Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 300 - Spring 1979
The scanned images of the Slasher were produced by and courtesy of the Forest Research library staff based at Alice Holt, Surry, where the original copies are 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 2009.
Five Forests To Be Sprayed
An aerial spraying operation is to be carried out this summer at five Scottish forests seriously threatened by infestations of Pine Beauty Moth (Panolis flammea). They are Torrachilty Forest, Ross-shire; Shin Forest, Sutherland; Naver Forest, Sutherland; Craigellachie Forest, Morayshire; Bareagle Forest, Galloway.
No Oak Wilt
The Forestry Commission issued a statement about Oak Wilt disease and has made it clear that no evidence of the disease has been found in Britain. Dr John Gibbs from Alice Holt has recently returned after spending a year in America studying Oak Wilt.
What Has Finlay To Blow About?
Finlay MacRae, District Officer, Dingwall, has won an international conservation award. Details on Page 7.
Picture: Finlay MacRae playing his bagpipes at Glen Affric.
Queen Visits New Forest
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited the New Forest and met Forestry Commission staff and their families.
Picture: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh with the Deputy Surveyor Donn Small and Director General George Holmes.
15 Million Elms Lost
In the light of the latest Dutch Elm disease survey and reports from local authorities which show that the disease has spread in most areas, the Forestry Commission has recommended a national strategy against the disease for the coming year.
Mike's Big Day
Mike Long, who retires in November has been awarded an MBE. With a distinguished war record – he won a Military Cross in the Commandos, he devoted his life to the development of forestry in Scotland.
Picture: Mike Long with wife Margaret, son Robin and daughter Sally outside the Palace.
Anyone For Sailing?
Mike Scutt, Head Forester, Douglas, South Scotland, issues an invitation to FC staff to go sailing in the Solway or Irish Sea with him on his trimaran Trio.
New President Of Institute
Richard Steele was elected President of the Institute of Foresters of Great Britain at the Institute’s AGM in Cambridge.
Congratulations on Honour
Eileen Empson was presented with the BEM at Winchester by Lord Malmsbury, on behalf of the Queen. Mrs Empson has worked at the Research Station, Alice Holt Lodge, since 1948 and as Senior Telephonist for the past 20 years, is known throughout the Forestry Commission for her efficiency and courtesy.
Picture: Eileen Empson.
It's A Bullseye For Wendy
Wendy Lister, Typist in the N(W) Conservancy Office in Aberystwyth, is the Dyfed Ladies Darts Champion for 1978.
Picture: Wendy Lister at her desk with her trophy.
It's a Royal Year
In celebration of the Forestry Commission’s Diamond Jubilee Year, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were welcomed to the New Forest. The Queen planted a young oak “The Queen’s Oak”, near the ancient Knightwood Oak to mark the ninth Century of the New Forest.
Prince Charles “dropped in” by helicopter to see steep ploughing and cross-draining at Euchanhead in Upper Nithsdale Forest. He met Conservator John Davies, DO Mike Long, H/F Alan McBurnie, Ploughing Manager Jimmy Paterson, Rab Nichol, Jimmy Hall and Billy Nichol.
The Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre in Rheidol Forest received the Prince of Wales Award, which was accepted by Forester Roy Dean at a ceremony held in Ebbw Vale.
Meeting the Queen and the Duke during their visit to the New Forest were: Director General G.D. Holmes; Conservator SE Eng Charles Begley; Deputy Surveyor of the New Forest Donn Small; Assistant Conservator H&M J.R. Skinner; Regional Mechanical Engineer R. West; C/F H&M R.A. Kemp; H/F Tree-Inspection R. Newborough; Forester-in-charge of Harvesting Teams S.R. Maunder; Head Keeper, North of Forest M.P.G. Clarke; Forest Clerk Ms A.J. O’Brien; Forest Craftsman W.C. Fennell; Tractor Driver S. Warwick; Forest Mechanic L. Judd; DFO A. Ray; C/F-FM R.V. Watkinson; H/F-FM A. Devine; Forester in charge of Knightwood area M.D. Witts; Tree Surgeon of Knightwood and others G.C. Cutler; Keeper in charge of the Knightwood Beat D.H. Thomson; Forest Craftswoman Ms G.I Jeffrey; Estate Craftsman E. Rutherford; Recreation Planning Officer R. Hughes; Assistant Land Agent, New Forest A.D.F. Gardiner; C/F Recreation and Conservation W.P. Lewis; H/F Recreation R.S. Hodgson; Head Keeper, South of New Forest J. Ealing; The Keeper in charge of Bolton's Bench Beat; J. Gulliver; Forest office staff J.R. Ward (Slasher Correspondent); Ms B.M. Stone; Mrs H. Kosandiak; Forest Clerk Ms D. Goddard; Forest Craftsman D. Griggs.
Pictures: (1) The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh with the Director General George Holmes arriving at Knightwood in an open carriage.
(2) Members of staff involved in recreation meet the Royal Couple at Bolton’s Bench, Lyndhurst: Ms Berry Stone; John Ward; John Gulliver; Jack Ealing; Ralph Hodgson; Peter Lewis; David Gardiner; Roy Hughes; Charles Begley. (3) Director General George Holmes presents a book about the forest to the Queen. (4) Watched by Donn Small, the Queen plants the young “Queen’s Oak” at Knightwood. (5) Recreation Forester Roy Dean meets Prince Charles to receive the Prince of Wales Award for Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre. (6) Prince Charles and Conservator John Davies “stepping it out” over plough lines at Upper Nithsdale.
Richard Leaves FC To Cure Horses, Dogs And Humans
Richard Arthur, Area Land Agent for the south of North East England Conservancy has left the Forestry Commission to take up a chiropractic occupation, curing humans, horses and dogs with back trouble.
New Pay Deal For Forest Workers
A new pay award for forest workers has been agreed between the Trade Union and Official sides of the Forestry Commission Industrial Trade Council.
At The Bonspiel
Jimmy Wilson, Chief Forester at Ochil in East Scotland wore a star spangled topper when he joined curlers on the ice at Lake of Menteith for the Grand Match – Scotland’s greatest bonspiel.
Picture: Jimmy Wilson at Lake of Menteith.
Bob's Long Journey
Bob Orrell, Recreation Ranger in charge of Whinlatter Visitor Centre, Thornthwaite Forest, Cumbria has resigned his job to set off on a two-month journey round the Scottish Highlands. He will be riding a Fell pony and taking another pony to carry his camping gear.
Picture: Bob Orrell on his Fell pony.
New Editor
Nigel Hawkins has taken over from Hazel Pottinger as Editor of Slasher.
Diamond Jubilee
Slasher are publishing a special Diamond Jubilee edition in the Autumn to commemorate 60 years of the Forestry Commission.
Life In The Rain Forest
Under the leadership of explorer Lt. Col. John Blashford-Snell, groups of young people are embarking on a round-the-world expedition called Operation Drake, which is aimed at giving them the most demanding and rewarding experience of their lives. They are sailing on the 150 ton brigantine, The Eye Of The Wind. The expedition has nine separate phases, each with a different team of 24 youngsters.
Among them in the group exploring the Equatorial rain forest in Central America, is Desmond Duggan, a young Ranger from Fearnoch Forest, West Scotland. The article gives his report.
Pictures: (1) Cima menfolk fishing in the bay. (2) The brigantine The Eye Of The Wind, floating base for the Operation Drake round-the-world expedition. (3) A large bird-eating spider, near base-camp. (4) A bothy used as a base for scientific collections and general lab work. (5) A small tree snake typical of those found in Darien. (6) Cima women on a coconut gathering outing by canoe. (7) View from the trees of base-camp in Darien. (8) A Praying Mantis.
The Tree-Top Songster Of Coniferous Forest
Crossbills, members of the Finch family are thriving in the new conifer forests. Their crossbills allow them to feed on the seeds of cones. In his Forestry Commission Forest Record 86 on Crossbills, Dr Bruce Campbell records their features “The strong tail with the big head and bill and strong neck give Crossbills a top heavy appearance”.
Picture: Crossbill.
Finlay Wins Top Award
Finlay MacRae, District Officer, Dingwall, has won an international conservation award for his work in conserving the native Caledonian Pinewoods of Glen Affric, Scotland. The award was made by the Society of American Travel Writers and is rarely awarded outside North America. National and local newspapers, television and radio sent reporters and photographers to a Press Tour of Glen Affric to meet Finlay and see the conservation work. Forestry Commissioner George Stewart and North Scotland Conservator Robert Cathie attended the Press Tour. Chief Forester Hugh Morris and his staff at Glen Affric assisted.
Picture: Finlay among the pines at Glen Affric.
Bringing Trees To The Motorways
Trees have been planted for over sixty miles of motorway and trunk roads from Severn Bridge - Tredegar Park and Coldra to Monmouth under the guidance of Head Forester Mervyn Maddocks.
£1300 For Oak Log!
Forest of Dean staff under District Officer A. Josin and Chief Forester G. Waygood tackle an annual programme of hardwood logs. This year’s total sale of 14 logs exceeded £7,000, with one log worth £1,399 + VAT.
A new record is claimed at Dalton Forest NW(E), where Head Forester D.W. Keens has produced a Project Costing (Form U11) for a conifer thinning which reflected a surplus of £102.31/m3 (excluding labour cost).
Michael Keeps The Secret Of Those Prize Leeks
Michael Snaith of Thrunton Forest, Northumberland has an almost unbeatable record in the growing of leeks and has won many prizes and trophies.
Picture: Michael Snaith collecting a trophy for his prize leeks.
Postbag
Warden Dick Glover is disgusted with the pay received by Forestry Commission Camp Wardens.
Not The End Of An Era?
S. Leatherdale, Forest Worker, Chilterns, says contrary to the remark on the front page of Slasher edition 298 – Autumn 1978, horses are still used in British forests, including FC land.
Monster Catch
Frank Deriu, mechanic at St Hilary Workshop, caught a 30lb cod with ragworm bait at Ogmore, Mid-Glamorgan.
Matrimonial Catch
Helen Murray, EO, West Scotland, went on holiday to Canada and stayed there to get married.
Top-Level Catch
Forestry Commissioner George Stewart believes he has discovered woodworm in the DG’s table at HQ.
Flaming Catch
When Rheola Forest staff were about to board their bus home after the pre-fire season dinner, the bus caught fire and required the Fire Brigade to quell the flames.
Paper Catch
Aileen McCabe, EO in charge of stores was “flushed” with embarrassment after the North Scotland Conservancy Office became “bogged down” with a large consignment of toilet paper, 60 boxes each containing 50 rolls, was inadvertently delivered there by HMSO instead of the Glenmore Campsite.
Golden Catch
Dugald Campbell, Ganger of Port Ellen, Islay won a gold medal for solo singing at the last Gaelic Mod in Oban.
Dinner Catch
Forest Worker Malcolm Barnes set off on horseback to take hot dinners to two pensioners marooned in the tiny village of Alwinton, Northumberland, during the winter’s snowstorms.
Catch 22
A wag who is fed up getting lost during visits to Headquarters has suggester a “forest walk trail guide to 231 Corstorphine Road.
Resigned
Ann Mackintosh, Clerkess, Torrachility, has left to get married.
Michael Jones, Forest Craftsman, Irfon Forest, South Wales, has left to start a new career.
Retired
Mervyn Maddocks, Head Forester in charge of Wentwood Forest for the past 19 years has retired after 44 years’ service with the Commission. Under his guidance, trees were planted on sixty miles of motorway and trunk roads from Severn Bridge, Tredegar Park and Coldra to Monmouth.
Picture: Mervyn Maddocks and Conservator John Zehetmayr.
Eric Jones, Senior Ranger, Coed y Brenin, North Wales, has retired after joining the Commission in 1946. He was a Lorry Driver, upgraded to a Ganger and was promoted to Forester in 1955. He retired from the Forester grade in 1974, but was re-instated as a Senior Ranger with Recreational duties.
Vi Jones, Clerkess, Coed y Brenin, North Wales has retired after joining the Commission in 1954.
Picture: Eric and Vi Jones.
Bob Allen, Building Trade Craftsman with the Estate Department, Santon Downham, East England, has retired after 30 years’ service.
Percy Glaister, Forest Craftsman, Santon Downham, East England, has retired after 40 years’ service with the Commission, all spent in the Thetford area.
George Sutterby, Santon Downham, East England, has retired after 32 years’ service with the Commission. He was employed as a Tractor Driver and a Ranger, all in the Thetford area.
Fred Preston, Forest Craftsman, Santon Downham, East England, has retired after 29 years’ service with the Commission in the Thetford area.
Leon Rapacewicz, Forest Craftsman, Santon Downham, East England, has retired after 31 years’ service with the Commission in the same Forest area.
John Barrett, Forest Craftsman, Brandon Central Depot, East England, has retired after over 27 years’ service at the Depot.
Alf Roberts, Forest Craftsman, Wensum, East England, has retired after 30 years’ service with the Commission, all in the North Norfolk area.
Sidney Knights, Forest Craftsman, Swaffham, East England, has retired after 31 years’ service with the Commission, all in what is now Swaffham Forest.
Stephen Walton, Ganger, Kesteven Forest, East England, has retired after 28 years’ service with the Commission.
Bert Turner, Lorry Driver, Breckland and South West Norfolk, East England has retired after 39 years’ service with the Commission.
Lennie Baker, Lorry Driver, Aldewood Forest, East England has retired after 34 years’ service with the Commission at Aldewood. Lennie has achieved 18 years’ consecutive safe driving awards.
Alan Bacon, Head Forester, R & D Division, North Wales, has retired after joining the Commission in 1946 at Alice Holt Lodge under the Forest Worker Trainee Scheme. He went to the FC’s School at Lynford in 1948 and served at Silv(N) Betws y Coed until his retirement.
John Love (Big Jock), Forest Craftsman, Upper Nithsdale, has retired after joining the Commission in 1958.
David Bennett, Area Civil Engineer in Moffatt, South Scotland, has retired after 31 years’ service with the Commission, all spent in Scotland, the first 19 years in the West and the remainder in the South.
Bert Little, has retired after 39 years’ service with the Commission on the Dalbeattie section of Solway Forest, South Scotland.
Hugh McKnight, Senior Ranger, Kirroughtree Forest, South Scotland, has retired after 29 years’ service with the Commission.
Andrew Paterson, (Drewie Paterson), Bareagle, South Scotland, has retired after joining the Commission in 1949.
Percy Graham, Bareagle, South Scotland, has retired after 12 years’ service with the Commission at Bareagle.
Joseph Rumsey, Craftsman, Mortimer NW(E), has retired after 28 years’ service with the Commission at Mortimer.
Picture: Joseph Rumsey with Conservator John James at the retirement presentation.
Beryl Williscroft, Cannock Forest, has retired after joining the Commission in the Nursery in 1955. She became highly skilled at a variety of forest work.
Harry Simpson, Lorry Driver, Cannock Forest, has retired after joining the Commission in 1956, He has acquired many safe driving awards.
Lil Simpson, Cannock Forest, has retired after many years’ service with the Commission.
Joseph Whalley, Forest Craftsman, Grizedale, has retired after 32 years’ service with the Commission. He has been a leading light with the Hawkshead Stage Society and Flookburgh Operatic Society.
Donald Ross, Ganger, Ardross Forest, North Scotland, has retired after 41 years’ service with the Commission and has been a Ganger since 1946. He was awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal last year.
Douglas Swanson, Ganger, Ardross Forest, North Scotland, has retired after joining the Commission as a Forest Worker in 1948. He progressed to the rank of Ganger in 1959.
James Hislop, Head Forester, Glenrigh, has retired after 46 years’ service with the Commission.
Charles Scott, has retired from the Blackstand Nursery, Black Isle, Scotland.
Horace James, Chief Forester, SE(E), has retired after 47 years’ service with the Commission. He spent 37 of those years in the New Forest.
John Conduit, Forester, has retired after 30 years’ service with the Commission, 18 of which have been spent in the New Forest.
Percy Brett, Forest Craftsman, has retired after 20 years’ service at Brightling.
Jack Pryce, Ganger, Glasfynydd Forest, South Wales, has retired after 24 years’ service with the Commission, 10 years as a Ganger.
Sally Slight, Clerical Officer in Personnel Branch in the Conservancy Office, South Wales, has retired after 7 years’ service with the Commission.
John Beaumont, Forest Craftsman, Brechfa, South Wales, has retired after 18 years’ service with the Commission.
Geoff Viggers, Forest Craftsman, Coed Abertawe, South Wales, has retired after 23 years’ service with the Commission.
Michael Jones, Forest Craftsman, Irfon Forest, South Wales, has retired after 11 years’ service with the Commission.
Tommy Jones, Forest Craftsman, Crychan, South Wales, has retired after 32 years’ service with the Commission.
Glyn Davies, Lorry Driver, Ebbw Vale, South Wales, has retired after 29 years’ service with the Commission.
Tom Brown, Tractor Driver, Crychan, South Wales, has retired after 20 years’ service with the Commission.
Nicoli Kuzmin, Forest Craftsman, Tintern, South Wales, has retired after 17 years’ service with the Commission.
David Price, Forest Worker, Coed Deufor, South Wales has retired after 26 years’ service with the Commission.
Obituaries
Geoffrey Bartlett, Chief Forester, Silviculture Research, North and North East Scotland, died while assessing an experiment in Shin Forest, Sutherland.
W.W. Campbell (Willie Campbell), retired Forester, Loch Ard Forest, has died. He retired from Loch Ard Forest in 1970 after 38 years’ service with the Commission, almost all at Loch Ard, except for a spell with Timber Control during the war.
Leslie Coker, Leading Ganger, Dartmoor Forest, has died. He joined the Commission in 1951 at Plym Forest, then moved to Erme Forest, before returning to Plym.
Lawrence Coles, Forester, Savernake, has died aged 62. He started his career at Dean FTS in 1938. In 1946 he returned to the Dean for refresher training, and became a Ganger, a Foreman in the New Forest, then a Forester in Blandford SW(E) in 1949, moving to Collingbourne Forest in 1952.
Ian Gillespie, former District Officer, West Conservancy (Scotland), has died in Lochgilphead, after retiring 10 years ago. He was appointed District Officer in the Aberdeen area in 1940, then transferred to the Acquisition Branch and ultimately to the West Conservancy in 1951, first to Aberfoyle, then to Cairnbaan in 1958.
Henry Hallett, former Forest Clerk, Slindon SE(E) 1956-1966, Forest Clerk, Abinger SE(E) 1966-1972, has died aged 74 after retiring from the Commission in 1972.
Cyril Hockaday, former Forester, Forest of Lands End, has died aged 74. He joined the Commission in Bodmin Forest in 1931 and worked as a Foreman at Bodmin, and became Forester in Charge of the newly created Forest of Lands End in 1951.
Derek Morris, Ganger, Ceiriog Forest has died aged 46. He joined the Commission at the then Goror Forest in 1953 and was promoted to Ganger in 1973. He was a well-known darts player for several clubs in Oswestry.
John Tarrant, Executive Officer, North Wales Conservancy from 1951-1954 and in South Wales from 1954-1967, when he transferred to the Land Commission, later transferring to the Welsh Office to become a Senior Executive Officer in the Planning Division, has died aged 48.
Hywel Meirion Thomas, retired Forest Worker, has died aged 74. He served with the Commission 1951-1969 when he retired.
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