120
2 Chris#
Newsletter of Old Boys & Friends of 70
th
London BB Company
REFLECTIONS
Making it happen
Making it happenMaking it happen
Making it happen
Welcome to the 4
th
Edition of Reflections, our
twice-
yearly Newsletter for Old Boys and Friends of
70
th
London BB Company.
Over the past couple of years or so we have been
trying to raise the quality and frequency of
communication between OB’s. To this end four
OB’s: Dave Richardson; Alan Rance; Keit
h Holbrook;
set about the task. They are in regular touch with
each other and other OB’s, exchanging ideas on
how best to ‘make things happen’.
role, two members are more specialised. Dave acts
as a ‘nominal Chairman’ as well as maintaining the
OB’s contact list, looking after the funds; and
overseeing the
printing and distribution of
Chris joined the 70
th
London in 1982 as a Lieutenant
after
the closure of the 79th London. He succeeded Neil
Pheasant as captain in 1984 and then served as such until
2010, a period of 26 years. In the 102 years of the history
of the 70
th
, only one other captain, the first, William
Cotsell, served longer!
Chris not only presided successfully over many
challenging times in this period to keep the company
going, but was instrumental in bringing great glories to
the company. Cups and shields were won, not only at the
District and Battalion level but also on the National BB
scene. Even international acclaim was forthcoming via
the very talented ‘Kool Drummings’ the company’s steel
band
Those who served under Chris reckon him to be a natural
leader of boys and men….leading in a benevolent but
determined way that produced strong feelings of respect
and loyalty.
How Chris managed to find the time to Captain the 70
th
,
serve as a church deacon, hold down the Director of
Finance post with the Wandsworth London BC, and be a
dedicated family man…. we find truly amazing
!
Chris Buss…
Chris Buss… Chris Buss…
Chris Buss…
‘an Absolute Legend!’
‘an Absolute Legend!’‘an Absolute Legend!’
‘an Absolute Legend!’
Reflections
. Alan has the task of editing and
producing
Reflections
every 6 months.
On the money side, we have existed thus far on a
combination of contributions from OB’s & their
friends and 70
th
Company funds set aside to support
OB’s activities. Expenditure solely covers the cost
of printing and distributing
Reflections
, occasional
deserved gifts [e.g. for Chris Buss on his
retirement] and covering any outlay for our now
‘every two year’ Reunions.
These arrangements seem to have worked fine to
date…but any comments/ideas from anyone
on how we might care to do things
differently would be most welcome.
Just let any of the gang of 4’ know!
Edition
4
October 2010
Many of the boys and officers who served under Chris
have acknowledged how he had changed their lives. A
few of these ‘experiences’ are covered overleaf.
As one OB:
Erryck Prince Onyemachi
so aptly
summed up Chris and his time in the 70
th….
an
Absolute Legend
!
• From Dylan Davies……
From Dylan Davies……From Dylan Davies……
From Dylan Davies……
One of my fondest memories of Mr Buss was perhaps my first camp where, like any other 11-year-old who'd never been away
from home before; I was overwhelmed by the experience. At times the homesickness was so much I would isolate myself to hide
my sorrow and inadequacy. I remember Mr Buss picking up on this on the second or third day as I sat by myself in the Marquee.
He came over to me and spoke to me in a manner that did two things for me. First, it dissolved my perception of him as the
unapproachable Captain to be feared and obeyed, and second, he left me feeling that I might actually belong there, which was
perhaps the main source of my grief.
“I don't think I ever looked back since that day as far as my time with the 70th was concerned. For that
and many other similar instances a debt of gratitude is owed to Mr Buss.”
• From Jason Hall, Nathan Asare and Stephen Rock……
From Jason Hall, Nathan Asare and Stephen Rock…… From Jason Hall, Nathan Asare and Stephen Rock……
From Jason Hall, Nathan Asare and Stephen Rock……
Based on a weekend when we were doing an expedition and shortly after Mr C Buss passed his driving test.
Others mentioned are Jabu Siphika and Michael Scott (the fourth member).
Captain's Log 23453
-
somewhere in the Surrey Countryside
Once upon a time, four young men decided to venture into the unknown. They had been previously under the wing of
commanding officer Jabu, who's expert map reading skills kept these young men climbing up and down country hills (as well as
mistaking a water ditch for a pathway).
While on board the GBM (Green Bridge Minibus) these young men were dropped off in the unknown by Captain C Buss, who had
just passed his driving test
. They were given a checkpoint and set off on their way.
Bravely battling through stinging nettles and electrically charged fences, Staff Member Asare spotted far away, in the abyss,
what looked like a vehicle on its roof. 'Look guys' said Asare 'some idiot has had an accident'.
We decided to investigate…As we moved in closer we noticed that the vehicle's colour had a resemblance to the GBM. We
decided to move in closer…at this time we were approximately 400 meters away and could see that it was a minibus or van of
some sort. Refusing to put the obvious together, Staff member Scott said 'wow that looks just like the GBM', we moved in even
closer. Once we were within 50 metres we saw that this was in fact the GBM!
No C Buss in sight, however there was a police officer on the scene. 'Are you the 70th London Boys' said the officer. 'Yes' we all
replied. 'Your Captain has had an accident but is OK. 30 minute
s later Mr Buss turned up in a police car unharmed (Praise God). 'I
am guilty officer' he joked.
A replacement GBM was dispatched within 24 hours and the young men eventually finished their venture. From this point on
everyone always asked who would be doing the driving when we went away!
“We would like thank Mr Buss for everything he has done for us, it will never be forgotten!”
Fond Memories of Chris Buss’s Captaincy……..
Fond Memories of Chris Buss’s Captaincy……..Fond Memories of Chris Buss’s Captaincy……..
Fond Memories of Chris Buss’s Captaincy……..
REFLECTIONS
REFLECTIONS
Page 2
•
From Jim Ballard....
From Jim Ballard....From Jim Ballard....
From Jim Ballard....
Chris did everything for the boys up here. He organised all the camps and the displays, he organised football, cricket... We went
everywhere, Scotland, the Isle of Wight, all over the place... At camp, the swimming, bowling, rock climbing, he organised
everything... Chris was good at getting money for the boys for football equipment and other stuff... when we got boys from the
Mitcham area he started on Morden Council!...
"None of the boys or anyone else would fault Chris on anything.... He did everything for the Church and
everything for the boys and that was it..."
Jim was an officer in the 70th during the period that Chris was Captain. Jim and Barry Green were the sole supporting officers for
the last 11 years of the Company. We would like to thank Jim for background information on Chris used in this edition.
REFLECTIONS
Page 3
Brian Prichard
Brian PrichardBrian Prichard
Brian Prichard
1924-2010
.
Brian had not been a member of the BB as a boy
and only came into contact when his two sons
joined the 37
th
London Company that was part of
Trinity Rd chapel in the early 1970’s. He became
involved in the BB when the 37th camp was short of
a Medical Officer and he was asked if he fancied
doing the job [which he then continued to do
without fail every year] firstly with the 37th and
latterly with the 70th. In fact the last thing he
would ask at the end of each camp was the date of
the next one to ensure that his busy professional
diary was kept clear for that week.
Brian, being himself, meant that he took the remit
of Medical Officer in its widest sense to include a
long health warning at the start of camp, starting as
an ‘ABC’ and ending up as a ‘ABCDEF’ by 2005! This
covered modifying the camp menu by abolishing
such things as evaporated milk and introducing
pilchards and ensuring plenty of exercise. The
latter could include the cross-country run,
something he did even up to his 70
th
birthday.
Hundreds of boys will have enjoyed or endured
what was supposed to be the pleasant Sunday
evening stroll, later to become Prof’s walk.
Depending on the year and site this invariably
involved either walking up non existent paths, up
cliff faces, walking waist deep through an incoming
tide with the small boys being balanced on staff
shoulders to avoid total immersion, or walking
through thick undergrowth which would normally
need a machete! The undergrowth would be cleared
by Brian with his trademark shorts, sandals, short
sleeved shirt and always with the cine-camera or
videocam in hand.
Brian also took a firm view on discipline, (more
than once he referred to Margaret Thatcher as a
dangerous liberal) and it was not unknown for him
to threaten and then carry out the threat of extra
orderlies for the smallest misdemeanour. However,
he also had a strong sense of justice. On one
infamous occasion four senior boys were caught
red-handed with alcoholic drinks on
an authorised
night out. Brian suggested that it was not totally
their fault, as the staff shouldn’t have let them
near temptation. So instead of the normal
punishment for this offence which was catching the
first train home, he suggested that they be given
the option of three days ‘confined to camp’ with
one hour a day lectures by him on the effects of
alcohol, complete with a test. The boys chose the
latter but probably in retrospect would have
preferred the former!
Outside of his time as BB camp Medical Officer,
Brian led an incredibly busy life as a Professor of
Medicine of
international repute, over 40 years as a
councillor on Wandsworth Council, as well as his
devotion to his family and church.
Brian was a man who once met would never be
forgotten, definitely not by those officers and boys
in the 70
th
who camped with him b
etween 1980 and
2005.
Chris Buss
Brian, being himself, meant that he
took the remit of Medical Officer in its
widest sense to include a long health
warning at the start of camp, starting
as an ‘ABC’ in 1980 and ending up as a
‘ABCDEF’ by 2005!