Gozo’s Victoria Scout Group was officially inaugurated 50 years ago this month. Its leaders can look back with pride on the massive contribution they have made over the years to the education of many of Victoria’s children, and the community in general, through regular meetings, hikes and walks, and long camping adventures.

Together with Mr Anthony Gatt and Mr Joseph Grech, I was an active founder member of this energetic group, now led by Scout Leader Lorrie Saliba.

 

The roots

At the age of eight or nine I started to attend Catechism lessons at the Salesian Oratory, in St Augustine’s Square (also known as Tomb Square), in Victoria, then run by Salesian Fathers Joseph Borg, Joseph Mangion (both from Malta), and Louis Mizzi, the director, who hailed from Gharb, Gozo.

St John Bosco’s Oratory was a religious educational centre … boys of all ages used to attend daily, in the evenings, first spending time playing football, a game we called ‘rounders’, and other games in the grounds which were once a cemetery, and youths and men used to give a helping hand and hold religion classes, before ending the evening with a visit to the chapel to listen to stories from the lives of St Dominic Savio and St John Bosco. There we used to sing hymns and receive sacramental benediction.

In that ground, after a rainfall, we involuntarily used to soil ourselves and I remember my mother scolding me for playing in the soil from which, sometimes, human bones would protrude.

Fr Mizzi was a very good director, and scriptwriter of plays, such as a Passion play based on the Gospel narrative, in which most of the boys and young men attending the Oratory were offered parts. It used to be performed on the Sundays leading up to Easter. The ever-smiling Fr Mangion, among other things, used to take care of the altar boys’ group, which at one time included my brothers Anton and Giovanni, and myself; we used to help in the chapel services and take part in the annual procession of Corpus Christi in Ghasri.

 

The Salesian Boy Scouts

On the other hand, the uncompromising Fr Borg was responsible for the Salesian Boy Scouts. He was a perfect leader and every Cub, Scout, and Senior Scout had to obey Baden Powell’s rules. All three of us brothers, belonged to this group, then the only Scouts group in Gozo.

I still remember when Queen Elizabeth II visited Gozo in May 1954, and the Scouts were asked to perform certain duties wherever she visited; I was placed on the steps of the Bishop’s Palace, in Victoria, and a photographer ‘immortalised’ me looking up at the Queen while she was coming down those steps after her calling on the Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Giuseppe Pace.

Under the guidance of Fr Borg, and the priests who replaced him in later years, among them Fr Anthony Camilleri, SDB, we learned various educational disciplines, striving to earn proficiency badges in our headquarters, first in the old chapel in the Oratory grounds and later in a large hall in the spacious building which housed a chapel, several classrooms, and a large theatre.

We used to enjoy walks, day- and night-hikes, singing sitting around bonfires, and long camping adventures, together with other children in Xlendi, Marsalforn, Dwejra, and Wied il-Mielah under the care of hard-working and dedicated leader, Group Scout Master Joseph Grech – later nicknamed ‘Skip’. We also had a band group. Meetings were held at headquarters every week. And, besides great Christmas parties, frequent investitures for Cubs going up to Scouts, Scouts up to Senior Scouts, and Senior Scouts up to Rover Scouts were held.

Things changed when Fr Joseph Fenech, SDB, arrived, and was put in charge of the Scout Group. He was previously spiritual director of the Salesian Boys’ Brigade of Sliema. His fervour for the Brigade must have been innate and he tried to change the Salesian Boy Scouts’ group into another Boys’ Brigade.

Naturally, he was faced with great opposition which might have not been, perhaps, understood, then. Besides, the group was told that only one camping adventure a year could be held, be that a one-night camp by one Scout, or a week-long camp by the whole group. Mr Grech (Skip), Tony Gatt (then a Rover Scout), and I (then Rover Scout Leader) were shown the recently adopted written rule by the director of St Patrick’s in Sliema at a special meeting. No reason for this ‘edict’ was forthcoming; perhaps shortage of Salesian fathers was the case. This was the beginning of the search for the establishment of a new independent Scout Group … the Victoria Scout Group.

Luckily for the Victoria Scouts, the authorities of the Malta Boy Scouts Association were against the restriction of camping. On April 2, 1963, Scout Master Joseph Grech and Senior Scout Leader Carmel Farrugia were officially informed by the Island Scout Commissioner himself, Lt. Col. J.V. Abela, that he wanted the Victoria Scout Group to be set up. Thereupon, preparations started … not without problems, among them that of finding suitable headquarters.

Premises were offered by then Commissioner for Gozo, Mr H. Fiteni. However, Georgia Grech, Skip’s mother, offered a house of character with a large garden at the back, in Ghajn Qatet Street, in Victoria, to be used by the group, rent-free. The place was cleaned up and preparatory meetings were held there.

 

A new Scout Group is born

The first public appearance of the Victoria Scout Group was on Maundy Thursday, April 11, 1963. Members in plain clothes – uniforms were not yet available – together with Group chaplain Fr Albert Curmi, visited the Seven Altars of Repose. After this, one day- and two night-hikes were organised.

On July 6, 1963, two Rover Squires, Anthony Gatt and George Grech, were invested in a ceremony at 10 p.m., after an hour’s vigil, and a concluding Mass celebrated the next morning. Both ceremonies were held in St Francis’ church in Victoria.

The official inauguration of the Victoria Scout Group was to take place on Saturday, July 13, 1963 … 50 years ago. Bishop Pace was to bless the headquarters, which were to be officially opened by the Hon. George Galea, a Gozitan Nationalist Member of the Legislative Assembly, in the presence of Anton Vassallo, Assistant District Commissioner for Gozo.

 

A sudden death

However, in the first week of July we were shocked to learn that the Hon. Mr Galea had died suddenly of a heart attack. The group – for the first time in a new uniform – participated in the funeral cortege and Mass praesente cadavere in St George’s Basilica in Victoria.

 I was Assistant Rover Scout Leader at the time and I used to keep a diary which I used to illustrate with my own drawings, photos, and even autographs of friends and VIPs.

 

The official establishment of the Victoria Scout Group

On the occasion of the official inauguration of the Victoria Scout Group, on Saturday 13 July 1963, in this diary I jotted down the following account of the ceremony:

“At 1700, His Lordship arrived. Soon after he was accompanied by Anthony Vassallo, Assistant District Commissioner (ADC) for Gozo, the Group Chaplain, Fr Albert Curmi, and Acting Group Scout Master (a/GSM) Joseph Grech inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Scouts of the Victoria Scout Group together with contingents of the Lyceum (Gozo) (Group) and the Sliema Group (led by the veteran Scoutmaster Edward Tortell).

“In a short welcoming speech the a/GSM welcomed the distinguished guests and explained the aims of the Victoria Scout Group. He concluded by inviting the ADC to cut the tape and His Lordship Mgr Giuseppe Pace to bless the premises.

 “With the cutting of the tape and the blessing of the premises over, the guests were seated once again and the Group Chaplain, Fr Albert Curmi, explained the aims of the Scouts’ Movement.

‘Then came the display by the Rover Scouts, which consisted of saving an unconscious person from a building on fire.

“As soon as smoke was seen coming out from the Rovers’ Den window, the Assistant Rover Scout Leader hurried to the place. A rope was thrown down for Rover Squires George Gatt and Paul Cini to climb up to help. Soon the casualty, Rover Scout Ignatius Saliba (brother of the present Scout Leader Lorrie Saliba) was seen being lowered down while the rest of the crew helped in bandaging and carrying the casualty.

“The display was very well executed and appreciated by all present.

“Refreshments were then served.

“At the end, then, His Lordship delivered a very encouraging speech and concluded by blessing a small statue of the Virgin Mary.

“At 2000 hours a camp fire was held to conclude the official inauguration ceremony.”

 

The way forward

In the very first year of the Group’s life various activities were held and there was frequent participation in ceremonies. A stencilled newsletter (today designed and printed professionally) was produced. The Victoria Scouts provided a guard of honour for the Governor, Sir Maurice Dorman, at the Villa Rundle Santa Marija Agricultural Show, three Rover Scouts’ made a 15-day tour of Sicily, there were Christmas activities, and, in February 1964, the Commonwealth’s Chief Scout Sir Charles Maclean, paid an official visit to the Victoria Scout Group.

The Victoria Scout Group later purchased a building which they have turned into wonderful headquarters. The organisation has been kept alive and active.

In the editorial of the latest issue of The Victoria Scout Group News Sheet (no. 181), Group Scout Leader Lorrie Saliba speaks of this “golden anniversary” year and gives details of the programme of activities celebrating this event.

Clearly, the Victoria Scout Group has come of age and is doing well.