ALTHOUGH most of our "on location" games took place within the sketchily defined parameters of The Cobra, we did on occasion, venture farther afield.

Where the Mill Way estate now stands were fields and meadows rolling away to Scots Wood, an arboreal magnet for junior explorers.

These departures from normal territory included both the towns parks, the sand pits off of Radlett Road, and the biggie, Bushey Rec, this one assuming expedition proportions, complete with the required survival provision.

These consisted of two or three "Tizer" bottles filled with water and a couple of Lyons Individual Fruit Pies with their glutinous, sweet, purple filling that defied culinary description, and could rot three milk teeth before the fourth bite was taken.

Sorties to these far flung outposts of our recreational empire did, of course, need organising.

Not for us, thank goodness, the services of a well meaning social worker with a diploma in Child Behavioural Psychology because we had our own home-grown variety.

Every tribe of Street Arabs had its Sheik, usually a slightly more mature member of the gang, a natural organiser with more nous for the job of knowing what a bunch of kids required to fill their time than an aircraft hangarful of Scout masters, youth leaders and other community workers.

It has to be said these were pretty thin on the ground in those days anyway, that particular industry being still at the embryo stage.

Our particular Corporal with a Field Marshall's baton in his knapsack was "Big Eggo" aka Eric Spooner.

He had the advantage over those previously mentioned adult worthies in as much as he wasn't "establishment" and thus was not subject to the natural resentment of children toward "grown ups" in charge.

When you are out of school and home environment, who needs 'em? His greatest asset being of course, he was one of us in age and upbringing. That's not to say that it always went smoothly and amicably for him.

When you have some group members of around the same age as the alpha male, nature ordains you get leadership challenges, and many an attempted coup was mounted.

Factional splits occurred frequently, some of which reduced Eric to tears of frustration, for he alone perceived, quite correctly, that the usurper who had assumed temporary command, couldn't have organised a conker tournament under a chestnut tree in autumn.

Needless to say, those who had remained loyal to "Eggo" were rapidly rejoined by the rebels, with no hard feelings, and only a brief display of public sulks from the would-be pretender to the leadership.

Finally, if you had gone to the park, it could be Oxhey or Cassiobury, down the "rec" was Waterfields, but might be big field or little field, but if you were "over the Cobra" everyone knew where to find you.

MR TERRY CHALLIS, of Harris Road, Watford

May 30, 2003 09:30