Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 13 - January 1949
The scanned images of the Slasher were produced by and courtesy of the Forest Research Data and Information Team staff based at Roslin, where some of the original copies are located. The Forestry England Information Knowledge Management Team and New Forest Heritage made available copies of The Slasher from their collections. Brian Mahony of the FC Retirement Association devised and coordinates the Slasher Project and has been instrumental in locating many missing editions and coordinating the searches to locate all the earlier publication numbers.
The content summary below was again very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment link below the text summary to view the full document. A total of over 420 issues or publications were produced between January 1948 and the final publication in 2010.
Some Notes on the Festive Season
High demand for Christmas trees, with acknowledgement in the Press especially for the assistance given to a number of Rotary Clubs in South East England. The Clubs had hoped to receive trees as a goodwill gesture from Norway, the intention being to present them to various towns for public display and to have them loaded with gifts for distribution to poor children. As an Order prohibited the importation of such trees, the Commission sold them trees of the required size.
The B.B.C. showed shots of Christmas tree extraction in the New Forest and Head Forester P. Harrison and Forest Worker D.J. Williams took part in a B.B.C. feature which dealt with the supply of trees from Gwydyr in North Wales.
New Year Message From the Chairman
A New Year message from the Chairman Lord Robinson.
On the Social Side
At Shrewsbury, Christmas celebrations were held at The Old Post Office. The organising committee comprised the Misses Faulconbridge, Smith, Tiller and Taylor and Mr G.B. Farquhar. A Norway spruce from Coed-y-Brenin stood in the hall. Among those present were the Conservator, Mr F.C. Best; Divisional Officer, W.A. Cadman and Mrs. Cadman, and District Officers of the Conservancy. Captain L.B. Gladwell, a popular ex-member of the Conservancy staff and now Conservancy Engineer SW(E) also attended. District Officer J.L. Shaw was in great form with his monologue 'Blawing oot a caundle', while other highlights of the evening were some original competitions. Winners were J. Reece and A.E. Beedle. H. Henry was the M.C. and Mrs P. Breton was the pianist.
At Aberystwyth
Celebrations commenced in December with the second annual dinner. The Director (Mr A.P. Long) was unable to attend owing to illness, but he and Mrs Long sent their good wishes. The dinner was followed by a mixed programme of games and dancing. V.H. Williams was the M.C.
A day or two later the Social Club staged a Christmas party. The programme opened with a hilarious 40-minute pantomime presented by "The Twigs", the Club's amateur dramatic group. The cast consisted of the following, all members of the Directorate staff: the Misses E.C. Akister, J. Horsham, B. Hughes-Lloyd, E. Richards, Messrs. D.C. Fisher, H.J. Pope, G.P. Williams and V.H. Williams. Sound effects were by H. Humphreys, make-up and costumes by Miss Akister and production by H.J. Pope. The show was a riot of fun, and later the cast joined the audience for refreshments and games, and dancing organised by Miss H. Lewis.
Upton-By-Chester
The North West (England) party was a great success - and notable for the number who attended despite the fog. Estate Officer Raven set out by car but finished the journey on foot. Private Woodlands Officer C.A.J. Barrington walked in front of his car, while Mrs Barrington drove.
Decorations were arranged by Muriel Hoyle and Irene Brown. Assistant Engineer Croft (Committee Chairman) and Mrs Croft provided a stirrup cup which (not surprisingly) proved extremely popular, and the programme included games and dancing; the prize winners were E. Hewitt (H.E.O.) and Miss K. Davies, Peter Birkett and Miss P. Evans. Some unpleasant homeward journeys had to be faced because of the persistent fog. Mr and Mrs Gerrard had come from Shropshire by motor-cycle, and Kenneth Elderwick did the return journey from Church Stretton.
Thanks are due to George Croft and Arthur Buck for their hard preparatory work in making the party such an outstanding success. The former was M.C. and the latter judged the competitions.
Our First Birthday
The Slasher is one year old and has been described as the most widely read publication of the Forestry Commission.
Forest Workers in Mountain Rescue
Twice in a year, Forestry Commission employees have taken part in mountain rescues - to save the same two men! In the first episode a Bradford business man and his son were trapped on Pillar Mountain, in Cumberland, during a gale. During a recent weekend, the couple returned to Ennerdale for another spell of mountaineering, and on this occasion the father slipped and broke several ribs. His son and a friend were unable to get him down the mountain and went for assistance. A stretcher party climbed the mountain by torchlight, reaching the valley with the injured man as dawn was breaking. The rescuers included Ganger E. Parry and C.D. Fitzsimons, Forest Worker. The party, it is understood, was led by Mr Hughes, warden of the Gillerthwaite Youth Hostel and a former Forestry Commission employee.
Photographs for Commission Publications
Good photographs are wanted for the purpose of illustrating guides and booklets now in preparation. The areas concerned are Culbin, Loch Ard, Glentrool (including Carrick, Changue, Cairn Edward and Kirroughtree forests), the New Forest, Coed-y-Brenin, Rheola and Thetford.
Meet Mr Mealin
M.E. Mealin, Temporary Clerk who recently joined the Department, and who is working in the Finance Section at Headquarters, was born in Burma and lived in that country until June of last year. During the war he was a captain in the Burmese Forces and had many interesting experiences, notably during the period when he took part in the defence of Rangoon.
On one occasion he and his company boasted a single revolver and only a few rounds of ammunition between them, and it is not surprising that orders for withdrawal had to be given. The position was complicated when some of the enemy forces were seen silhouetted against blazing buildings, and were wrongly hailed as friends. The reply was a hail of bullets, and Mr Mealin and his men only just escaped capture. At one time Mr Mealin was charged with the defence of one of the principal airfields on the outskirts of Rangoon, but was forced, through sheer weight of numbers, to retire. The Japanese literally swept across the airfield in waves.
As a native of Rangoon, Mr Mealin gives an interesting description of this mystic and beautiful city, especially as it was before the war. One of its chief showpieces is the pagoda shrine to Buddha which is entirely encased in real gold leaf, the latter being renewed at least twice a year at fantastic cost.
Mr Mealin's impressions of this country are such that he intends to remain here. He says "People are friendly, and there is an absence of class distinction." He came to England in order that he might retain his British nationality, and, he maintains, many Burmese would have preferred to remain within the Commonwealth.
Prior to the outbreak of war, Mr Mealin studied at the Rangoon University, intending to obtain a degree in engineering. His call-up for military service prevented him from achieving his ambition.
Another Table Tennis Table Wanted
Mr L.W. Carter appeals for a second-hand table tennis table at a reasonable price, on behalf of the South West (England) Social Club.
Forest Fire Publicity
The Information Section at Headquarters is in close touch with the public relations departments of both the Automobile Association and the Royal Automobile Club. In one way Foresters in particular may, from time to time, be of assistance. If there comes to your notice any outstanding example of help given by an AA or RAC patrol in fighting, or preventing a forest fire, it will be appreciated if you will inform (through the normal channels) the Information Officer at Headquarters.
Transfers
L.B. Gladwell, Conservancy Engineer, Shrewsbury, N(W), transferred to Bristol, SW(E);
J.S. Perkins, Assistant Engineer, York, NE(E), transferred to Thornton-le-Dale, NE(E);
J.M. Reid, Head Forester, Ardgartan, W(S), transferred to Ae, S(S);
P. Brown, Forester, Ae, S(S), transferred to Private Woodland duties S(S);
J.M. Ferguson, Forester, Loch Ard, W(S), transferred to Glenfinart, W(S);
J.M. Calder, Forester, Garadhban, W(S), transferred to Carron Valley, W(S);
E.D. Fraser, Forester, Carron Valley (WS), transferred to Private Woodland duties, W(S);
A.J. Stannard, Forester, Bramshill, SE(E), transferred to Bruton, SW(E);
J. Hamilton, Forester, Carron Valley, W(S), transferred to Saddell, W(S);
E. Grigor, Forester, Drumtochty, E(S), transferred to Glenisle, E(S);
A.J. McMaster, Forester, Durris, E(S), transferred to Auchernach, E(S);
D. Gibbons, Foreman, Newton, R and E, transferred to Drummond Hill, R and E;
D.L. Bayne, Clerk of Works, Carron Valley, W(S), transferred to Loch Ard W(S);
A.A. Ward, Clerk of Works, Dornoch and Balblair, N(S), transferred to Glengarry, N(S);
J.T. Bissett, HCO, York, transferred to Edinburgh, Director, Scotland.
Satisfied Customer
Extract from a letter received at Headquarters from a camper living in Wiltshire: "On my return from a most enjoyable camping holiday, a fortnight of which was spent in the Snowdonia National Forest Park, I should like to express my very best thanks for the beautiful site placed at the disposal of campers, for the excellent facilities provided, and for the courtesy and efficiency of the warden. In making arrangements for such sites you are doing a great service to the nation".
Honours
Forestry Commissioner William Ling Taylor received a Knighthood in the New Year's Honours List. He was appointed a Forestry Commissioner in 1938 and has held office as Deputy Director General and Director General of the Forestry Commission.
Harry Watson, Education Officer, Benmore Forester Training School, received an M.B.E. in the New Year's Honours List, for his outstanding work on behalf of the Commission's educational services. He has been at Benmore for many years and at one time was Instructor at the Birnam School of Forestry and took charge of the Beaufort school in 1926. He is the author of several works on forestry.
Wild Life in the Forest
Many forest staff have unique opportunities to study at first hand the rarer wild animals and birds which inhabit our moors and mountains. We would like to hear from foresters and others who happen to see any really rare species, such as the crested tit of North East Scotland; or species rare in a reader’s own district.
On a recent visit to the Glentrool National Forest Park, an officer from Headquarters came across what he believes to be the rarest bird on the British list. Shaped like a pheasant, but the colour of a Rhode Island Red hen, it had its head concealed from view by a hood of golden brown feathers. Its ancestry remains unsolved, but a mixed marriage between common and golden pheasants may explain the mystery.
Some Unusual Hobbies
G.H. Clark, of the Eastern Conservancy Office (England) makes a point of seeing the unusual whenever possible. Here is his story.
"While on a recent leave, I spent nearly a week at various depots of the London Transport electric traction system. Although the main object was my technical edification, I saw much which may be of general interest. For example, at the Acton Railway Works (where the Tube cars are given a major overhaul every 100,000 miles), I saw an impressive array of Bedford cord and uncut moquette.
"The boiler furnaces at Lots Road Generating Station, swallow about 1,000 tons of coal each day. Since Lots Road is only a third of the size of the main grid station (Battersea), Londoners may cease to wonder why their domestic ration has sometimes seemed in jeopardy.
"I spent all night (armed, with a contraption like a miner's lamp) with the track and signals maintenance people. While respectable persons were snug in bed, I was 100 feet or so underground, stumbling over sleepers and hacked up concrete in the incredible gloom of the warren of London's Tube network.
A startling moment occurred when, walking with the Superintendent Engineer towards a work site, we rounded a bend to be confronted with (to me) the terrifying sight of a train rumbling towards us. It looked enormous and seemed to fit the tunnel as a hand in a glove. However, it proved to be only the battery operated track repair train, and its speed was four miles an hour. The speed and clockwork precision with which the gangs renewed truck sections impressed me greatly, as did their supreme indifference to the 600 volt conductor in the "overlap" periods when the current was not switched off.
"I had many novel sensations during my four hours underground, a notable one being to experience the odd contrast between the deathly stillness of dark and deserted tunnels and the din and frenzied activity of the platelayers working in the white glare of pressure oil lamps. It was reminiscent of something out of Dante."
Pins and Needles
The Commission's Chief Education Officer, J.Q. Williamson, has an unusual hobby, and one which is well recommended for its instructional qualities. Asked to discourse on the subject, Mr Williamson preferred to do so through the medium of a verse. Here it is: -
"Pins and Needles"
T he proverb says that work for idle hands --
A nd idle brains no doubt is meant as well--
P rovides the devil. And as he understands
E ach sinner's needs he tempts him to his peril.
S o prompted by my wife when "listening-in"
T o use my hands as these initials state
R ecurs the thought as ply I wool and pin
Y on wife's the devil - or does she him frustrate?
Engagements
Miss N. Smith, a Clerical Officer in the Shrewsbury Office (North Conservancy, Wales) became engaged to Mr F.G. Morley of the Customs and Excise Department, Birmingham.
Miss Una Clark of the Shrewsbury Office, has become engaged to Mr John Hubbard, of the Post Office Engineers, Shrewsbury.
Marriage
Last month Frank Halsey of the Records Section, Headquarters, was married to Miss Marjorie Stevens of Beddington.
Obituary
The death has occurred of Dr M.C. Rayner, who for many years had been associated with the Forestry Commission in the field of research. Much of her work was undertaken at Wareham Forest (South West, England) and was concerned with the study of mycorrhiza — the inter-relation between tree roots and fungi.