580
	Norman Davidson
	1935

Alex MacLeman at Benmore Forestry School

Alex MacLeman at Benmore Forestry School about 1935 limbering up for a go at an event in the local Highland games?

Photograph courtesy of Don MacLeman who goes on to say ‘ My father was forester at Inchbae Forest near Garve until 1946 when he was transferred to South Strome Forest. During that period (1946 to 1952) we lived in three different houses, eventually finishing up in Dailfearn, located just off the unclassified road running from Achmore (by the old school) to the shore beyond Fernaig. The current forest office and foresters house also on this road. The forest office was located in a room at the back of the house.
During his time there, father also took over North Strome Forest when he had to use the Strome Ferry to get back and fore across Loch Carron or sometimes use the forestry launch. This was long before the Strome Ferry bypass was constructed. It is interesting to note that the length of the bypass running through South Strome Forest was designed and built on the forestry road that my old man had built to get to the far east end of the forest at Ardnarff. I have happy memories of the forest road being built especially when Fergie the TD9 bull dozer driver (who had quite a stutter) frequently knocked on the door of Dailfearn to say – Bhhhooogggged Aggggain !! Happy Days.

Footnote: In the mid 1960’s, I was the Assistant Resident Engineer on the Strome Ferry Bypass project which included the re-design of the forestry road section the old man built over 17 years previously !

In 1952, father was promoted to Head Forester and transferred to Ardross Forest where we lived at Mid-Ardross or The Offices as it was locally known, until a new ‘Dorran’ house was built at Stittenham/Fox Farm on the Struie Road in the early 1960’s. Adjacent to The Offices lived Geoff Bartlett, Research Forester who had John Keenleyside as his assistant (when I first met John). Reading John’s Bothy Tales brought back many memories for me and I can still remember most of the characters that lived there – the good, bad and indifferent!
Ardross Forest was fairly widespread and stretched from Struie Hill to the North, Kildermorie to the West, beyond Inchindown towards Morangie Forest to the East and nearly to Alness to the South.
Whilst at Ardross I found and developed my great liking for road making machinery. Don’t tell anyone but I was driving father’s forestry Bedford van by the time I was 9 and Bedford Tippers by 12 years old! I mastered the operation of Geordie MacLean’s BTD20 Bulldozer before I was 15. Father was going mad at me doing all this and I distinctly remember him threatening to sack all the road squad if he ever caught me driving or operating any of the tippers, dozers and yes even a RB22!! He never did catch me but I never stopped either!!
My father was a very good musician and played the violin better than anyone else I knew, even Ian Powrie! Father played in Scottish dance bands for years and even sat in with Jimmy Shand and His Band on several occasions. The one I remember best was at a dance in Munlochy Hall one Saturday night. Father also taught the violin and one of his best pupils was John Pirie who was violinist with The Tain Scottish Dance Band.’

Picture Added on 06 May 2010.

If you found this interesting, have a look at the following groups of pictures.
Forester Training Schools
Forestry Areas