Uniforms at Eleventh World Boy Scout Jamboree: Greece

Figure 1.--.

In the Jamboree, that was organized in Greece for the first time in the middle of August of 1963 at Skinias near Marathon, Attica, 14,000 Boy Scouts from 85 countries of the world participated. On the occasion of this grand event, more than 30,000 visitors from all over the world and more than 300 foreign journalists and reporters visited our country.

The Jamboree's campsite took up approximately 5,000 sq. meters of Skinias, at Marathon Bay, about 26 kilometers away from Athens. The camp stretched just beside the 3 kilometer-long, pine-clad sandy coast. This peaceful and picturesque campsite was once a famous battlefield. In the year 490 b.C. a great battle for freedom and high ideals took place. After the end of the battle, an Athenian soldier, Phidippides, run to Athens, still wearing his armor, to announce the victory of his city. As soon as he arrived at the city gates he shouted "Íenikikamen!" (We have won!) and fell dead, exhausted from the fatigue. It was in honor of this intrepid courrier that the Marathon Race was instituted at the First Modern Olympic Games at Athens, in 1896, and is carried out in all Olympic Games ever since. In this same site, Scouts of the World gathered in the summer of 1963 for peace and high ideals.

On the second day of the Jamboree, the Mayor of Athens proclaimed its opening to the whole world. He did so as part of another ceremony harking back to the Golden Age of Greece. In 490 b.C., after the great battle of Marathon.

The Jamboree was divided in 11 sub-camps in each of which approximately 1,200 Boy Scouts and their leaders had camped. Each subcamp was bearing the name of one of the tribes of Athenians and Plataieis that had fought in Marathon. Another 5 camps housed the members of the Administrations, the work force and the technical personnel. The Jamboree's facilities included a post-office, telecommunications, water and light supply systems. A total of 20 kilometers of roads were constructed in the camp. There were refreshment stands, a 20,000-seat amphitheater, the "Place des Nations", Exposition sites, restaurants for the Administrative Personnel (Boy Scouts cooked their own food of course) and the Greek Village, a site full of characteristic insular, lowland and highland sights of Greece. At the Greek Village, the Greek activities and the Greek lifestyle were intensively brought forth by means of optic, gastronomic and recreation surprises.

A wide variety of special events marked the Jamboree. A wreath is laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Address exchanges were common sights since the first day. Successful participation in the Wide Game as recorded as it qualified toward the Daphne Award. On Sea Scouts Day there was a regatta, and much ... splashing about in the water. On Air Scouts Day models were displayed and flown and the camp's tame helicopter gave a demostration of rescue from the sea. One day the Cubs came, hundrends of them from packs in the Athens area.

The Patrols were issued were earthenware Sifnos stoves and a supply of charcoal fuel. Boy Scouts from the United States quickly took to olive oil cooking. Cooking was done on a patrol basis, with rations for the "tenth man" thrown in to encourage hospitality. Visitors learned not only to eat but even to cook a few Greek dishes. The actual eating was a pleasant interlude for some ... a serious business for others! What made the greatest impression was the campsite's spaciousmess. Nearly three miles long and about a mile wide, the campsite left a lot of free space and large mobility capabilities. Secondly the weather; in 12 days two minutes of rain from an errant cloud. It was windy, of course, and some called it the "windboree". Basketball and shouting were daily attractions. Washing up, even if it occured in a daily basis, was not quite an "attraction". Oftenly, the wind was such that did not let the water fall vertcally. Daily inspection for cleanliness was enforced. Each sub-camp had showers ... even a barber!

There were a wide variety of evening activities. Greek folk dances ... and folk music during the "Greek Day". In intrument and song, the emphasis was on the traditional. Dancing at national rythms were at their best, especially around the fires. There were two nights of sub-camp fires. Early in the Jamboree in order for the Scouts to get acquainted and later on as a final opportunity to meet all together in informal surroundings for the last time. But the big night for fires was when the sub-camps got together to light four "regional fires". Then, the delegations really vied with one another in the entertainment they provided. Visitors from Athens who were up that night said they'd never seen anything like it before. Singing and dancing ... all part of the tremendous fun those velvet nights at Marathon ... Swapping -a feature of any jamboree- was a big part of the campers' lifes. The camp newsletter, the "Marathon Courrier" carried strictly unofficial "rates of exchange". Gaining a sense of togetherness ... quickly become obvious at Marathon. Blue waters, golden sands, green trees, brown mountains. By day or night, at dusk or dawn, the view of the Jamboree gained from the nearby mountains was truly stupendous.

The only similarity between our "Labours of Hercules" and those of Hercules was the number - twelve. The 12 Labours were: Scaling the ladders, climbing, ... passing through tyres, tyre relay race, ... log raidsing, vaulting the fence, ... crawling the rack, overhead ladder, ... log rolling, walking the boom, ... pitching and rope swinging. The Labours of Hercules, designed to test both individual and team agility, counted towards the Daphne Award.

Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, widow of the founder of Scouting, World Chief Guide and Honorary Vice-President of the boy Scouts World Committee, paid a two-day visit to the Jamboree on the final week-end. At he closing ceremony addressing the Scouts of the World, Lady Baden-Powell said: "I want to coin a new word for you to remember; the word is "welgo". Go well now on your way, carrying with you the light of Scouting like the Marathon torch, and work well, play well, and spread the ideal of Scouting as far as you possibly can. We trust you Scouts of the World to help bring about the reign of peace and goodwill in all the world. Welgo to you all!"

After the Jamboree song had been sung, Camp Chief Rann Alexatos, led all present in renewing their Scout Promise. After the formal announcement that the 12th World Jamboree would take place in the United States in 1967, the lighted torched got passed through to the hands of three members of the Boy Scouts of America. A last entry on the Jamboree diary. The tents go down, the backpacks bags are filled. It's a long way home for most.