Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 217 - January 1966
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.
New Year Honours
Major D.C. Bowser, former Commissioner has been appointed a C.B.E.
Mr R.H. Smith, who retired last month from the post of Conservator, South East England has been awarded an O.B.E.
Miss J. Geekie, Senior Executive Officer, Edinburgh Office has been awarded an M.B.E.
Mr E.J.D. Wilkinson (Tom Wilkinson), Forester in Charge of the Commission's travelling agricultural show unit has been awarded the British Empire Medal.
Promotion
Mr John Summers, who has been with the Commission since 1946 and became a Principal in 1960, is to fill the new post at Headquarters of Assistant Secretary.
Retirements
Mr Frank Best, Conservator of Forests for North Wales is retiring this month after joining the Commission as a probationary forest officer in 1928.
Mr Jack Maund, Utilisation Officer, York, since 1947 has retired. He started his career with the Commission at the Dean Foresters' Training School.
Mr A. Birkett, Forester, East England Conservancy has retired after joining the Commission in 1926 and attending the Dean Foresters' Training School for two years.
Presentations
Mr Frank Best, Conservator of Forests for North Wales, retirement presentation.
Mr Jack Maund, Utilisation Officer, York Office, retirement presentation.
Mr A. Birkett, Forester, East England Conservancy, retirement presentation.
Mr John James, Chief Education Officer, Headquarters, presentation on his move to North Wales as Conservator.
Mr Roy Fisher, H.E.O. York, presentation on his move to North Wales.
Mr O.N. Blatchford presentation on his move to South East England.
Forestry and Aerodynamics
The Research Branch have started experiments at Redesdale in Northumberland to ascertain the effects of airflow in various wind and climatic conditions.
Five 80 ft masts are to be erected, each with a wind direction vane and five wind speed measuring anemometers on it. The results will be sent to Alice Lodge for analysis and used in future planning to keep windthrow to a minimum and influence thinning techniques.
The Salmon Run
1965 may be remembered at Kielder Forest as that in which the salmon returned to the North Tyne.
Pollution of the lower reaches prevented salmon reaching the higher waters. But closure of a chemical works and the help of summer and autumn rains has given the fish their river run.
Fishermen caught some 15lb fish before the season closed. Since then, there has been much fish spawning on the gravel beds.
A Record of Public Service
Frank Evans, Paperkeeper, North Wales Conservancy Office, has given forty years of voluntary service in National Savings. In 1925, as a member of the Shrewsbury Borough Police Force, he opened a Savings Cycle Scheme for his colleagues. On retiring from the force in 1946, he was elected a member of the Shrewsbury Industrial National Savings Committee. Frank joined the Commission in 1951 and started a Savings Scheme for Conservancy Office staff. He has collected savings from staff each Friday. He received a medal for each five year period of service from the National Savings Committee. He is awaiting the award of his eighth medal to recognise his 40th year.
The Hummel
For two years Head Forester R.J. Jennings of the Dean has heard local reports of a "Hummel", a fallow buck without antlers, having been seen by workers on the Speech House Beat. Forester John Brain spotted the deer recently. Afterwards he learned that a young stag from the forest became tame enough to associate with a herd of cows on a farm. During hard weather it followed the cows into the farmyard. The farmer encouraged the stag until it became aggressive before the rut and a nuisance by poking the cows in the stomach with its antlers. To protect his cows, but not wishing to harm the stag, the farmer called in a veterinary surgeon who dehorned the deer, which returned to the wild after his operation.
Deer Film
The film currently showing in cinemas is J. Arthur Rank's "New Deal for Deer" in the popular "Look at Life" series. The Commission assisted in making this film which deals with the good management of deer, as practised by the Commission. The film includes shots of Fred Courtier, Warden in the New Forest and Richard Prior who holds a similar post at Cranborne Chase in the South West England Conservancy, who both worked hard to meet the exacting requirements of the cameraman.
Inforesta Table Tennis and Darts
The Inforesta Table Tennis and Darts Team has continued its successful run after gaining promotion to the London Civil Service League last year. Credit is giving to team members R. Chappell, A. Poulter, D. Perkins, D. Mitchell and T. Hall.
The Inforesta Darts Shield was won by the Secretariat Division in Headquarters. Team members are R. Simpson, E. Cuerden, A. Meyer and H. Sanusie.
Congratulations: Marriages
Congratulations to Mr J.R. Ward, Clerical Officer at Headquarters, on his marriage to Miss J. Bishop.
Congratulations to Mr R.T. Collins, Clerical Officer at Headquarters, on his marriage to Miss J. Fasham.
Congratulations: Births
Congratulations to Mr J.E. Everard, District Officer, Fochabers, East Scotland, and Mrs Everard on the birth of their son.
Congratulations to Mr Bob Affleck, S.E.O. HQ, and Mrs Affleck on the birth of their son.
Congratulations to Mr Paul Brook, H.E.O. HQ, and Mrs Brook on the birth of their daughter.
Congratulations to Mr B. Sensical, Assistant Forester, West Scotland, and Mrs Sensical on the birth of their son.
Congratulations to Mr Felix Olu Ogunyemi, Typist, HQ, and Mrs Ogunyemi on the birth of their son.
Obituary
Mr Norman Knight, former Foreman Mechanic, New Forest, died in a road accident at Hounsdown.