schofield. They looked after us very well and in the course of general scouting activities they taught us well for adulthood and had us regularly campaigning.
“We had a site right beside the lake at Grasmere and we had our own site lower down from Ashurst Beacon. I swear I can still smell the bacon cooking on the wood fire for breakfast and hear the bells of the church on Parbold Hill ringing out across the valley and look down on the Manchester trains steaming along with 11 or 13 carriages.”
There was always a great competitive spirit in the Scout movement, Mr Blockley remembers – and apart from competitions held at Tawd Vale he recalls one event, a camping competition for one patrol from each group held in the grounds of Meols Hall.
He said: “We had to push our trek carts with our equipment, and set up a kitchen only using our scout stoves. We were given a set menu in advance which we had to cook and be judged on and a programme of various scouting events. Just before we struck camp after tea the result was announced. We had won the painted shield.
“Looking back over the past 70 years I have always been grateful for my few years in the scouts and for those leaders that seem to give us endless time and taught us how to stand on our own two feet.”
And the Scouts’ old motto of ‘Be Prepared’ and ‘help other people at all times’ has stood Mr Blockley, 86, in good stead.
He explained: “During World War II I became part of a very small group from the RAF transferred to combined operations for invasion purposes and having arrived in Italy spent almost the entire Italian campaign with two of my colleagues operating a specialised radio van which was forever located away from the airstrips. That meant we had our tent and had to look after ourselves.
“My camping experience with the scouts suddenly paid off, it proved invaluable and became quite a lifesaver as far as cooking was concerned. To this day I have great admiration for anyone who gives their time to organise and run scouting.”
The Southport Visiter has been informed that Peter Brockley sadly passed away this week. Funeral arrangements will be in Wednesday’s Midweek Visiter.

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