11th World Scout Jamboree
The largest contingent for this event was the British, with almost 1,200 Scouts attending (incorporating the largest UK Scout airlift ever made).
The camp was divided into 11 sub-camps for the attending Scouts, along with another 5 sub-camps for the administrative and technical personnel, and covered a total area of about 5 square kilometres.
Refreshment stands and expositions dotted the area around the camp, and there was even a 20,000-seat amphitheatre. The focus of the camp was around the Greek Village which offered sights and sounds, food and entertainment, from all around Greece.
There was also an Olympic theme to the event, with triathlons and other sports taking place. A major event for the Jamboree were the Labours of Hercules - a series of tasks designed to test the strength, skill, and stamina of the participating Scouts.
The Chief Scout of Greece, HRH Crown Prince Constantine, attended every one of the 11 days over which the event ran. At a special ceremony, Chief Scout of the Commonwealth Sir Charles Maclean awarded the Crown Prince with the Silver Wolf - the highest award within the Scout Association of the United Kingdom.
The event was marred by tragedy when the entire Philippine contingent was killed in a plane crash.
Lady Olave Baden-Powell (the wife of Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement) spoke at the closing ceremony:
- "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!"
Following the speech, a torch was handed to an American Scout. The torch was to be rekindled at the next World Scout Jamboree, to be hosted in the United States.
Accidents
The aircraft that was carrying the Philippine contingent crashed on approach to Bombay Airport into the Indian Ocean. On behalf of the parents, Antonio C. Delgado, father of Scout Jose Antonio and Chairman of the World Scouting Movement 1971-1973 and also co-designer of the World Scout Badge, gave the response in his speech to the nation: "For this is the other side of the coin of grief. The glory. The honor. The triumph.…In the forefront of these boy's minds were always held as shining goals the noble ideals of the Scout Oath: 'honor…duty…God…Country.' These boys kept their honor; and they kept the faith; and they gave their all for their country…and I am sure they kept themselves in the friendship of God."
The names of the Philippine Scouts and Scouters that became street names in Quezon City's Barangay Obrero, Laging Handa and Paligsahan in their honor are the following in alphabetical order:
Scouts
- Albano, Ramon V.
- Bayoran, Patricio
- Borromeo, Gabriel Nicolas
- Castor, Roberto
- Chuatoco, Henry
- De Guia, Victor Jr.
- Delgado, Jose Antonio
- Fuentebella, Felix Jr.
- Gandia, Pedro
- Limbaga, Antonio
- Lozano, Roberto
- Madriñan, Paulo
- Magbanua, Jose Fermin
- Rallos, Romeo R.
- Reyes, Filamer
- Santiago, Wilfredo
- Tobias, Benecio
- Torillo, Antonio
- Tuason, Ascario Jr.
- Ybardolaza, Rogelio
Scouters
- Liberato Fernandez, assistant Scoutmaster
- Dr. Bonifacio V. Lazcano, Scoutmaster and physician, Manila Council
- Fr. Jose Martinez, SJ., Chaplain, Misamis Oriental Council
- Florante Ojeda Jr., the oldest Scouter in the delegation
Three Scouts who originally didn't join the others left for Greece as a token BSP delegation, days after the crash happened.
A cenotaph was erected inside the Manila North Cemetery in the Philippines in honor of the 24 scouts who died in a plane crash en route to the 11th World Scout Jamboree a year after the crash.