Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 311 - Summer 1982
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.
Manhunt - Commission Men Lead Police Dragnet
The drama for Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire began on 24th June 1982 when police started searching for a double killer, who could be hiding in the forest. Many forestry staff were involved in the hunt, which ended over a week later after the killer shot a policeman and died in a hail of bullets.
Mick Hoban and Dick Rhodes were full of admiration for the way the police handled the search operation, particularly the Special Arms Group. They also praised the police dog handlers. They were always out there, in front of everyone, following their dogs and apparently oblivious to the fact that they were obvious targets.
Pictures: (1) Armed police search the forest. (2) Ranger Dick Rhodes. (3) Forester Mick Hoban. (4) The Dalby Forest Drive is sealed off.
Nicola's Royal Day
Nine-year old Nicola Tait presented a bouquet to the Queen during the Royal visit to the Kielder Visitor Centre.
Picture: The Queen receiving a bouquet from Nicola Tait.
The Other Side Of The Coin
Forester Austin Gale relates tales of misdemeanours and serious crime in Sherwood Forest.
Picture: The burning remains of a stolen car set on fire in Sherwood Forest.
Teamwork Beats Road Danger
Head Forester Jim Pratt of Inchnacardoch and his colleagues successfully answered the challenge to fell and extract 1,000 Douglas fir on a steep, exposed site, directly above the busy A82 Loch Ness tourist road without anything falling onto the road.
Picture: Head Forester Jim Pratt and Forester Jim Lyon watch as Hugh Greig lands a 10m log on the road using an Alp winch.
Ye Gods!
A report of a camping byelaw contravention in the New Forest with a religious connection.
£8,000 N.R.S. Blaze - Wooden Beams Save Roof
A blaze destroyed most of the General Office at the Northern Research Station. The roof remained intact and most of the records survived.
Pictures: Firemen clear up after the early morning blaze.
Taking Stock
Welfare Officer Brian Atwell talks about taking stock of our lives.
Picture: Brian Atwell.
Miners' Find Yields a 260 Million Year Secret
The fossilised trunk of a tree, a now extinct species lepidodendron, which died 260 million years ago, has been unearthed by miners digging a link road 1,000 feet below ground at the Six Bells Colliery, Abertillery in Gwent.
Picture: The fossilised tree.
Great Spruce Bark Beetle In Private Woodlands In Shropshire
News of the discovery of Great Spruce Bark Beetle in private woodlands in Shropshire, the first known occurrence of the deadly insect in British woodland.
Know-alls!
A team representing Commission staff at Shin Forest have won a general knowledge competition sponsored by British Petroleum. Senior Ranger Hector MacLennan, Head Forester Norman Davidson and Forester Bruce Thomerson fought through three qualifying contests held in the Lairg area to compete against the local Post Office team in the final.
Mike is Thetford's New Mayor
Forester Mike Kew was elected as Mayor of Thetford.
Picture: Mike Kew received his chain from last year’s Mayor Mrs Betty Perkins.
Graham Runs 20 Miles A Week - At Lunchtime!
Dr Graham Pyatt of Sites Studies (North) Branch won in his age group at the 1982 Scottish Orienteering Championships at Glentaner, Deeside. Two weeks later, he was the winner out of 200 entrants in the British Championships at Derwent, Derbyshire.
Picture: Graham Pyatt with the trophies.
First Class Idea Wins Harry £100 And Julie’s In The Money, Too
Harry Schnieder, Forester R&D, Newcastleton, was awarded £100 for a staff suggestion of a more economic issuing of postal rate charges to all departments.
Picture: Harry Schnieder and Keith Thallon, Head of Field Survey R&D, who presented the award.
Mrs Julie Cook, Clerical Officer, East England Conservancy Office, Cambridge, and a colleague were awarded £200 for an idea they had three years ago. The suggestion was related to the distribution of Industrial Tribunal Lists.
Strike a Light
After a fire at Blaengwynfi, Cymer Forest, which burnt 6.5 ha of plantation, Head Forester Duncan Lee was informed by a local youngster he knew who had caused it. The youngster said his mother only gave him one match and told him he could have a little fire.
Marathon Men
Howard Davies, Cartographic Draughtsman, completed the London Marathon in 4 hours 28 minutes and raised £210 for the Broughton Hospital for Mentally Handicapped Children.
Wally Simpson, Clerical Officer, completed the Chester “Fun Run” in 1 hour 58 minutes. He raised almost £38 in aid of Cancer Research.
Bill Grant Receives Deer Trophy
Bill Grant, retired Chief Forester at Grizedale, is this year’s recipient of the Balfour-Browne Deer Trophy.
Picture: Commission Chairman Sir David Montgomery presents the Balfour-Browne Deer Trophy to Bill Grant.
Technical Publications Officer
Dr John Parker, formerly of the Pathology Branch at Alice Holt Lodge has been appointed Technical Publications Officer.
And Talking of Books….
Dr Julian Evans, Research Project Leader, Silviculture (S), has published a forestry text book “Plantation Forestry in the Tropics”.
New Forest Walk For The Disabled
The Afon Llan Walk for the Handicapped in Penllergaer Woods at Coed Abertawe has been opened.
Glasgow Botanic Gardens’ New Flagpole
Picture: A 100 foot Douglas Fir was felled in Bennan Forest, South Scotland by Hugh McLachlan to become the new flagpole at Glasgow Botanic Gardens.
Bravery Awards For Forestry Men
The Society for the Protection of Life from Fire awarded bravery awards to Ganger Richard Banbury and Craftsmen Geoffrey Dimmock, Norman House, and Graham Rendell, who rescued the occupants of an overturned vehicle which caught fire. They were working for the Commission on the Wincanton by-pass.
Philip Is Bang On Target
Philip Rowell, Surveyor, N(W), Newtown was in the Civil Service team which beat Sussex in target rifle matches at Bisley. He shared top individual place. He also won the Lord Derby Trophy 1982 in a contest at the County of Lancaster Rifle Association.
Picture: Philip Rowell with his trophies.
Empire Medal For Gerald
Gerald Springthorpe, Head Ranger at Cannock Forest was presented with the British Empire Medal at the County Buildings, Stafford, by the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire Col. W.P.D. Featherstone, on behalf of the Queen.
Picture: Presentation of the BEM to Gerald Springthorpe.
Finns, Forests And Freedom
Forester Charles Greenlees of Ratagan Forest, North Scotland, has returned to this country after working in Finland for 13 years. In this article, he gives an insight into forestry in Finland.
Pictures: (1) A sawdust exercise track through the forest. Every community has one, around a mile long. (2) A small lakeside group of birch and spruce. (3) A typical small farmer’s field in Eastern Finland. (4) Charles Greenlees and a limnologist testing the chemical content of a “petrified” lake with a water sampler. An ice borer is in the foreground. (5) Forest Products on display, baskets, mostly of split pine.
Flying High
A 50 ft radio mast was lowered into position on the summit of Beinn na Sroine (2075 ft) to complete the Commission’s radio link between Glenorchy, Inverliever and Barcaldine Forests in West Scotland.
Pictures: (1) A helicopter lowers the mast into position. (2) Road Foreman Angus Greenan of the West Argyll squad securing the wire stays at the top of the mast.
Unique Double For New PE Boss
David Grundy, who has had various roles in Government departments here and overseas, is the new Head of Planning and Economics.
Picture: David Grundy.
Ben Lomond Not For Sale
The Commission is not to sell Ben Lomond. This was decided at the June meeting of the Board of Commissioners.
Re-shaping Ennerdale Forest
The Ennerdale Forest Design Plan has been released and is being publicised.
Picture: Senior Landscape Architect Duncan Campbell and District Officer Mike Scott show the Ennerdale plan to the media.
New Forest Weeds?
A routine check of plant stocking in a New Forest Inclosure revealed someone had beaten up a gap with six cannabis plants, which have been confiscated.
Oak Tree Planted In Ted Keen's Memory
An oak tree has been planted at Eggesford in memory of Ted Keen, Private Woodland Officer SW(E), who died last October. Planting the tree were Lord Clinton, Philip Tuckett TGEW SW(E) Chairman, Conservator Leslie Troup and Bill Keen, Ted’s eldest son, who recently graduated in Forestry.
Picture: Planting the oak tree in front of the Eggesford Office.
Trees For All Seasons
The 1983 Trees for all Seasons calendar is now available.
Chris Booth Appeal Fund
The Chris Booth Appeal Fund has raised over £3,000 from current and former colleagues throughout the country for Wendy and Robin Booth. The children are currently in the care of their grandparents.
Queen Meets Kielder Staff
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited Kielder Castle after the official opening of Kielder Water on 28th May 1982.
Picture: (1) The Queen plants an oak with Head Forester Cliff Large and Forest Craftsman Bob Slee looking on. (2) Commission families chat with the Queen. (3) Ganger Billy Steele is presented to the Queen.
Postbag
Letter from L.W. Howard regarding the export of Christmas Trees from Tair Onen to Barbados by Geest Banana boats.
Retired
Jack Threadgill, who joined the Commission as a Clerical Officer in 1950 has retired. He started with the Commission at Savile Row, then went to Cambridge. Promoted to Executive Officer, he transferred to Aberystwyth, and returned to Cambridge in 1957. In 1972 he became HEO. He was responsible for Private Woodlands, Forest Management, Land Agency and Establishments and carried out the duties of Welfare Officer. Eighteen months ago, he took on the post of EO in charge of Establishments.
Picture: Conservator Eric WInterflood presents Jack Threadgill with retirement gifts.
Gordon Genever, Foreman Mechanic/Inspector, Lincolnshire, has retired after 30 years’ service with the Commission.
Jimmy Livingstone, Knapdale Forest, West Scotland, has retired after 32 years’ service with the Commission.
Neil Galbraith, Knapdale Forest, West Scotland, has retired after 41 years’ service with the Commission.
Andy Simpson, Forester, Carradale, has retired after 43 years’ service with the Commission in West Scotland, including 29 years in the Kintyre area.
Arthur Hazzard, Forest Clerk, Rhondda, has retired after 22 years’ service with the Commission, almost all spent as Forest Clerk at Rhondda Forest.
Picture: Arthur Hazzard at his retirement presentation with David Parsons, DFO and Bob Powell, Head Forester, Rhondda.
Frank Webb, District Forest Officer, Carmarthen, has retired after 31 years’ service with the Commission. He joined the Commission as a Forest Worker at Coed y Brenin before going to the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where he gained a BSc in Forestry in 1951. Frank rejoined the Commission as a District Forest Officer at Llandrindod Wells and Aberystwyth before going to Carmarthen in 1961.
Picture: Mr & Mrs Webb with Conservator Alan Rix and Ann Phillips, District Office Clerk.
Jim Fields, Head Forester, Private Woodlands Section, Lincoln has retired. His first appointment was at Brandon Central Depot, followed by a period at Swaffham Forest, then 10 years in charge of the Harley beat in the Thetford area. He transferred on promotion to Bardney Forest, before his final appointment in the Private Woodlands Section at Lincoln.
Bernard Beard, Chief Forester, Chiltern Forest, has retired. His first post in charge was at Ampthill, where he remained for 10 years running the nursery. In 1962, he returned to Thetford, then became Head Forester on Private Woodlands in the Chilterns. Five years later, he took charge of Chiltern Forest, where he remained until his retirement.
Jack Clarke, Forest Craftsman, Wensum, East England, has retired.
Fred Medler, Forest Craftsman, Wensum, East England, has retired.
Geoff Williamson, Forest Craftsman, Wensum, East England, has retired.
Bob Thompson, Ganger, Kings Forest, East England, has retired after 35 years’ service with the Commission, including 33 years as a Ganger.
John Sayer, Forest Craftsman, Swaffham, East England, has retired after 34 years’ service with the Commission.
Ron Scarce, Ganger, Aldewood, has retired after 34 years’ service with the Commission.
John Llewellyn Jones, Forest Craftsman, Caeo Forest, has retired after 27 years’ service with the Commission.
Ron Taylor, Forest Craftsman, Caeo Forest, has retired after nearly 35 years’ service with the Commission.
David Murray, Head Forester, Fleet Forest, has retired after 39 years’ service with the Commission. It was calculated that Dave was responsible for growing and dispatching around 200 million trees.
Picture: Conservator and Chief Forester A.R. McLaren at the retirement presentation with David Murray and his colleagues.
Bill Bagot, Forester, Glentress, has retired after 35 years’ service with the Commission.
Eric Souness, Lammermuir, has retired after 25 years’ service with the Commission at Lammermuir.
Andy Devine, Head Forester, New Forest, has retired after 32 years’ service with the Commission.
Wilf Smart, Arundel Forest, South East England, has retired after 36 years’ service with the Commission.
George Turner, Bedgebury Forest, has retired after beginning work there in 1955.
Jack Paton, Senior Ranger, Micheldever Forest, has retired. He joined the Commission at Kershope Forest and became a Ganger. He was transferred to Abinger Forest in 1957 and became a Ranger in 1970. Jack moved to Micheldever Forest a year later.
Reg Disney, Alice Holt Forest, has retired after 34 years’ service with the Commission.
Gladys Stevens, Forest Clerk, Rogate Nursery, has retired after joining the Commission at Buriton Forest (now Queen Elizabeth), in 1946.
Stan Warwick, Civil Engineering Tractor Driver, Ringwood, has retired. He started work at Ringwood Nursery in 1934 aged 15. He was laid off in 1939 and after the War, returned to Ringwood as a Forest Worker, became a Tractor Driver, then a Civil Engineering Tractor Driver.
Ted Cork, Challock Forest, has retired after over 30 years’ service with the Commission at Lyminge, now part of Challock Forest.
Bill Grant, Chief Forester, Grizedale, has retired. He was known for his good management of Grizedale. Bill was associated with the Northern Arts Centre which has arranged exhibitions at the Forest Centre, and which sponsored the open-air sculptures in the forest.
Picture: Bill Grant.
Walter Lamb, Grizedale, has retired after 36 years’ service with the Commission. After 4 years with Education Branch, he returned to general forest work, and was involved in all the major planting programmes at Grizedale for the next 22 years. Since then, he has been primarily employed in the Conservation Nursery and in maintaining the picnic areas.
Fred Hartley, Establishments Section, has retired after joining the Commission in 1953 as a Mechanic I and was promoted to Mechanical Engineer 20 years later.
Joseph German, Sherwood, has retired after nearly 32 years’ service with the Commission, all spent at Sherwood.
J.R. MacMillan (Mr Mac), Head Forester, Swynnerton Forest, Staffordshire, has retired after 43 years’ service with the Commission. He took charge of Swynnerton Forest in 1954.
Tom Roberts, Mortimer Forest, has retired after joining the Commission in 1946, employed on horse drawn extraction. Tom is one of the few men adept at hedge laying and other old country crafts. He has been a member of the FM team for many years and one of his duties was to drive the worker bus.
Herbert Legge (Bert Legge), Plough Operator, East Scotland, has retired after joining the Commission in 1946. Prior to that, Bert came over from Newfoundland early in the War on a Timber Control contract, then joined the Royal Navy. Presenting Bert with a Long Service certificate, Conservator Ian Grant estimated Bert’s total furrow length was the equivalent of two and a half times round the world.
Jim Pirie, has retired after joining the Commission in 1971 as a Forest Worker at Teindland, which became part of Speymouth Forest. He has produced tens of thousands of signs. Four years ago, when the Sign Unit was moved from Forest to Estates, Jim started producing many different types and styles of signs for most local authorities in Scotland, the National Trust and Countryside Commission for Scotland.
Cecil Tracy, Forester, Speymouth Forest, has retired after 35 years’ service with the Commission. After Forester School training at Glentress and Faskally, he went to Drumtochty in 1953 and was transferred to Craigvinean Forest in 1959. He moved to Speymouth in 1975.
Jim Taylor, Forest Craftsman, Bennachie Forest, has retired after 34 years’ service with the Commission. He originally worked in Whitehaugh Forest, which has now amalgamated into Bennachie Forest.
Fred Legge BEM, Research Branch, Newton, has retired after 44 years’ service with the Commission, with all but 4 years at Research Branch, Newton.
Picture: Fred Legge with his wife and colleagues. He is holding a portrait of himself by Charles Blackwood, which also shows horse ploughing in the early 1930s at Teindland and a recent cultivation experiment there with a rotary tractor plough.
Frank Newton, Wareham, has retired after 36 years’ service with the Commission.
Bill Wareham, Wareham, has retired after 27 years’ service with the Commission.
Ivor Billett, Wareham, has retired. He spent his last week clearing rides among trees he had helped to plant.
Arthur Holland, Eggesford Forest, has retired after nearly 25 years’ service with the Commission. He worked mainly with Forest Management, but also drove the crew bus.
Ray Howells, Bulldozer Operator, Dean, has retired after joining the Commission just before the War.
Henry Pengilly, Devon, has retired after 35 years’ service with the Commission in Devon.
Bill Jones, Ganger, Wyre Forest, has retired after 28 years’ service with the Commission, mainly spent at Kinver Nursery in N(E). When the Kinver Nursery closed in 1979, the plantations were added to Wyre and Mr Jones came with them.
Bert Shepherd, Savernake, has retired after 35 years’ service with the Commission at Savernake.
Picture: Bert Shepherd receiving his Long Service certificate from the Conservator.
Obituaries
Mr J.D. Clark, recently retired Superintendent of Works, who was stationed for a long part of his service at Newton Nursery Office, Elgin, has died.
Albert Connell, Mendip Forest, who had been with the Commission since 1949, has died.
James Davidson (Jimmy Davidson), Ganger at Banchory Forest until his retirement in 1975, has died.
James Dewar, who spent most of his working life with the Commission at Strathyre Forest, has died.
William Kent (Billy Kent), Ganger, has died aged 61.
Leonard Moss, employed at Grizedale from 1959 until his retirement in 1979, has died aged 66.
Frank Skinner, PW Head Forester at Taunton, has died.
John Williams, former Forest Craftsman at Hazelborough, has died aged 65.