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1936—"Annual Inspection, 23rd July. Held indoors on account of weather."
(It is so unusual for this function to be marred by the weather that this exception is worth noting.)
1946 — "Presentation of the King's Colour. Presentation of the King's Colour by Lieut.- General Sir Neil M. Ritchie, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O., M..C., Commanding-in-Chief, Scottish Command. 31st July, 1946, at 3 p.m."
(The first Colours were presented to a detachment from the School by H.M. King- Edward VII at Balmoral on 4th October, 1909, and a new School Colour was presented to a detachment from the School by H.M. King George V at Holyrood Palace on 16th January, 1934. The old School Colour is laid up in the School Chapel.)
1947—"Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery, Chief of Imperial General Staff, visited the School on 20th May, 1947, during his tour of Scottish Command."
1948 — "Earl Wavell Unveils Q.V.S. War Memorial. The Memorial Chapel of the Queen Victoria School, Dunblane, was the setting of a touching and impressive service on Sunday, 2nd of May, when the famous soldier and Colonel of The Black Watch, Field-Marshal the Rt. Hon. Earl Wavell, P.O., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., C'.M.G., M.C.,
unveiled the War Memorial to the former pupils of the School who made the supreme sacrifice in the recent war.
1951 — "Royal Tournament — Item No. 8— Massed Pipes and Drums Display by Scottish Regiments, with Highland Dancing by boys of the Queen Victoria School, Dunblane.
"The Massed Pipes and Drums of the 2nd Scots Guards, 1st Royal Scots, 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers, and 1st Highland Light Infantry entered through the great gate, a glorious sight. marched down the enormous stadium, counter-marched to the centre, and formed the cross of St. Andrew. A pause, a roll of drums, and to the tune of 'Monymusk' thirty-two boy dancers were in at the double; amid smiles and murmurs of approval from the thousands in the audience.
"Taking their places on eight boards ranged round the area, eight foursomes danced a Strathspey and Reel o' Tulloch ... at the end of the dance a warm burst of applause filled the stadium, unlike the response to anything else in the Royal Tournament . . . The dancers wheeled round into line before the Royal Box, while as a fresh surprise to the delighted audience Pipe-Major Sanderson made his superb entrance into the arena, his chest positively radiating pride in Scotland and his pupils. After the salute, the boys marched off smartly in file to 'Highland Laddie' and disappeared in the distance through the double doors at the far end."
1951—"Carol Service. The Carol Service at the end of the Autumn Term was an innovation, but it started what should be an important tradition. It unites both Presbyterians and Episcopalians in the ideal way of celebrating Christ's birth,
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and on this occasion the standard of singing far exceeded the normal Q.V. level. This achievement was the result of the Headmaster's excellent choir-mastering and of the trouble taken in rehearsal."1952—"First Camp at Aviemore. Mention must be made of another activity. Two officers and twenty-eight boys are being sent for a fortnight to the Cairngorms this summer, and will be accommodated in the Army Ski Hut near Aviemore. The objects of the camp are to let the boys see and appreciate the Scottish. countryside by walking in the hills, and to practise map and compass work, as well as to give the boys a holiday."
1953—"Coronation Year. On Coronation day itself there was first of all a short religious service conducted by the School Chaplain. Afterwards the School watched the televising of the Coronation service on the School's own set, which has a screen four feet by three, and which has been purchased by Her Majesty's Commissioners for the use of the School. Later in the day the boys proceeded to the Duckburn Park, Dunblane, where children's sports were held. The great day was rounded off by a display of fireworks and the lighting of a large bonfire behind the cricket pavilion. Unfortunately, the occasion was marred by a high wind, but enthusiasm ran high until midnight. A late reveille was most necessary the next morning."
1954 — "Two events will cause this term (Christmas Term, 1954) to remain long in our memories. First of all, we have just recently been informed that His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, has graciously consented to become our Patron. The last Royal Patron of the School was the Duke of Connaught, who died in 1924. It is to be hoped that this signal mark of royal favour, coming so close before the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the School, will spur us on to achieve far greater things in the future than ever in the past.
"The second event of note was the unveiling. of the Memorial Window in the School Chapel on Friday, 28th October. The window commemorates the Old Boys of the School who gave their lives in the two World Wars, and the ceremony was performed by the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Memorial Window is the work of Mr A. L. Russell, head of the School of Design at Dundee College of Art." Beneath the School crest and the ciphers of the three Services, surmounting the arms of Stirling, Perth, Edinburgh and Glasgow, are portrayed four Scottish Saints — Blane, Columba, Mungo, and Ninian.
"At the time of unveiling a Roll of Honour inscribed and illuminated by Miss D. Cake, of Cove-on-Clyde, w'as handed over. A cover for the Roll of Honour has been designed and executed by Mr V. H. Le Maistre, art master of Queen Victoria School.
"On the wall beneath the Memorial Window and behind the Altar is draped azure cloth figured with imperial designs in thread of gold, which is part of the actual fabric hung in Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of our Queen."
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