palace hotel • wengen 1 - the DHO

W.S.C. JUBILEE RETROSPECT
A
FTER stressing, in two paragraphs, the
burden of advancing years it is pleasant to
record that the WENGEN SKI CLUB, which
celebrated its 50th Anniversary on 28th
February, 1955, seems to increase in vigour as
the years roll on.
The organisation of the Jubilee celebrations,
described and illustrated in later pages, was
superb, and the organisers were blessed by
perfect weather. Down the Nursery Slopes, under
a blazing sun, swept a pageant of ski-ing from
1905 to 1955, and the remarkable thing was that
the costumes and equipment were entirely
authentic. Unlike previous shows of this kind
held elsewhere, Ernst Gertsch and his helpers had
refused to allow 1905 skiers to use 1955 boots or
bindings. In fact the authenticity was such that
even the "body" on the Ambulance Luge had
been snatched from the clinic and really had a
broken leg!
The early types were perhaps the most fascinating.
The 1905 Swiss Army uniform had a
vaguely Salvational look whereas the 1955
soldiers, in their white overalls, seemed to have
come straight from the Operating Theatre. Also
one has only to look at the photographs on our
centre pages to be charmed by the 1905 Swiss
ladies mounted on barrel staves.
The D.H.O. put on a 1925 Party, which performed
creditably in Huitfeldt bindings, and a
1955 Party divided into Racing and Glacier
Touring sections.
The 1955 exhibits included three avalanche
dogs and when we met one of their handlers in the
Eiger he astonished us by saying that their
record for detecting bodies in an avalanche was
5.60 metres (over 21
feet). Our comment
was that the body
in question must
have been one of
those whose best
friends won't tell
them.
I
W
E were only in Wengen for a brief fortnight
last season but we carried back several
memories. One was of a stout German lady
poised at the top of the Bumps during the Sunday
rush and saying lugubriously to her companion
"Too few snows; too much peoples!" Then
there was the character in the Schoenegg bar who,
when ordering another drink, said: "I think I'll
have this one on tick, Freda", whereupon Freda
replied tactfully: "I'm sorry, but I think he left
last night". After that we recall the predicament
of Bertie Rowell when the zip-fastener on the
pocket containing his season-ticket jammed. He
was removed from the train at Wengernalp and
when last seen was pinned to the floor of the
Wartsaal by the W.A.B. staff, who were taking
him to pieces with tools borrowed from the
engine driver.
Our last story is about a D.H.O. member who,
for purposes of this narrative, we will call Smith.
It seems that Smith was of the opinion that Karl
Molitor's small boy should become acquainted
with the national sports of all countries, and so
he decided to make him a present of a football.
He therefore went round to Hamages and
selected a nice large one. Rejecting offers to
deflate and parcel it, he bounced it proudly back
to his flat for Mrs. Smith to admire and then
instructed her to pack it in their luggage.
The scene now
shifts to a Wagon
Lit where Smith,
finding himself
short of a dressing
gown, reproached
his wife for inefficient
packing. She
replied : "How
could I put everything
in when that
damned football
took up all the
room?" K*§
THE PRESIDENT'S REVIEW
T is pleasant to be able to record that the 1954-55 Season was one of the most successful in the
history of the Club. The total number of Members, excluding the Coggins Section (45), jumped
to 811, an increase of 83 over the previous year. The present figure is an all time record.
Several Members of the D.H.O. excelled themselves in important races during the season, the
outstanding performances being the winning of the British Championship by Nigel Gardner, and the
Army and Inter-Services Championships by Charlach Mackintosh. The latter, together with Michael
Hankey, were awarded the coveted D.H.O. Gold Badge. It is interesting to note that there are only
twelve holders of this Badge in the world and that four of the twelve are members of the Mackintosh
family—a truly remarkable performance. But then they are a remarkable family.
The Coggins Section, which is under the supervision of at least two senior members of the
Committee, goes from strength to strength. Judging by the number of parents who have written
praising our system of training and of interesting the young hopefuls, it looks as if this scheme has
been the cause of a number of additional people coming to Wengen.
Our relationship with Wengen and its most efficient Kurverein have, as always, been most cordial.
In no centre in Switzerland is the local British Club given so much willing assistance.
Your Committee will continue to do their utmost to serve the interests of Wengen in general and
the D.H.O. in particular. A. A. JARVIS.
Vas/s Fifteen