Seo: ‘Witten by Peter Brookes ustrated by Doug MountfordContents Basic... firelighting Basic... types of cooking fire Basic... wood burning properties Basic... tent pitching Basic... bivouac building Basic... Patrol camp gear Basic... Patrol camp layout Basic... camp gadgets Basic... Patrol box/table Basic... rucsec packing Basic... kitlayout for inspection Basic... flagpoles Basic... flag practice | Basic... flag practice I Basic... axe safety Basic... food estimating asic... steps tocamp taasic... steps to camping abroad Basic... map roading | Basie, map reading I Basie... mop reading lt ‘map reading IV + ways of finding your bearings + knotting lashings | lashings i splicing rope-end whipping first aid | — Roller bandaging First aid fl — Sings and triangular bandages weather estimation signalling ‘Troop control Patrol corner and box BP. Part! B-P. Part Il 2 BLP. Part Il Brownsea Island 2 Movement history ‘Grier Scouts Port 1 Chief Scouts Part 2Foreword ‘There are many areas of Scoutcraft and lore that, while covered in a somewhat fragmented fashion in a variety of books and publications, are not drawn together In one place — Back to basics covers many of those subjects. But before we got properly under way, a word of warning — many of the topics covered are practical skills which, to be mastered competently, need practical practise, they are not skills that can be learnt, properly, from a magazine or book. ‘We present you with the information, the expertise, but it is up to you to practise land perfect the skills — no one else can do that for you.EY 4 Basic. Lighting a fire is as easy as felling off a log! A sight over-simpliication, perhaps, but basically true, provided you resist the temptation to collect a handfulof sticks, drop them on the ground and shove alighted match in — you mightbe lucky but t's very unlikely. The six steps detailed below willhelp you tobuilda fire property and know that i€ will burn 1. Carefully remove the turf romanareaaboutametre 2, Surround the central twig with kindling — lots of (BFE) square and push a twig into the ground in the Small, dry twigs (hawthorn, fir andbbirch ara best), pine middle. Store the turf, out of the way, and water needies, strips of silver birch bark or apine cone or two. regularly 4. Light the kindiing. If the wood is quite dry, the fire shape but leave gapin the windward side so that you should take holdon its own but if not. blow very gently. can place a match right into the kindling, 5. Add more tiny twigs to each flame, then, as your fire 6, When firmly established, lay a log, parallel with the begins togrow, uselarger andlarger twigs thensticks. wind direction, on either side, Abandon the wigwarr shape by adding sticks, spit logs and soon, Place a fire grillacross the loas and, withina few minutas, your fire will be ready to commence cooking! Infant fires can be fickle things — turn your back on them for just a few moments and they'llgo out! The secret, then, isnot to leave them unattended until they have ‘grown up’ but to do this you will have to have collected all, the wood you will nead Cand that will be a considerable amount) before you even think of lighting the fire. Curb your impatience to strike the match until all the preparations are complete, Write: ter Brooks lustrated hy Doug Mountford =reorerctnecensemmonnm < | 5Basic. .. types of cooking fire In an earlier Back to basics we showed you how to lay and light a fire and suggested that, once the fire is ‘established, youshould lay logs on either side tosupport your fire grill or cooking pans. (N.B. Theselogs are often replaced with rocks (although these must not contain any moisture and should not be of sandstone as this can cause them to explode) or, more commonly, house-bricks can be used.) While this Is quite correct, the matter is not quite as simple as that for there are, in fact, several other types of cooking fira which, on occasion, may be more suitable for your purposes. ‘The reflector fire Still flanked by two logs, this fire is used to present. indirect, rather than the Usual direct, hest. Reflecting its heat off the log-screen, itis ideal for cooking fish or other such foods which could easily be spoiled if cooked directly over the fire. Alternatively. the addition of a U- ‘shaped aluminium foll ‘oven’ will greatly expand the range of dishes you can produce. The star fire Instead of having its logs placed along elther side, this fire has three logs placed in ‘star’ shape with the fire, itself at the centre. As the logs burn away — rather more slowly than they do with thebasic fire — they can, ished in, and even replaced, with the minimum of ‘The altar fire Probably the most popular firenowadays, the altar fire Gwhichis self-explanatory if you think aboutit) has the advantage that you don't have to keep bending down ‘to tend and use it — everything is done standing up. IF property built (with interlocking logs. sound lashings or prepared angleiron) these structures are safe and Useful butifitis in any way rickety or otherwise unsafe itcan be extremely dangerous and must not be used. it isadvisable touse a thick metal sheet asthe base-plate of your altar fire as (a) the fire cannot burn through (perhaps unnoticed until too late) and collapse with Possible injury to the cook resulting, and (b) itprevents, ‘embers and hot ash falling through and setting fire to ‘the grassbelow or igniting any wood youre drying/have, stored underneath the structure. The trench fire Carefully aligned so thatitis parallel with the prevai wind Cand said wind can thus blow along it and ald the fire) this fire is at a disadvantage in that, if the wind moves round even slightly, you really need to dig anew SS se Written by Poter Brooks < Mlustrated by Doug MountfordBack -to- basics Basic... wood burning properties > Vv A It would be easy to believe that‘wood’is ‘wood’ and that any piece will burn just as well as any other but, like so many things, it just ain’ that simple! Most people know that some woods are softer than others and, to some extent, itis this that affects how they will burn. Likewise, most, but certainly not all, woods will burn better when they are dry while others will quite happily burn ‘green’. ‘The following chart will probably help K= Kinding C= Cooking Good #€® Aversae FR Bad ® ‘Sweet Chestnut Ke C* Fine KK Cae Poplar K® Co [Spruce Kk C10k Sycamore Kx CR A Written by Peter Brooks ] Ilustrated by Doug Mountford.———7 DACK -to- A basics tent pitching umpis one of the main reasons why boys join the Scouts — the fun ofliving ina tent is unbeatable. Most probably spend the majority of their nights under canvas in a ridged Patrol tant. There are severe! Gesigns on the market but they are basically very similar in their pitching method and, having mastered one, you will be able to pitch any of them. 1. Lay out the groundsheet and peg the comers. Lay the tent, flat, alongside. 3. Knock in four large pegs. Lay out main guys on the {ground (but clear of the groundsheet). Loosely loop ‘the guys onto the pegs. 5. Lace up/tie tent doors closed. Peg out comer guys. then side guys. Insert railing and door pegs. For a really neat appearance, side pegs should all align — attach a string between the corner guy pegs snd pes side guys to this line then remove the string. 7. Adjust all quys so that the canvas is tight without being stretched. 2. Open the tent, lay the ridge poleinpositionandinsert ‘the spikes on the upright poles through the holes in the ridge and the tent canvas. 4. Raise the tent and position over groundsheet. Place: main guy dollies onto the spikes and tighten guys. 6.'Storm rig’ the tent by extending and crossing over tho main guys. Relocate main guy pags as necessary. (Storm rigging tidies the tent’s appearance, keeps main guys doseintotentsides (therefore less tris-overable!) fend makes it more secure in high winds as the ridge poleis taking the strain.) N.B. Donotattempt tostorm rig a tent without a ridge pole — It won't work !DACK -to- basics Basic. . . bivouac building V A ‘There will probably be occasions in every Scout's life when he will wish to go of hiking, carrying the absolute minimum of equipment. He will wish to test his survival knowledge — and wint ‘Although on many summer nights. shelter isnot essential, the odd drop of rainhas bean known to fall now and. again! In such circumstances, a shelter, built from materials foundon site, can make all the difference between ‘staying comfortable and dry and getting soaked to the skin and being utterly miserable! 1. Constructtwoladdersike frames thatareabout60cm 2. Starting at the bottom and working up a rung at @ longer than you are tall but keep the rung-gap toabout time, use long grass, bracken, reeds or leafy twigs 8 to 10cm. Utilise any natural support that is available pine twigs and branches are good but you need an ‘to support your ridge — this will save you work and awful lot and they get very heavy) to make as thick 3 make the structure more rigid. thatch as possible, Points to remember Gao. Qiukait DiPtacing a ‘baffle log along the inner windward side will reduce OWithout beingsity aboutit, Keep i ren. ‘any ground drausht, thus helping your bivouac as smallaspossible, you to keep warm. Iewillbe quicker and easier tobuild fight (tatakethewelght oryour --CIIF you are alone, a wedge- andyoudon'tneedacresof space shelter couldcollapseinthemiddle shaped bivouacwillsave you time Just to sleep in! of the night! and offort. DIF there is a convenient wall, Dona cycle-touring holiday your —_use it! Remember, too, to con- bikemakesanidealridae support struct your bivouac on the shel Use any old canvas, plastic or but don't forget to guy itsoit tered (leeward) side, out of the —sheetof roofing material that you won't fall over. wind. find. D’Toachieve a weather-proof thatch itneeds to be extremely thickand closely-packedand for that you willhave tohave a very good supply of thatching material and a lot of time. ‘Written by Peter Brouks IMustrated by Doug Mountford <1basics Basic... Patrol camp gear It would be accurate to say that one of the most popular reasons for joining ‘the Scouts’ is to go camping. (Our ‘young people certainly don’t join to be shaped into better citizens! And most don't even realise that this is going on w tor they shouldn't if your programme is right!) Occupying such an impertant place in the scheme of things as Camping does, it becomes incumbent upon us, as Leaders, to ensure that the camping skills we pass on are both ‘correct and all-encompassing. ‘Knowing what equipment to take — and, just as important, what not to take — is as necessary as knowing where to 90, how to arranae the programma and menu, what safety precautions to take and so on. ‘What equipment the Patrol takes away will, of course, vary with the programme they are following but iisted below are most of the things that a Patrol is likely to need during a standing (as opposed to a back-packing or mountain-walking) camp. Main site equipment Washing and washing-up equipment Patrol tent, aroundsheet, poles, quys, pegs, mallet: Wash bowls, bucket, Cooking and dining shelters, poles, quys, peas; ‘Washing-up liquid, Sisal and rope for gadgets: Dish cloth, tea towel, Patrol box converting to table, Mop, scrubbing brush and abrasive pads, Handaxe or bushsaw, lamp, Plastic draining rack. Flags, halliards, flagpole. Equipment for latrines (unless permanent ones on site) Latrine screening, poles. quys. pegs: Toilet paper in waterproof container: Trowel, washbowl, soap, towel, Pickaxe, shovel Cooking equipment Frying pan, Water carriers, Baking and serving dish, Wooden spoon, soup lacie, ‘Vegetable preparation knife, fork, Potato peeler, tongs, oven gloves, Fish slice, tin opener. battle opener, Plastic bags, aluminium foll, butter musiin, Pudding cloth, paraffin stove or gas stove. Paraffin and meths, or spare gas cylinders, Food as necessary for menu. Emergency equipment First aid box (properly stocked), ‘Spare airbed/campbed, blankets, Lamp and torch, Special activity and games equipment Take whatever your programme requires. Don't forget any necessary emergency rations and life-saving equipment. General neatness Suitcase for storing uniforms, Coathangers, mirror, shoe cleaning ‘equipment, mending materials. A. rated by Doug MountfordBack -to- basies Basi Patrol camp layout Ib to suggest a ‘perfect’ layout for a Patrol camp site — that, indeed, isthe easy bit — the difficulty comes in trying to translate that to sult the site you will be camping on. If the site is popular, youmight nov have quite as much room as you would like, the slope of the ground might dictate where you an or can'pitch the tent, the prevailing wind might be coming from the wrong direction or, without doubt, at least one tree will be in the wrong place — in fact, itcan be any one of a number of reasons. Pictured below is one of many ‘perfect layoutsand althoughitis unlikely that you will ever have encughroomto spread yourselflike this Patrol, itis a goodidea to keep a layout ike this in your mind's eye so that you can get'as: close to it as you can — V A Ideally, you want... .alarge, flat open area thats screened, all around, with bushes... the next Patrol should be out of both sight and ear-shot... your fire should be located on the down-wind side so that the smoke ls blown, away... the water tap is hendy... there is some shade in which to hang your larder... there is a plentiful and close supply of wood... toilets nearby (without baing too clase!), This list can go on and on... what additions would you make?> Back , -to- basics ‘Time was when, at comp, as soon as the tent was pitched and personal gear stowed away, everyone would turn toand start constructing gadgets all over the place. There ware gadgets for this and gadgets for that, infect, Youriame It and there was a gadget for i! Whilst all this industry was highly laudable, you might be forgiven for Srondering if many of the constructions were essential or merely desirable and built mora as 3 pastime. Today's Scouts, however, soem to be able to find dozens of ather activities with which to fill their days. ln all fairness, some gadgets do stillhave a purpose and time spent in their construction will make the campers’ Ives more comfortable and eninyahie. ‘Shown here are some of those that will stil enhance the modem camp, Vv CAMP DRESSER AND PLATE-RACK Rok anoudtD Po eeeone Sout, Tip: With either of the above wast-stands, the soap is always on hand if you place a bar in the foot of an ole stocking and suspend this with a thick rubber band from the top of one pole. To use, pull the soap into the water Gnd wash your hands. After use, release the soap and the retracting band will withdraw the soap and stopit going 50997 in the bottom of the bowl ' | | basics | Basic . . . food estimating ‘An army,itis said, ‘marches on its stomach," and although this creates a slightly ludicrous mental picture (wal it does in my mind, anyway!), we all know what it means. But if this is true for an army, itis even more true for a || bunch of healthy young Scouts and particularly sof they are at camp or on an expedition and thus outin the open || air, burning up even more eneray than they normally do. Feeding the brutes is a very important and responsible task but, especially for the newer Leader or inexperienced Patrol Leader, knowing how much food he will need to take to satisfy his charges is by no means easy or obvious. Undoubtedly, practice males perfect and after several years’ camps, most Leaders can be wxpuciud Lo gulit right — but that’s not good enough because in the mean time, people will either be hungry Cand in this condition, cold and misery arenever far behind) or you willbe buying too much food and wasting bothit and the money that it cost. The following istof foods and their quantities are the result of many years of experience and should, hopefully, short-circuit the above conundrum poe Bread — Allow 1 loaf per day for 6 persons Bacon — 2 rashers per head per meal Baked beans — 609 (202) per head Butter/margarine — 60g (202) per head per day Cereal — 15-18 servings per 750g box Coffee — instant — 60a (20z) per galion (18 cups) ‘Cheese — 8-10 saled servinas per 5009 (1607) Gravy — 8 servings from 1 pint Milk — pt per head per day Minced beef — 150-1809 (5-602), raw, per portion Porridge oats — 45 (1402), dry. per portion Potatoes — 250g (802), unpeeled, per portion Rice (savoury) — 45-609 (1-202), uncooked, per portion Sausages — large — 3-4 per head (asa dinner) Sausages — small — 4 por hoad (as part of breakfast) Soup ~ tpt per head Stewing meat — 150-1809 (5-602), raw, per portion Suet pudding — 3 to 4 servinas from a 500g (11b) pudding Cand pro rata) Sugar — 609 (262) per head per day Tea — loose — 309 (102) will make 20 cups ‘Tea — bags — 2 cups Vegetables — 120-1809 (4.602) per portion (depending on how many veg. you are serving) to full packets or tins per Patrol for ease of catering (particularly when Patrol cooking) but this extravagance will seldom be wasted! ‘Written by Peter Brooks Illustrated by Doug Mount fordbasics Basic... steps to camp [Any very new and inexperienced Scouter can be forgiven for qualling sightly at the thought of taking! away to camp for the first time. Its, after all, not an easy task. Probably the most daunting partis the planning as there are so many things to remember and set in motion at. ‘the ight place in the schedule of events leading up to the great day. But, like so many other things, once one has a Starting guide — within reason, however rudimentary — one's task becomes that much easier and some of the inherent ‘bogies’ at least bagin to fade, if not disappear altogether. ‘Set outhere isjust such o guide to help you over those first few hurdles. With time and practice youwon'tneed ‘this supporling hand’. your growing experience and confidence will enable you to embelish some areas, simplify bothers and take the odd short-cut or two (but never at the expense of safety, please!) 1 Where? This very much depends on the sortof site you are looking for — do you want the sea, hills, ariver, open space? Consider the likely transport costs as well, when daciding on the area to visit. I Finding the site ‘The National, County and District Camp Sites Booklet (avaliable from the Resource Centre at Gilwell Park) will help. There are camp site advertiernents in SCOUTING Magazine, too. Speak with other Leadersin your District who have been to or know the area. Meny County Sacratarias supply a list of sites in their Counties upon request = your District Commissionar will be able to get you the address. He or she will alco advise you of any prohibited ‘area where you may nat camp, - Bvisit I at all possible, visit the site with your Patrol Leaders before making a decision. 1 Travel The most likely alternatives are: train, coach, minibus, car or cycle or a combination of any or all of them, Investigate the costs and ‘fiexibiity’ Cwill the Schedules of the first two tie.in with your plans) of all Feasible alternatives before making a decision. © Cost Estimate the number of campers.and the cost of food. transport, site fees, expacitions, extra equipmentneeded and add a percentage for ‘contingencies’. Divide this total by the expected number of campers. © Form PC If your camp is to be of five nights duration or longer, complete Farm PC for permission to camp and send it vis your Group Scout Leader to your District Commissioner. This must be done atleast two months before the date Of departure. IF you will be camping for lass than five nights you do not need this form but Cub Camps and Pack Holidays need to complete one whatever their duration. Provisionally book site and transport lH Letter to parents Include details of dates, venue and an estimated cost. Include a 'My son would like to come ...'slip and ask for ‘nominal deposit to secure a place. Open camp bank Particularly useful for summer camp fees which can then be paid off by parents in instalments or en bloc as desired, camp banks are often used to ‘hold! pocket money, on demand, so that boys do net have large amounts Bf cae to carry around iscuss programme activities with the Patrol Leaders’ Council. This could suggest some training reauirementsto bbe carried out before camp. Menu ‘Work out the menu, bearing in mind your programmed activities, and decide quantities. i Parents’ permission to camp Decide actual cost per head on numbers now attending. Complete Parents’ Permission to Camp Forms (available from Scout Shops Limited), with departure and return dates and times, kitistand so.on, and circulate to parents for signature and return. © Equipment Bropare list of equipment neaded. Arrange with Patrol Leaders for checking and packing it, Pre-orders Send off any orders for mills and bread (often available from local suppliers via the site warden), Foodcan often be ordered in advance from local grocery stores, too. 1B The night before If you have an early startin the morning arrange for the Scouts to bring their kit to your Headquarters the night before. Give final briefing. Try to get a good night's sleep! WE You're off! Have a good time! a QiBasic... steps to camping abroad In an earlier Back-to-basics we looked at the steps to be taken with regard to taking the Troop away to camp. But suppose you want to be that Iittle bit more ambitious... Suppose you want to take them abroad for next year's summer camp . .. What extra arrangements — over and above the usual crop that we listed in the earlier piece — have to be made, whe has to be told, what extra forms have to be filled in and so on? ‘The following should, we hope, be of use although it should be stressed that this is not an absolutely definitive list — each overseas expedition will throw up its own bunch of funnies’ with which you will have to cope but, that seid, let's look at what you have to do and consider. . . E111 — If you willbe visiting a European country, mast of tham have reciprocal health arrangements with the United Kingdom so thet any treatment that you may needs pald for by the National Health service. The leaflet Before You Go: The Traveller's Guide to Health (Ref: SA40) is available from your local Department of Social Security Office and tells you how to apply for a Form E111 for each member of your party. Passports/visas — Some youngsters will already hold their own passports but Visitors Passports — valid for 12 months — can be obtained from Main Post Officas but beware, though, as not all countries accept them. ‘The Post Office is alco the place to collect an application form for a full British Passport (but remember to apply in good time as processing of applications, particularly immediately prior to the main holiday season, can often take several months). Another alternative worthy of consideration is to obtain a Collactive Passport to cover between five and 50 youngsters under the age of eighteen. For many countries outside Europe you will need a visa before entry will be granted, Check with your travel agent or the appropriate embassy, Vaccinations/innoculations — Consult your own doctor then issue quidance to the rest of the party. Money — Foreian currency is obtainable from any bank (most will need a week's notice) and from larger travel agents. Money can, however, be a problem as you might have to carry the whole lot with you (if you are visiting remote area) or take it in the form of travellers chaques (although this can lay one open to fiscal mismanagement charges as travaliers cheques are drawn and cashed against a sinale signature). Useful phrases — Suggest list of useful phrases thatall the party should learn and use — although many people overseas do understand/speak English, itis a courtesy that many will appreciate if they are addressed in thoir own language. International driving licences ~ If you are taking a vehicle with you, both it and you will need the necessary Paperwork, You may need an International Driving Licence if you are going outside Europe and an insurance ‘9reen card. Consuit one of the major driving organisations who willbe able to advise on any particular paperwork you will need for your journey. Minibuses must comply with European Community regulations for tachographs, documentation and so on. Maps/information — A visit or telephone callto the Tourist Office of your destination, will bring forth fistfulls of helpful information, brochures, pamphlets and, in many cases, maps too. Insurance — Extrs insurance cover willbe needed to cover accidents, injuries, delays, baggage and money, loss of equioment, cancellation/curtailment and repatriation and the 101 other ‘bugs’ that can arise to ruin an expedition. Scout Insurance Services, at Lancing, have @ competitively priced policy, tallor-made to sui Scout needs Union Flag badges — Available from Scout Shops Limited, these badges can be wor on uniform for one month before and up to 12 months after an expedition abroad. International Department at Headquarters — Much usefulinformation regardingjust about every aspect of a ‘rip abroad can be obtained from the international Department at Baden-Powell House. Additionally, early contact with your Assistant County/Area Commissioner (International) will prove very helpful and prosably save you much wasted effort Cas you will be able to use experionce gained by others in previous expeditions». Form PC (Abroad) — As soon as you can, complete 3 Form PC (Abroad) and returnit to your Assistant County/ ‘Area Commissioner (International). This will then be forwarded, via the International Department, 0 the Headquarters of your destination country so that they will know you are visiting, International Letter of Introduction ~ This is sometimes known as "The Scout Passport’, for, althoughit carries no weight in the ‘passport’ sense, it establishes you and your party as bona fide Members of the Movement and helps to ensure you a warm welcome from Scouts in other countries. It can be obtained from the International Department at Baden-Powell House. Written by Peter Brooks Mlustrated by Doug Mountford > 22Basic...map reading | Itis widely acknowledged that the United Kingdom is covered by thebest set of maps in the world. The accuracy, datall and quality of the maps produced by the Ordnance Survey Is unparalleled ands, indeed, envied around the lobe. Although these maps are producedinanumber of different scales (with consequent differences in the amount oF detail they show) the one most used by Scouts and Venture Scoutsis probably the Landranger Series. This is drawn to a 1:50000 scale which means that 1 centimetre on the map represents 50000 centimetres Cor half a kilometre toput itanather way) on the ground, so2 centimetres equal ! kilometre and soon ~ alittle practise and {this sortof conversion will bacome automatic; Evena casualglancaat any Landranger Series map willrevealan almost bewildering array of different coloured lines andiitto pictorial symbole, many of which are self explanatory while the remainder can be found by referring tothe ‘Key’ printed on the side ofeach map, Once again, considerable practise at reading map willbe necessary before you fully appreciate the tremendous amount of detail it contains. ‘You will also find that the whole mapis covered with a grid of thin blue lines, those running vertically are called eastings and those running horizontally are called northings. Each line is numbered between 00 and 99 and as, ‘obviously, there are more than 100 lines across the United Kingdom these numbers are repeated. The squares formed by these 100-line by 100-line segments ara then designatedby a 2-letter code. Theuse of this code anda figure grid reference (which we will deal with below) enables you to pin-point any location in the country. Reading a grid reference Let's assume we wish to find the grid reference of the railway station in the vilage of Easton Royal. Step one: Read, from the top or bottom edges of the map, the number of the vertical easting line on the lefthand-side of the station. In our illustration itis 73. Step two: In your mind, divide that squareinto vertical tenths and decide how many tenths from that easting the stationis. itis approximately 8. Therefore the easting references 738. Whether reading or quoting a grid reference, the first 3 numbers always relate to the easting. Step three: Now, working in a similar fashion, read the number of the nearestnorthing (horizontal ine below the station. This gives us 02 Step four: Again, in your mind, divide the square horizontally into tenths and decide how many tenths thestationis bove the 02 lina, It is roughly 2. Consequently the northing referance is 022, ‘Therefore, the 6-figure grid reference for the station at Easton Royals 738022. (If the letter-code is omitted this reference willrecur every 100kilometresacross the length andbreadth of the country butas even the most. inexperienced beginner is unlikely to be 100 kilometras from where he expects It to be, its seldom used!) ‘Asimple mnemonic tohelp you remember which set ofnumbers toread firstis In thedoor. . .andup thestairs 0, starting at the bottom left corner, you comein and along the bottom first to read the easting, then go up the ‘map to locate the northing. ‘Written by Peter Brooks Ilustrated by Doug Mountford 23Ti Basic... map reading — II As anybody who has ever ridden abicycle will bemore than aware, Britain is not a flat country — far fromit! Obviously, ‘there are bits that are flat but, generally, the United Kingdom is noted for its rolling hills, its picturasque vallays and its Imposing landscape. Among all the other information contained on Ordnance Survey mapsis 9 series of orange brown, lines which convey the pattern of these hills — they are known as ‘contour lines" and they link together places of equal height above sea level. Drawn at the equivalent of ten~metre intervals (with every fifth line being slightly bolder to ald identification) they can be ‘read’ to give you a picture in your mind of what the actual terrain is ike. Lines drawn close together indicate that the land rises or falls (i.e. aains or loses height) ranidly. while contours spaced more widely apart show that the slope, either up or down, is more gentle. Each contour will have its height above sea level printad onit atintervals so itis easy to decide'i the grounds rising or falling, Shown below are some of ‘the more common land formations and their equivalents in contour ines: Syl! Ta Cer Mv spaced at top, wider at top, closer at bottom bottom ‘The following simple exercise will help you discover the shape of a hillor part of the route you wish to follow. Contours of hill reproduced from — the map Sioa a Dropa vertical ine from 40 i: Draw in profile where ines cross Scale representing” ten-metre intervals A ‘Written by Peter Brooks <{ Mlustrated by Dowz Mountford a+Basic...map reading — III Even an absolute ‘thicko’ knows that compasses point to North. The fact that there are three Norths — Grid, ‘Magnetic and True — is not such common knowledge but knowing whichis which, how to find them and how to be guided by them Is another of the rudimentary skills which all Scouts should possess. Compasses have varied in pattern greatly over the years but the one most commonly used by Scouts nowadays is the Silva-type compass illustrated below. While one can learn the names of its Various parts from ‘his diagram, there is no substitute for actually holding one in your hands and practising with it. -DIRECTION -OF TRAVEL REND seni Hore 2526 Basic... map reading — IV Having, in an earlier Back-t-bavica; looked at a compass and how to set a map, we must now progress to the font stage ond team Row to read beorings and walk on them: While this procase fe not complexe fe must be Stressed, yet again, that practices the only way of becoming proficient in this skill rowing te theory is no Substeate tor hardin! experience Inthe Feld Gor on the hill the forest, on the downs, mocr or wherever!) Finding a bearing i Having first set your mapandworkedout theroute tong (¥! swank to go. Sa ee a we ceeeryaconmee bose i the chosen dreetion, Rotate the da antl the le—} eRetnatnes ore orate wih themor'seriinesendthe Srowonthe tials pantngtetne top of fe rap (nor. ood of to bearing atta hose cortrerine (oarmath caltratec ded trontby rotate the dal arttceckwice cau the mounetie vortaton Ceurerty about 6° but this seesNerr ath tine and yeu should cheek the Orenting Sane! of Your Ovcnsrea Survey map rem tine 0 tine Baca ove our ean walk nts boat wie i constant reference to your map. IS : ‘Atarnatvelyit sometimes possible to take a bearing 7 Teed upon a landmark visible in the distance which, by good q oa, ‘Brae tein tnechecteninhichyouwishtowalk you Gro even utenti brant wi be vote the woke ern ‘ime and you willbe able to walk, unhampered, towards | | __1-Orienting 2 ‘ P 1 no landmark is visible in front of you. try locking 3 lines otiwords. W You find something sutebler take the Ps Pesringbutinsteed of welt onthe bearina you wen [Where you along the reciprocal bearing i.e. your bearing plus 180°. are now, Grid lines Deviating from course Often, however, buildings, trees or other obstacles will ‘get in the way of your chosen bearing route and you will eed to deviate to circumvent the problem, In this case you just turn 90° to right or left and walk, counting your steps, until you are clear of the obstacie. Again turn through 90° (.e. parallel to your original direction) and walk until past the obstruction, For the third time, turn through 90° (back towards the original route) and wall the same number of counted steps then, finally, turn through 90° again and you will be back on course. Although this might be regarded as a slightly pedantic method of staying on a route, it does work, provided your counting, turns and so on are accurate. Remember Accuracy isimportant in all compass and bearing work ~ an error of just two degrees will mean, over ajourney of, say. just sixkilometres, that you will miss your target by 200 metres and that couldiiterally mean the difference between you living and you dying! Overdramatic? — Not really, imagine being lost on a fog-bound, snow-covered moor and imagine walking right past — without even knowing it — the only habitation for, perhaps, 20 miles in any direction... Written by Peter Brooks Mlustrated by Doug Mountfordbasics Basic... ways of finding your bearings Without doubt, the most obvious answer to the question ‘How do you find north? is simply ‘Use a compass !". While this is undeniably true, ‘yer average Scouter’ needs to be prepared for the occasion when he hasn't gota, compass to hand and yet he still needs to be able to work out his bearings and thus know in which direction he should be walking. But even if such a situation doesn't arise, it makeshis tutoring of compass work that much more interesting to the lads if he can say “There are, of course, other ways to work out your bearings without using a compass. Here, then, are a trio of those ‘other’ ways: Using the sun and a watch with hands Point the hourhand of your watch at the sun. During Greenwich Mean Time, bisact the angio between '12' on your watchface and the hour hand. During British Summer Time, bisect theangle between "1" on your watchface and the hour hand, Din both cases, the resulting line points north/south. ‘True north is at the end furthest from the sun, Using the stars To find north at night you must firstlocate the Pole Star Cand if itis a cloudy night and no stars are visible, you are in trouble!), Polaris, as the North Staris more formally known, is situated over the earth's North Poleandonce youhave found it you will be able to estimate other directions Fromit, CASSIOPELA tT : onion, Using shadows This method also relies on sunlight or, if you are lucky and itis a bright night, upon meoniight, provided either is strong enough to cast shadows. Drivea fairly straight stick into the ground, keeping it as verticalas possible (a weighted string asa makeshift plumbline willhelp). Mark the top of the shadow it casts. with a pebble or twig. After, say, 15 minutes, again mark the shadow. A line from the first mark through the second wil, inthenorther hemisphere, point roughly east. “This mathodis surprisingly accurate during the midcle of the day but varies slightly in early morning and late afternoon, At any time it is only a feirly approximate way of direction-finding but it will gat you out of trouble.Basic... knotting ‘Tying ropes together is easy! Knowing what knot to use in which circumstances is a little more difficult ~ but not much! There are, literally, thousands of knots, hitches and bends but, fortunately, Scouts only need to know avery ‘Small percentage of these (although, for some, knotting has developed into a life-long hobby), here are just afew that ‘most Scouts will come across at some time or other. Clove Hitch Highwayman's Hitch Remember there is absolutely no substitute for learning knots with a piece of rope — these picturas willhelp you but reguiar practice, until you can do them in the total dark and know thay are correct, is the only answer. Written by Peter Brooks Vv A oe (k 3 2.Qver the first spar, under the 3.After three complete circuits, “hy Stars sae Gave Lites next, over and under and so on. change to a horizontal direction, 5. Finish with a Clove Hita 4. Add three frapping turns, these tighten the lashing ‘Sheer lashing — uses to lash poles to form a longer length, perhaps for a fleapole. 1. Overiap poles by 30 to aSem (12 to 18in). —4 Start with a Clove Hitch, 3. Wrap rope around both poles for e a 1Ota 18am (4 10 6nd. 4.Add frapping turns to tighten lashing, 5. Finish with a Clove Hitch, Adding a second Sheer Lashing will strengthen the overlap as, then, no movement is possible in any direction. A Ilustrated by Doug Mountford 29Basic. . . lashings II Because ploneering!s virtually exclusive to Scouting (indeed, if asked, most members of the general public, unless ‘they have been in theScouts or Guides themselves at some time, wouldn't aven have aclue what pioneering is!) It follows that the knowledge of haw to make lashings correctly is alsa the Movements almast exclusive preserve, “The feeling of one-upmanship that this affords does, howaver, carry with it the responsibility of making sure. that these skills are passed on — correctly — to our young Members. Itis then incumbent upon them to further communicate these skills on down the years as their turns come. Diagonal lashing — used to lash. by drawing together, spars which cross but do not actually touch (yet!) 1. Commence with a Timber Hitch 3. Changetohorizontal plane andadd caesar ere three frapping turns, these further WY, ght the losing Lg GS Z s Yj Z. “PAK 2. Make three tightcomplete circuits in the same direction, then change direction and make three complete 4. Finish with a Gove Hitch, S circuits at right-angles to the frst. Japanese lashing — this is an alternative to, and slightly easier version of, the Square Lashing (see Back to basics — lashings D. 1. Middle the lashing under the © 3. Spitropes and workas shown to bottom spar. change plane for frapping turns. 2.Work as shown, using the two ropes tagatner, for two complete 4. Finish with a Reef Knot. Gireuite. | | NV N.B. The princioles of the Japanese Lashing canbe applied to the Diagonal Lashing, too. Middle the rope and start as shown. As above, work with the double rope, single-up for the frapping turns and finish with @ Reef Knot. Written by Peter Brooks llustrated by Doug MountfordBasic . . . splicing Splicingis ancther of those skills which, we arenot careful, will, es John Sweet so aptly putita month or twoback, ‘slip unnoticed down the eracks in the pavement of Life’ and disappear forever. Whether that should be allowed, or, perhaps, even encouraged, isa debate we will not enter inte here but suffice it tosay that thereare occasions for the use of splices, so we are perfectly justified in including just a couple of them here. The back splice “The main drawback with the ack spice Is that iteffectively doubles the thickness of the rope, which could prevent itheing reeved (passed) through a block in pioneering, Known in the navy as'thelazy man’s whipping’ it should only be used as a temporary rope-end in the absence of any whipcing twine. Wk f Uniay therope for about six Workingagainstthelay.pass Reoeatover‘oneunder-one The finished hack ‘timesthecireumferenceand eachtalloverstrandnextto routine twicemore (sothree splice, formaCrownknot. Tighten it and under next one, Pull ‘tucks’ in all. Trim off talls, down crown. each back towards crown androllsplice between hands to keep splice tight, to make a neat finish, ‘The eye splice Used to form a permanent ‘eye' in the end of a rope. Unlay about Bem (3in),forman eye Tuck left strand through lay to left Turn rope over and tuck remaining of the required size and tuck the of first tuck. ‘strand through unoccupied lay. ‘midale strand theough the lay. A Follow routine of ‘over-one-under- fone tucks (see Back ‘splice above) ‘Trim off tails and roll spice between “The finished eye splice. For two more circuits, hands. Written by Peter Brooks Mlustrated by Doug MountfordBasic ... rope-end whipping Inthe teaching of rope-work there is amaxim that cannot be stressed often enough — look after your rope and it, will look after you, mistreat it and it will probably fail you at the most catastrophic moment possible. Rope should be respected, therefore, and when the cost of new rope, whether of natural or man-made materials, is ‘added into the equation, the case for taking care of your rope becomes indisputable. While respecting the rope generally, many people fail toprotect the rope-ends, with the result thet they quickly unravel and more and more of the rope soon becomes unusable and useless. Whipping the ends of allropesis the answer. This does not take particularly Iona but will extend the life oF your ropes immeasurably. Common whipping Sallmaker's whip} 9 Open lay of rope and pass whipping cord through and back to form 3 loop around one strand. Using running end, whip normally to desired length. Pass loon over top of same strand it surrounds lower. Tighten down securely into rope- head, trapping whipping end. Carry standing end up whipping and tie, as deap into rope-heed CS Sy \ os boanbi, fo AG Se || rane Rall underfoot to check whipping and seat t propery into ay ro lay of rope. West Country whipping Heat-sealing ropes Melting the enc+fibres of man-made rope together into 2 blob is an effective ‘seat but can increase the circumference of the rope which can make It difficult to thread through holes, blocks and so on and any sharp, edges left can be very dangerous. A well-done whipping is just as effective and rather safer. Written by Peter Brooks Illustrated by Doug Mountford 32 ork, atBack - to- basics V A Basic... first aid | Roller bandaging ‘Most artists, if asked to cartoon a Scout practising first ald, would caricature the'patient’ mummified in bandages: From head to foot with just a pair of eyes showing ~ and in some Troops this image may nat be too far from the truth! Joking aside, first aidis one of the basicingrediants in Scout training — rightly so! — butit is also important that Scouts are taught the correct techniques, as well as what to do and what not to do. I (a 3 4 } : 9 Finger bandage Spiral bandage for arm or leg Hand bandage Alternative spiral for arm or leg Applying tubular gauze bandages to finger wounds 1. Cuta length of gauze approximately 21% times aslong, as the area to be covered. Push the whole length onto, the applicator. 3. Slip the inner end of the gauze off the applicator and, hold in place with one hand. Slowly pull back the appi- cator to leave one layer of gauze in place. - 7 4. When clear of the finger, twist the applicator one ‘tumand push back onto the limb again. Withdraw empty 2. Push the applicator gently over the pre-dressed — appiicatorandsecure the endof the gauze with adhesive wound. tepe, Securing a roller bandage Fold the end of the bandage under and secure witha small safety pin, adhesive tape or bandage clip. If you are applying a thin gauze bandage, slit down the centre of the last 15cm (6in), tie a half knot Cwhich will stop the sit lengthening) anc, using a reef knot, tie the ends around the limb, | Written by Peter Brooks Illustrated hy Doug MountfordBack , basies i Basic ... first aid Il | Slings and triangular bandages Itis an oft-repeated fact that al the items ofthe original Scout uniform had an alternative use — the bighat was ideal for carrying water, for instance, the scarf could double as a bandage, the stave wes absolutely ideal for fighting off mad dogs and so on andso forth. While, withthe various changes made tothe uniform, most of these items hove disappeared either completely or atleast from everyday use, the scarfremains and maintains its dual role. ‘Although a scarf can never be described in medical terms asa sterile dressing and wouldneed tobe replacedby one such at the very first opportunity, its usefulin an erergency. not only for supporting an arm- or collarbone fracture or injury but also for a variety of other wounds. V Elbow ban Knee bandage bow bandage Foot bandage Hand bandage Arm should be slightly raised Ends of fingers should protrude Knot (reef) on injured side a J Written by Peter Brooks | =<> Basic... weather In the United Kingdom, wa seem to take a peculiar pride in the variability of our weather and, likewise, we are ever satisfied with it — weare always complaining thatitis too hot, too cold, too wet or too dry. We talk about our weather and its unpredictability almost incessantly and we complain like the dickens about the weatherman — he's always wrong and even on the rare occasions that he isn’t, we don’t believe his predictions so he's on a loser again! However, basic weather prediction is not difficult if one masters just a few simple premises. The British weather systamis governed by two features — Depressions (low pressure areas, also known as cyclones) and anti-cyelones (high prassure aren) Depressions (Lows) In winter, depressions tend to bring warmer but wetter weather with plenty of cloud cover. The winds often quite strong, In summer, the same cloud cover and ‘wetter’ aspects apply. Generally, weather brought by depressions is unsettled and changeable. Anti-cyclones (Highs) Inwinter, the weather tends tobe settled with little cloud but, in consequence, it canbe very cold, particularly at night. In Summer, high pressure areas also bring little or no cloud, little or no wind and the temperature goes up — although, as in winter, it does get rather cold at night as there is no cloud cover to keep the heatin. Generally, anti-cyclones bring settled weather that usually stays for several days, Wind ‘As the wind blows from different directions, it brings air of varying temperatures and differing weather. Beaufort scale ‘The following scale is widely used for describing the wind speed, Simply by using the scale number CWind — Force 6 for example) mariners, meteorologists and others who regularly ‘use’ weather information will Know what to expect — itis, in fact, a form of verbal shorthand, Scale MPLA, Effect number ° Lessthan{ Smoke rises vertically. 1 13 Direction shown by smoke, not by vanes. 2 az . Wind felt on face, leaves rustle, vanes move. 3 B12 Leaves and twigs in constant motion, light flags extended. 4a 1318 Dust and small paper raised, small branches move. 5 19.24 ‘Small trees in leaf sway. 6 25.31 Large trees move, whistling telegraph wires, umbrellas difficult to control. 7 32-38 Whole trees move, inconvenience in walking against wind, 8 39-46 ‘Twigs break off trees, walking is difficult 9 47-54 Slight structural damage to buildings, branches break. 10 55-63 Trees uprooted, buildings sometimes blown down, Note: This scale goes up to 17 but such winds are seldom experienced in mainland Britain Written by Peter Brooks Meantendes lee Pe aes =— >. 36 basics Basic ... estimation Whereas, with practice, one can become quite good at estimating distances (even though this is usually only when giving directions — ‘The station? Yes, take the next road on the left and t's about 2 ymetres along on the right’) there are few enough opportunities to develop a skill at estimating the helght of something. Likewise, short distance estimation s often Inaccurate and if, say, during a pioneering exercise, your thrown line drops short of the island by just three fect — throo unreachable feet — when you confidently pronounced that it would reach easily, it ‘can be more than a little embarrassing. Estimating height — Method 1 For this method you will need a 1-metre rule and a friend. For tall buildings, pace 99 steps away from the building, place the rule vertically on the ground and ask your friend to hold it so. Go one: pace further andlie fiat on the ground, looking past therule to the top of the bullding. Ask your friend to slide his finger down the rule and stop him when you see his finger line up with the top of the building, ‘The height of his finger above ground in centimetres equals the height of the building in metres — so if his fingeris st 43 centimetres |. (on the rule then the building is 43 metres tall For small buildings, trees andso on, as above but pace just 9 steps, Height of finger above ground in centimetres divided by 10 equals height of building/tree in metres ee — 50 88 centimetres on the rule means that the building/treeis 8.8 metres tall ——— 3 oe 99 Fac Estimating height — Method 2 This method is not so accurate as the one above but will give you a reasonably good idea. You will need a friend and a stick, pencil or similar. From a reasonable cistance — but accurate distance is not necessary — hold the stick vertically and extend your arm horizontally towards the trae. Move the stick up or down until the top aligns with the top of the tree and your thumb-nailis at the trunk base. Twist your hand through 30° — thus laying the ‘tree’ down — _and position your friendin ine with the top of the ‘tree.’ Measure off ‘the distance between him and the foot of the tree Estimating height — Method 3 Atree is to its shadow as a staff (or stick) is to its shadow, Estimating uncrossable widths Locate an object on the apposite bank of, say, the river (a). Stand opposite (b) and walk 40 paces along the bank (to c) and mark this point with a vertical stick. Walk a further 20 paces (to d) and turn at right-angles to the bank. Walk away from (d) toa point at which the stick (c) and the object at Ca) align, this is point Ce). The distance From (@) to Ce) is half the width of the river. Writien by Peter Brooks Ilustrated by Doug Mountford