David Sydney Evans (Monty to fellow Leaders and No1 to the Scouts) our second Group Scout Master (1961 to 1975).

Monty is by far our most influential Scoutmaster/Leader. Building on the successes of ‘Skip’ Drake he developed the Scout Troop and Cub Scout Packs. He was influential in forming a strong and supportive Parents Committee and forged strong links with the Village Hall. Amongst his many achievements was the building of our Headquarters, without which we almost certainly would not be looking forward to moving into our new Headquarters in 2024. A great fundraiser and persuader he was the driving force behind getting the finances to build our first HQ. For example he ran all the early Harvest Campfires and his front room was floor to ceiling with Webb Ivory Christmas cards from mid October. Monty Evans, which is worth recording here, had a life-long association with the Scout Movement, awarded the Silver Acorn (second highest award for Leaders) and earned Wood Badges for both Scouts and Senior Scouts. As a boy he was a member of the 24th Birkenhead Group joining the 60th Birkenhead when the 24th was disbanded. He attended as a Boy Scout the 3rd World Jamboree at Arrowe Park on the Wirral.  He was an original member of the 3rd Bebington Group taking on the role of Group ScoutMaster for 25 years. Monty was Bebington’s Assistant District Commissioner (ADC) for 4 years then moved to Great Sutton in 1958 (living next door to Dave Burrows). A year later he and Frank Drake started the 1st Great Sutton Scout Group becoming Group Scout Master in 1961. As ADC in the EP District he was influential in developing Scouting until 1977 when he became ADC (Fellowship). He identified the need to train the first cadre of Scouts from the newly formed Troop and on many occasions held weekly sessions at his kitchen table from Knotting and Lashings to First Aid. Perhaps before the term was used Monty coined the phrase “Just-Do-It” as he took every opportunity to get the Scouts outside and have fun doing it.  He had great ambition for ‘his’ Scouts and always had an eye on them becoming Queens Scouts and three of those young boys who sat at his kitchen table became Queens Scouts and went on to be presented with them by Sir Charles Maclean at Gilwell Park, London. His work in training within the Ellesmere Port District saw many courses run by the District Training Team at 1st Sutton Wirral HQ in Heath Lane. When on camp in the quiet evenings when the boys turned in for the night it can be remembered that he and Lovat reminisced about their war-time exploits. Monty sadly passed (as Scouts say he ‘went home’) aged 58 years. His influence on the activities and achievements of the Group were in evidence whilst alive and still continue today.

Monty’s life outside of Scouting involved serving in WW2 in the 8th army in the African desert (hence ‘Monty’) as Leading Aircraftman. Working at Van den Burgh’s Stork margarine works as a transport supervisor he met Jack Walker.

Monty was usually the one taking photographs and cine film over the years he was occasionally ‘caught’.

Supervising a monkey bridge.