11th World Jamboree 1963

Monday 29th July - Saturday 17th August 1963

 

Alan Conway was the sole 70th representative at the World Jamboree held at Marathon Plain in Greece during 1963 and attended by 17,300 Scouts. 70th Scouts had previously been to the World Jamboree held at Sutton Coldfield in 1957, but Alan was the first 70th Scout to attend a World Jamboree on foreign soil. The year 1963 was a particularly special one for Alan as he was promoted to PL of the Seal Patrol and received the certificate for his Queen's Scout Badge from the Chief Commissioner of Scotland at a special camp held in the grounds of Erskine Hospital. Alan was also the first 70th Scout to gain a proficiency badge for piping, and he was a member of the Scottish contingent's Pipe Band at the World Jamboree that played at the large Scout Display put on at the Panathenian Stadium in Athens. The band also played to King Paul at a grand march past at the Jamboree site, as well as at an Arena Show as part of the Jamboree programme.

The official dates of the Jamboree were 1st-11th August, but once the Jamboree was over, Alan and the rest of the Scottish contingent spent four days visiting various sites, including Athens, the Corinth Canal, Delphi and Apollo's Temple, Mycenae and Agammenon’s tomb, Nafplion and a Crusader-built castle, Epidhavros, Piraeus and Aegina.

The total cost of the particpating in the Jamboree was £80, with the Troop contributing £25 towards that. In today's money (2022), £80 would be the equivalent of almost £2000.

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More information on the 11th World Jamboree can be found at https://www.marathon1963.com

 

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