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ficiency and the afternoon going round the Railway Museum. The night exercise had to be cancelled because of a sighting of a dangerous criminal in the area! This also resulted in the loss of over a day's Air Experience Flying when the Police used the Chipmunk for an aerial search.
The food and accommodation were good and our thanks must go to Mr Buchanan for his help at Camp. We hope he was amply rewarded with a night flight in a Jet Provost. Sandy Borthwick, our Senior Cadet NCO, was similarly rewarded with a flight in a "J-P".
We were given two places for a continuous Gliding Course at No. 662 Gliding School, Arbroath. Congratulations go to Sgt Alan O'Donnell and J/Cpl Stewart Buchanan on going solo and gaining their 'wings'. |
Weather, pilots and aircraft permitting the Air Experience Flying has continued at No. 12 AEF RAF Turnhouse throughout the year on Thursday afternoons and thanks must go to the AEF Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr Ritchie, and Wg Cdr Williams for taking the Cadets.
FIt/Lt C. Gash has taken over from FIt/Lt M. Hayter as the RAF Air Cadet Liaison Officer from HQ Air Cadets RAF Newton, and also continues the Aircraft Recognition Tests. Sgt Martin Sinclair must be congratulated not only on his consistent high results in these tests but also for his work in helping other cadets
prepare for these tests.
M.J.B.
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Queen Victoria School 1908-1983
As part of the 75th Anniversary of the School's opening, it was decided to publish a larger edition of the Victorian this year, so as to include within it articles and photographs from the past. The chief source has been the Victorian magazines of the last 60 years. To read them through twice was as fascinating as it was time-consuming. What emerged from such a reading was two kinds of material which it is hoped boys, parents, staff and all those who have to do with the School will find of interest: first, accounts of how the School came into being and, second, personal memories of those who were at the School, either as boys or staff, from its earliest days. If a little of what is written is repetitive, we should acknowledge it as being what was most remarkable or memorable. Indeed when a history of the School is written, it is from sources such as these that the writer will describe the foundation, traditions, growth and very special and unique character and place of Queen Victoria School in the nation and Scotland, as well as in the hearts of Old Victorians.
Headmaster.
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THE HISTORY OF QUEEN VICTORIA SCHOOL, DUNBLANE
The idea of building a school in Scotland to commemo rate the services of Scottish soldiers and sailors who fell in the South African War, was first mooted in the year 1901.
It was not, however, until the autumn of 1902 that the idea took definite shape, and then, as the Empire was mourning the loss of Queen Victoria, it was decided that the School should serve the dual purpose of commemorating Scotland's fallen sailors and soldiers and also of being a memorial to our illustrious Sovereign. The money that was collected for the purpose by public subscription eventually amounted to £65,000.
The raising of these funds, the formation of an Executive Council, the selecting of plans, the choosing of a suitable site, the intricate negotiations as to the constitution of the School between the War Office and the Commissioners, and sundry other matters, entailed the lapse of many years before the actual building came into existence. As a matter of fact the building was not commenced until the year 1906, and it was not until 28th September 1908 that the School was officially opened by His Majesty King Edward VII.
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On this occasion Mr R. Addison Smith, the Hon. Treasurer and Secretary to the Council, read to the King the address of the subscribers.
His Majesty graciously replied, and the text of his reply now hangs framed in the Commandant's office, while the following extract from it: "As their fathers served the State, so, also, I pray that the children may grow up under the shelter of this building to be useful in their station and calling" - is engraved upon the brass to the left-hand side of the front entrance. His Majesty engaged in the further ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Memorial Chapel.
The first batch of boys entered the School in the summer of 1909, fifty being selected from those who were nominated, and another thirty being chosen in priority by the Commandant. Four other boys joined the School at this time, two being transferred from the Duke of York's Royal Military School and two from the Royal Hibernian School.
To T. W. Gibbon belongs the distinction of being No. 1 on the School register, his date of entry being June 6th 1909.
On October 4th 1909, a detachment from the School journeyed to Balmoral, where King Edward VII pre-
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