From "Keep Laughing with Air Ada" by R. W. Norman
Published in aid of St John Ambulance Motor Ambulance Appeal
Be Prepared
Just over thirty years ago.
When scouting was in infancy
A local troop first blossomed forth,
Conducted by the late "F.E."
We revelled in the arts and crafts
of scouthood with a youthful zeal.
And honoured is the band on which
The British boy has set his seal.
Spare time — school time as well — was spent
In study of the scouting lore.
We made flags white and blue-striped too.
To practise Morse and semaphore
Our pockets bulged with lengths of cord
(whilst household blinds all came to grief)
To tie a multitude of knots —
The sheepshank, clove-hitch and the reef.
Pedestrians in Station-road
Oft heard the calls of Fox and Bear,
The hooting owl, the roaring Lion,
As loud patrol calls split the air;
And through the long unblacked-out night
Our dreams would happy pictures weave
Of two tape strips upon our chest -
A dozen badges on each sleeve.
But keeping pace with Father Time
The modern scout researches share
Not only signals, knots, but now
Applied mechanics of the air.
The older lads, with tireless zest,
Have formed among themselves a group
To understudy A.T.C.
And call themselves the Air Scout Troop.
And soon (in theory) they'll speed
On trackless paths beneath the stars
They'll talk of camber, slotted wings,
Of clocks and props and rudder bars;
Of wind resistance, ceiling deck,
And pancakes (not Shrove Tuesday kind)
And engine housing ailerons
The magic skill of flying blind
So laddies of the A.S.T.
We'd like to wish you all the best
And hope in days to come we'll see
You've all passed through Air Scout test.
Yet, more than that you will have shown
That by your efforts you have shared
The wisdom of the mighty phrase
The Boy Scout motto - "Be Prepared"
