Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 198 - June 1964
The digitisation of the Slasher was undertaken by, and images courtesy of, the Forest Research Knowledge and Information Management staff based at both the Northern Research Station in Roslin, Scotland and Alice Holt in Surrey, where the original copies are currently located.
The content summary below was very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment link below the text to view the full document. A total of over 400 issues were produced between 1948 and the final issue in 2010.
Birthday Honours List
Mr George Batters, Conservator, North East England has been awarded an O.B.E.
Mr John Blane, Mechanical Engineer in the Scottish Directorate has been awarded an M.B.E.
Mr Bryan Latham, (recently a Commissioner) has been awarded a C.B.E.
Mr N.D.G. James, President of the Royal Forestry Society has been awarded an O.B.E.
Mr W.J. Riddoch, timber merchant, member of East Scotland R.A.C. and of the Home Grown Timber Advisory Committee has been awarded an O.B.E.
Mr William Clark of Parkgate Smithy, Dumfries has been awarded the British Empire Medal for his help to forestry by designing and manufacturing forestry equipment.
Forester Becomes Lord Provost
After becoming one of the first Commission Foresters to be granted permission (in 1945) to take up local work as a County Councillor for the Kemnay and Monymusk Division of Aberdeen County Council, Forester James Allan may be the first to become the Lord Provost of a Town Council, for he has recently been elected to this high office at Ladybank in Fife.
The Invasion of Kielder
LAST month, according to Mr T.A. Murdoch, Conservancy Engineer, North East England, a convoy of lorries, heavy equipment and troop carriers escorted by motor cycles, wended its way from Bellingham to Kielder for the purpose of constructing a new reinforced concrete bridge over the River Tyne at Bakethin, Northumberland. Two field squadrons of 38 Corps Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, 60 officers and men will be engaged for a period of eight weeks on the job and a tented camp has been established on the old Plashetts railway station precincts, complete with messes and the N.A.A.F.I.
Arrangements for the construction evolved over a period of several years, during which a squadron from the Royal Engineers has been engaged on major civil engineering work each summer in the Kielder area. The exercise has comprised bridge-building and the erection of a fire tower. The demolition of a large obsolete structure has also been undertaken.
The design and planning of the works is by Conservancy Engineering staff, who exercise a benevolent control over the constructional work through the Site Officer or Sergeant Major. Much of the work of the Commission's Engineer and Superintendent of Works is in restraining the enthusiasm of the Sapper who almost invariably, when faced with an obstacle to progress, tends to put his hand in his back trouser pocket and pull out a pound of high explosive!
Much planning goes into exercises of this scale and among the particulars asked for on these occasions are the addresses of the nearest doctor, dentist and magistrate, for obvious reasons.
Honorary membership of the Kielder Working Men’s Club is extended to the Sappers and it is fully expected that bar profits will soar.
The Commission meets the cost of design, planning and the supply of all materials. The Army meets the cost of all transport, labour and mechanical plant. The Commission benefits with a new bridge for about a quarter of the actual cost. The Army benefits with a civil engineering exercise which is not normally in their scope, a chance to use their latest mechanical equipment and radio apparatus.
No one yet knows what havoc will be created by the presence of 60 or so young strangers among unmarried daughters in the sylvan quiet of Kielder, but the results are sure to be interesting.
T.R.I.G.
At the suggestion of Eddie Brown, the Training Officer, Mr W.M. Cormack, Controller of Finance and Mr Jack Lenman formed a winning partnership in the first big management game contest of the Times Review of Industry and Technology, held at Olympia. There were some crack commercial teams and several Civil Service sides. Our team's efforts put the Commission ahead of all Government Departments. The aim was to make a profit in a scenario where each team was allocated a notional capital amount to run a small factory.
Opening a Code
The difficulties of working with Codes in books requiring a screwdriver to release brass screws covering text.
Down in The Forest
Forester J. A. Marshall, Hamsterley, North England Conservancy, was returning home one evening when he noticed moving lights in a plantation about a mile away. All Commission personnel were out of the forest, and this section was four miles from the nearest public highway. The great train robbery hunt was in full swing at the time and the Forester knew that a search was being conducted at least as far north as Berwick-on-Tweed. It was just conceivable ....!
After a dash to the spot and a quick look round in the twilight, car tracks were found, but the lights and the intruders had disappeared. Some freshly turned earth, the size and shape of a grave was discovered at the end of the vehicle tracks. It was now almost dark. Forester Marshall motored out of the forest to the village to post some urgent mail and mentioned the incident to the village "bobby". "Don't do anything", said the officer, "but stand by for the flying squad". The officer had obviously been warned of something.
A County Police squad of about 30 men arrived and our Forester led the sleuths to the area concerned. Lights were set up, guards posted and a gang of highly skilled policemen began exhuming what had been buried. The perfect scene for a crime - except for the Commission's eagle eye. It took 45 minutes of careful excavation to uncover the 'swag'. Each shovelful was examined and any unusual clues recorded. Then the loot was found - about half a trailer-full of household rubbish and tins.
Presentations
Mr J.N. Kennedy, District Officer for Suffolk for nearly 10 years received the gift of carpentry tools to mark his departure to the Management Section in Edinburgh. The presentation was given by Mrs E. Patch, the District Office Clerk.
Mr John Leslie, District Officer in the New Forest for four years has left for the North East England Conservancy (Durham area). There was a farewell dance at Northerwood House and in the Verderers' Hall, Lyndhurst, Mr W.A Cadman, Deputy Surveyor, presented Mr Leslie with a silver tea service on behalf of colleagues.
"See How They Run" is on Tour
After the successful London production of "See How They Run" by the Inforesta Drama Group, the play was taken on tour on 28th May by the nine members of the cast, the producer and two of the stage management staff. The tour consisted of performances at Kielder village and Llandulas village. Overnight stops were made at York and Shrewsbury. Thanks were extended to the audiences, the staff of the York office and to Mr and Mrs Hampson and members of the Shrewsbury Office Social Club for their hospitality and entertainment.
Funeral
Many colleagues gathered in the village of Clun for the funeral of Mr T.J.R. Rees, Forester at Walcot in the North West England Conservancy. Mr Rees joined the Commission in 1927 as a Forest Worker at Rheole. The bearers were Mr K. Elderwick and Mr F.A. Sharp from Shobdon Repair Depot and Foresters E.J. Tucker and J. Stokoe.
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