The 26th in the 1980’s
The 1980’s was a decade with lots of events and happenings in the 26th. Along with the normal weekly activities and Battalion events, the following is a look at some of the main events of the decade.
Joint JS/CS Closing Displays were held each year with a variety of Inspecting Officers such as the Governor of Glenochil Detention Centre, the Rector of Lornshill Academy, our Founding Captain, the Captains of Dollar and Alva BB, and a Battalion Vice-President.
We hosted visits by F5 Company of FDF (The Danish equivalent of BB) on three occasions (1980/1984 and 1989) and our Camps were held each year, in Denmark, Anstruther, Carnoustie, North Berwick, Montrose, Leven and Stonehaven. In 1981 we travelled to the FDF National Camp at Julso in Jutland where we camped along with 13,000 others from across Europe ! We also visited F5 in 1985 and 1990, both in camp at Hald So and in Copenhagen.
1983 was the Centenary Year of The Boys’ Brigade, and we were involved in a number of events associated with that. We attended Ibrox Stadium for the main Centenary Celebrations in August ; on 4th October we met in the Church Hall for a Celebratory Meeting with a special cake and signed a Loyal Greeting to our Patron, HM The Queen ; and on 8th October we held a Celebratory Gathering in the Church Hall for members, former members and parents. Also that year we held our first ever Junior Section Camp, to Baillefuille near Strathyre.
In 1984 our Company Section boys won the Battalion Senior and Overall Cross Country Championship. Also in 1984 Mr Imrie joined the staff of the Company, and soon set about establishing a Bugle Band. This became very popular and over the next few years from 1985 the band took part in the National Band Competition, and led parades for various local Galas as well as our Battalion Church Parades.
Boys from the Company took part in the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Message Relay in 1986, and in 1989 we hosted a ‘McDane’ Camp, when F5 were our guests at North Berwick.
If you have a 26th memory from these years, why not share it with us ? We’d love to hear from you.
Check out our previous posts for Toys and Gadgets of the 80’s.