Scout Signalling Competition

Flag Semaphore is used for conveying information by visual means. Information is encoded by the position of the flags. It is used between ships, and ships to shore and vice versa, especially during daylight.

32nd Raffles Signalling Team

The 32nd Raffles group entered a few scout crafts competitions with other scout groups. They were tent pitching, bridge building, signalling and others. I remembered the signalling competition well for we practised very hard for it. Everyday after school, we would go to the field behind the school building to practice sending and receiving morse code and flag semaphore. The competition was held in St Andrew School ground at Woodsville Road. They were all in morse codes which were in dots and dashes to represent letters and numerals. Morse codes came in the form of sound, light flashes and hand held triangular flags movements known as semaphore.

Each team was split into 2 groups with each group sending a fixed messange to the other. The team that send the message with the fastest speed and accuracy, would be declared the winner. I forgot which scout team won. Most likely we lost.

A Rope Bridge Anchor

Last Friday 23 May 08, I walked passed St Patrick's School on the Marine Parade Road side and saw a group of boy scouts climbing onto a rope bridge anchor. It's the same type of bridge anchor that we built during our pioneer camp at Bedok. I could not help going into the school compound to snap the above picture. Intitially, I was stopped by the leader. But, after my explanantion that I was a scout before and the bridge anchor brought me fond memory, he allowed me to do so. As in the photo, the boys were still tying the knots to the upper part of the anchor. I passed St Patrick School very often and hope to see more scout activities from the boy scouts.

Scout 1 -Camping

Livingstone Patrol had annual camp at different parts of the island. The most memorable camp was at Tanah Merah hillock behind the Changi Prison. It was my first scout camp and I learned to be independant. I cooked and washed for the first time. Not bad eh! We had our camp at the small clearing facing the sea. It was breezy and water supply was from a nearby spring coming from the hill. We used the water from the spring for cooking, washing and bathing.

Visitors in scout uniform

Hey, I can cook!

Wow, my cooking it's yummy!

Guests walking to the camp

Guests enjoying my cooking!

Continuous flow of spring water

Washing up

Last day of camp

Preparing to break camp

Scout Pioneer Camp

Combined Pioneer Camp April 1953

Building A Rope Bridge

I was encouraged to enroll for the Second Class Badge. I learned various scout crafts and passed the test for the badge. I also had scout standard badges, like Handiman, First Aid, Astronomer and Despatch Rider. For Pioneer badge, I attended a combined camp conducted by the South Western District. The camp was held at Bedok English School ground but the activities were carried out across the road opposite the school. Our final test was to build a rope bridge. The combined troop was divided into 2 groups. Each group built an A-frame structure. Next was tying the rope to the 2 A-frame anchors standing apart at a certain distance. After completion we checked the tension of the rope. It was good and a scout was sent across from one side to the other. The scout master, a teacher from ACS was satisfied with the construction of the bridge. It was all team effort and we were given the Pioneer Badge Class certificate each. It enabled us to purchase the badge from the Scout House at Armenian Street.

Pioneer Badge Certificate