Sometime about 1943/44, Oscar Borg started the Group. He approached many local teenagers and younger boys, asking them if they wanted to be Boy Scouts and Rover Scouts. Many said yes. So, in the early days, Oscar Borg was the Group Scout Master. A large number of lads joined. The first scout meeting place was in Zebra Street, in the back section of what used to be the Government School, which now a days is the Seabreeze Hotel. There was a small yard and the group had a room at the very rear end of the School.

This photo was taken July or August 1946.
Rover Scouts are standing from left to right: Cikku Azzopardi, Joe Fava, George Berry, Salvu Parascandolo, Ninu Grima 'Ta Matti' , Charlie Vella 'Tat Titu' , Ir - Risiott, Eddie Cilia and Joe Petroni
Centre are 3 scouts: unknown, Johnny Coxhead and Abdilla, Tas Surgent'
Then a row of 8 Cubs and at front 4 more Cubs.

Shortly after, Paul Ciantar took over as GSM. His assistant was his brother in law Johnnie Mamo. The Cub Master was Johnny Vella. In that time, there were nine districts and the B'Buga Group was part of the Albatross District. The group had about 60 members. Cubs, Scouts and Rovers. In the Scout Troop there were four patrols, the Eagles, the Tigers, the Lions and the Bears.

Our group scarf was sky blue with red, white & Blue... emblem of the R.A.F. At that time, the group was sponosred by the Kalafrana RAF. A certain Lieut. Miles looked after the group as a RAF person. He helped with some equipment, tents, groundsheets and other bits and pieces. He also used to arrange for RAF trucks to transport us for camping and we used to go at Ghadira.

This photo taken July 1946. William Coxhead, Troop leader of Buga at Edinburgh. William standing 4th from left, holding white package under left arm, also Patrol leader Alphonse Grixti, with left hand over his hat. They were with ten senior Scottish Scouts and Leaders, being given some instructions about the City of Edinburgh

This is a very early photo of the some of the Buga Group taken 1943 while camping at Ghadira.
Standing at left ic Cikku Azzopardi, Joe Fava, middle row sitting is William Coxhead, next unknown, then Joe Fenech , Paul Bonavia 'Tal- Landier' , front row Johnny Coxhead, Cilia of Pretty Bay, Sunny Vella 'tat Titu' , Cilia of Pretty Bay(Brother), and Abdilla

Further information is still being collected. If you have any information or pictures of the old days, please forward them to the Group Scout Leader or contact us.

We would like to thank Mr William Coxhead, who lives in Melbourne Australia. He formed part of the group and in fact he was also a patrol leader of the Tigers Patrol.