Over the next few years the Company continued to grow steadily. Activity within the Company were varied, and well supported. A concert planned for September 1946 proved most successful. Mr Lilly, the Church Organist, provided half the items and the Brigades the other half. As a result of the success of the concert, the Boys were able to send a donation of $2 towards the new campsite at Waipara to the Canterbury Battalion. Two important functions during that year were the Church parade, held on Youth Sunday 13th October and the combined closing function in December, and at which a number of awards won during the year were presented. During the winter of 1946 lighting restrictions disrupted the work of the Company on the normal Friday night meetings that alternative Parade times had to be arranged. It was only by arranging Saturday morning parades that continuity of work could be maintained. Frosty Saturday morning parades certainly tested the enthusiasm of the Company members! 1947 a Year of firsts. It was during this year that the first uniform parades were held, and the BB Week Appeal was participated in for the first time. The total amount raised was small by later standard, but it represented a good effort by the new Company. Half of the $11.56 raised was sent to Dominion Headquarters. The Company took part in various Battalion events, managing to get into the finals of the Inter-Company Games competition, where they were placed Runner-ups. It was about this time that the foundation members of the Company were moving out into other areas of service within the Church. Their training in the Company had been designed with this end in view, and the example of these Senior Boys set a standard for the younger members of the Company to follow. In 1948 the Company was mainly a Junior group, ably lead by Mr Dick Yates, and with him Norman Fraser, one of the original members, and first NCO's. Probably the most important event of this year was the formation of an active Life Boy Team. This was something that had been looked forward to for several years, and was going to have a lasting effect on the recruitment for the Company. The first meeting of the Team was held in the Church Hall on Thursday 30th September 1948, seven Boys being present, Rev. Francis, the Chaplain, led the new team in prayer, and Mr Jim McKenzie and Mr Ivan Clark conducted the games. These two men were to be the first Leaders in the Team. By the end of the year the roll had grown to a healthy 18, with Mr Clark as Leader-in-charge. Since that first parade there has been a steady flow of Boys from the Team to the Company. Several of the Leaders in both sections of the Movement in later years themselves went through the Life Boy Team and the Company. One of the Foundation members of the Team was Ian A. Greig, who transferred to the Company on reaching the Life Boy age limit, went on to gain his Queen's Badge, and on his discharge from the Company continued his association as an Officer in the Company. He later transferred to the Team, and for a period was the Leader-in-charge. Pressure of work in 1966 forced him to resign from the Movement after eighteen years connection with the 6th. Another ex Life Boy of the following year, Malcolm J. Gray, later became Captain of the Company. Many other ex-members of the Team and Company have served our Movement faithfully and well over the years. The end of 1948 found Mr Yates resigning from the Captaincy of the growing Company, and Mr J. R. McKenzie took over the administration. Since the days before the Company was registered some of the Boys had attended the Canterbury Battalion Camp at Waipara over the Christmas, New Year period, and the 1948-49 Camp was attended by twelve Boys of the Company. Under Mr H. A. Allchurch as leader-in-charge assisted by Mr I. Clark and Miss Helen and Miss Margaret Francis, the Team grew rapidly, and was registered in February 1949. A very full programme was undertaken. A trip to Ashburton for a Games Competition and a picture evening drew large crowds. The enthusiastic team promised well for a good flow of trained recruits into the Company. Before the end of their first year the Team members began wearing their Uniforms. This gave a smart appearance to the Boys on Parade, and was a great aid in recruiting. The end of 1949 saw the Team roll at close to thirty active members. An exciting meeting was held on 15th October 1949 - the Teams First Birthday. During the evening the Boys gave demonstrations of the work they had been doing during the year. At the end of the year it was necessary for Mr McKenzie to resign from his position as he was being transferred to the country, but the Company was fortunate in obtaining the services of Mr Stan Dunn. Mr Dunn had had experience in The Boys' Brigade in Ireland, and brought with him a wealth of new ideas. |
Founder Sir W. A. Smith |
6 Steady Growth |
New page: 31/7/01
