Foreword I have just finished reading a book by the Rev. Jimmie ...

We learnt various survival techniques if caught in a burning building, how not to open doors to
cause wind draughts that would exacerbate the fire.
All useful stuff and at the end of the course the exam and if you passed, the award of a fireman's
badge showing a fireman's helmet and crossed axes.
THE CAMPER'S BADGE
This was a Class that was well supported but this time you were helped by three others, with you
in command. The bell tent still in its bag was set in an area where it had to be taken out of its bag, unrolled
and erected with its central pole, door fly flaps rolled up neatly in, I believe, three minutes and then taken
down and neatly folded rolled and re-bagged. You were given instruction and hints for a few weeks before
camp so that you would be a big help when your camping holiday came along. The three helpers could not
be holders of the badge and you had to give the orders to achieve success. It was a badge worth having.
ARTS & CRAFTS BADGE
This badge could be a whole manner of undertakings, from painting in watercolours or oil,
marquetry, moulded figures from plaster of paris and painting them
My sixth badge was a gym badge. The badge represented crossed dumbbells, but in class work, it
could include P.T., horse work and parallel bars. Two years in this class and you were tested and if efficient
passed.
I also obtained the bible class badge and in addition I sat each year the Battalion bible exam
known as the G. C. Taylor Trophy. I was fourth at my first attempt then twice in third place and in my final
year second - I was beaten by Alfred Pitkeathly. a boy in the 6th Lochee.
I am very proud that Sgt. George Duffus, my number one son, won it when he was in the 34th
Camperdown Company years later.
display.
The King's Badge was not one seen often on parades and I was proud to be presented at our
I believe I was the first in the 18th ever to obtain one.
CAMPS
If you have never camped before, then your first camp is a real adventure. The 18th could have
joined in with the Battalion at Belmont, but prided itself in running its own show. We were going to
Inverquharity in Perthshire. The big boys and some of the officers went off the evening before as an advance
party. On the lorry the bell tents and marquee with all the poles, trestle tables forms and dixies and a stove.
This was to have the camp site up and erected by the time the other officers and boys came the next day. The
weather was kind, the sun shining, when all the lads complete with kit bags and all the listed items inside,
assembled at the yard outside the hall in St. Peter Street. Then we piled into the bus, over forty of us, and off
on my first time away from home and family.
How would I behave, would I be homesick and maybe even cry and make a fool of myself, how
would the food taste? My mother used to accuse me of being 'picky'- would I be able to sleep on the ground?
So it was with trepidation that I disembarked with the others - Great! All the bell tents were up in line and
facing them the marquee complete with table and forms. Better still the male cook had dinner ready for us
and it was great. My fears disappeared.
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