The Story of the IPC in Godstone Green

Part One - The Beginning

It all sounded so plausible and the offer was just too good to refuse. Come to England for one year, learn the language and see the country. The initial approach came from Lothar Landt, who was very eager to take part. Graf von Keyserlingk was informing Youth Organisations of this fine opportunity to study in England, and was involved in finding willing, young persons to participate in this trip. You were requested to send in your personal details, and a letter of approval from your local Youth Club, your vicar, or some other official body.

The German administration was handled by Peter Brenner from the Scout Movement in Stuttgart, Gräfin Rantzau, and Gerda Roth. We then had to wait for the invitation from the Home Office in London in order to request a Visa to visit England. It all looked very official and straight-forward, I can only assume that Peter Brenner had no reason to doubt the information given to him.

The invitation came from the International People's College in London. Mr E.A. DeBevere, the principal of the college, was also said to be the person in charge of the camp. The location of the camp was in southern England, in an agricultural area that had been abandoned by the owners about 100 years ago. The work involved reclamation and cultivation of the land. The mentioning of 'camp' accommodation gave us a moment of apprehension, but the reassuring letter made us forget it. The letter stated that the camp was bound to be well built, and with good sanitary installations, as it is usually the case in England. The work is not likely to be that difficult. All we had to do find the money for the rail/boat journey to London.

The following conditions were agreed: During the first three months we had to work for 8 hours daily, and we were to be paid £3 (DM30) per week. For the remainder of the year the work was to be 4 hours daily, and the pay to be 10 Shilling (DM6) per week. (The trip to England was originally to have started on 1 June 1951. The actual dates quoted in the letter were 1 June to 1 Sept 1951 being the first period, and 1 Sept to 1 June 1952 for the second period.)

In the first, and the second period there would be lessons, courses and discussions, all arranged by an international school in London. In our time in England, we will not only learn to speak English, but also get to know more about English History and Literature. It was hoped that excursions will be arranged to see other parts of the country. The summer came, the new date of departure was 13 July, and we were still waiting to hear about the travel arrangements. Passports had been sent to Peter Brenner in Stuttgart to apply for a group visa. In early July I received a telegram from Brenner with news from London, trip postponed, course now due to start in September.

Then at long last, on 28 August another telegram arrived, departure for England now set for 31 August, express letter with details to follow. Gräfin Rantzau, from the Scouts office in Stuttgart, wrote; 'we have only just now received the necessary documents from England, Peter Brenner spent all day at the Consulate in Frankfurt, and everything is now ready for the trip'.

Be at Aachen railway station at 04.04hrs on 1 September to meet the other members of the party. The train has a 45 minutes stopover for passport and customs control. It is the direct train to Oostende, and you will travel on a group ticket. Your Passport will be with the group leader, it has yet to be decided who that will be. Unfortunately we were unable to arrange any reduction for the travel tickets, so please send us DM35 for the Aachen - Oostende part of the journey, also DM16 for the visa. Kind regards and have fun in England.

Continue to Part Two - The Journey