The leadership in both Team and Company showed some changes over the next few years, the Team having rather more changes than the Company: In 1953 Mr. Jim Kennedy and Mr. Allen Fraser were appointed as Lieutenants to assist Mr. Ivan Clark. Mr King having resigned from the Team, Messers Clark, and R. J. Hunter, and Misses Burnett and E. Quartermain assumed responsibility for the Junior Reserve.
Transfers to the Company and recruiting in both groups brought numbers to 28 in the Company and 20 in the Team. A gymnastics class on Tuesday nights attracted good numbers, and raised the standard of the gymnastics by an appreciable amount.
The period of Mr. I. E. Clark's Captaincy was marked by a number of trips undertaken by various Company members.
The first of these big events was the Founder's Centenary Camp in 1954. Mr Clark joined a group of BB members from all over New Zealand who travelled to the camp. In al, over 100 New Zealands attended the camp, which was held on the grounds of Eaton College, England. At this, as at all other gatherings of this type, many friends were made, and the exchanging of ideas and experiences made the time memorable indeed. Numerous souvineers collected during the sea voyage to and from Britain were of great interest to the Boys on Mr Clark's return.
The first of these big events was the Founder's Centenary Camp in 1954. Mr Clark joined a group of BB members from all over New Zealand who travelled to the camp. In al, over 100 New Zealand’s attended the camp, which was held on the grounds of Eaton College, England. At this, as at all other gatherings of this type, many friends were made, and the exchanging of ideas and experiences made the time memorable indeed. Numerous souvenirs collected during the sea voyage to and from Britain were of great interest to the Boys on Mr Clark's return.
While Mr. Clark was away, Mr J. L. Bush and Mr. Russell Thomas supervised the Company work, assisting Mr. J. L. Kennedy. The Company closed early in 1954, but again the following year the programme of badge work continued. Many awards were gained, and these were presented at the Display at the close of 1955.
At Labour Weekend 1955 the first of many weekend camps were held. The Company had purchased a considerable amount of equipment, including 2 new tents, and these were put to good use this weekend and many weekends to follow. Glentui Bush was the venue for the camp, and 18 Boys with 2 Officers spent an exciting three days at the beautiful campsite.
The second big journey began on December 26, 1955, when 17 Boys, with Mr Clark in charge left Lyttleton in the interisland ferry for the North Island.
The first stop was Foxton, ten days being spent at the Manawatu Battalion’s Camp at Foxton Beach. One delight of the time there was the defeat of North by South on a rutted, unmown, sheep-inhabited paddock hopefully named ‘Lancaster Park’. January 4 was the day for another move – this time to a campsite beside Lake Rotoma, near Rotorua, and sunbathing before the long journey back home.
It was indeed a tired but happy group which arrived back in Christchurch on January 11.
The next two sessions were ones of regular work, activity, and fellowship. Numbers in the Company remained about 25, with three Old-Boys, Warren Fulford, Irvine Carney, and Neil Hutchinson becoming leaders. B.B. Week in 1957 raised a record 76 pounds breaking precious Company records. Labour Weekend camps, which were now an accepted programme and the Battalion Camps at Waipara, were well attended.
The Display in 1957, which was combined with that of the Girl’s Brigade Company, attracted a large crowd of friends and parents. The Parade was inspected by Rev. W. M. Hendrie, the Moderator of Presbytery. A special feature of the evening was the presentation of two Queen’s Badges, the first in the history of the Company. The only similar award had been the King’s Badge, presented to Allen Fraser some year’s before. The Company Chaplain, Rev. Francis, in presenting the Badges to Corporal Malcolm Gray and Corporal Michael Mason, mentioned that this Award is the highest obtainable in the BB.
The third Camping event of the period was the camps held at Christmas 1957, when a group of 14 Boys and 2 Officers attended the 75th Anniversary National Camp at Ardmore. Over 1800 Boys, including visitors from Australia, Singapore, and the Pacific attended the Camp, held on the airfield and Teacher’s College grounds at Ardmore. Several of the Company members made contact with Boys from other countries, and later their friendships by mail. At the conclusion of this ten-day camp the Boys from our own Company made another week’s camp at a site near the Chateau Tongariro, in Tongariro National Park. By sleeping everyone in the same tent, it was only the unfortunate people at the ends of the tent who felt most keenly the effects of the snow lying on the ground nearby! A group of seniors managed to climb to the top of Mt Ruapehu and descend into the crater to see the bubbling crater lake. All the Boys visited places of local interest before heading back home.
With the 1958 roll at about 21, and with the assistance of Mr. Allen Fraser and Mr. Graeme Fulford, a full training programme was undertaken, at Officer, NCO, and Boy level. The efficiency of the Company improved steadily as the programme took effect, and the 1958 and 1959 were among the busiest the Company had embarked upon.
A highlight of the 75th Anniversary Year was a Battalion Field Day at English Park in perfect weather on Saturday 13th December, 1958. Tent pitching, seamaphore, bugling, cycling, and gymnastics were but a few of the days events. The field day was declared open by Mr. S. E. Barnes, United Kingdom Training Officer, who brought greetings from BB in the U>K>, and commended the Battalion on the climax of the day, a trooping of the Colour Ceremony. This was being performed outside the U.K. for the first time.
Immediately after the ceremony, the Queen’s Badge was presented by Mr. Barnes to eleven Boys from the Battalion. Among these were Corporal Ian Greig, of the 6th Christchurch, one of the Boys who had attended the first Life Boy meeting in 1948.
The Display at the end of 1958 was inspected by Mr. J. L. Bush, the Battalion President, Mr Bush remarked that there was probably no Company in the Battalion with a higher percentage of Senior Boys. Two discharge certificates were presented at the same function.
Camping proved as popular as ever, 16 Boys camping at Teviotdale Bridge, near Amberley, for three days in 1958 and 1959, and good numbers attending Waipara each year.
The work put in by Officers and Boys was bearing obvious fruit. The roll had increased to 32 by 1959, and yet another Queen’s Badge was won, this by Sgt Barry Marshall. The Badge was presented at the 1959 Display, and the Chaplain presented five Boys with their Discharge Certificates.
The large number of discharges at the end of 1959 resulted in a small roll to begin the 1960 session, but a recruiting campaign launched by Mr. Clark, assisted by Mike Mason, Malcolm Gray and Ian Greig, all now Lieutenants, gave a boost to numbers.
Mr. Clark found it necessary to resign from the Company in August of 1960, and Mr. Malcolm Gray was appointed, he was undertaking a degree course at the University of Canterbury. His father Mr. K. J. M. Gray, was also appointed to assist in the Company as Lieutenant. The roll at the time was 18, a considerable drop from the previous year’s near record numbers.
At a farewell function held at Mr. and Mrs. K. J. M. Gray’s home in September, a presentation was made to Mr. Clark from the Boy’s of the Company, and the Church, in recognition of the many years of faithful and devoted service he had given to the Team and Company.
The Annual Display of 1960 was inspected by one of the members of St. Paul’s, Police Superintendent E. J. C. Hay. Mrs Hay presented L/Cpl Keith Hadley with his NCO Proficiency Certificate.
