Gilqua Patrol Leader Training Unit

The first in what was to become the Patrol Leader Training Unit Courses was run in July 1959 at the Lexden Camp Site the Natal Gilwell Scout Training Camp. It was under the leadership of Dr Dudley Forde, with 19 Scouts from the 2nd Durban YMCA Scout Group in attendance. Courses were offered to boys from the same Group over the next five years until the 6th Course in October 1964 when it was opened to participants from the South Durban District. It was after the 9th course in October 1967 that the Patrol Leader Training Unit (PLTU) was formed to offer formal Leadership Training courses for Scout Patrol Leaders in the then Natal Division. The Lexden Unit is proud to have hosted and mentored those who went on to create PLTU Units in other centres in South Africa.
As it is a requirement that the Troop Leader has attended a PLTU course, the Western Cape, in paving the way for their initial course, arranged for Ryan Dearlove and Anton de Roo to attend the Lexden PLTU course. Peter Foster, having attended an earlier PLTU course, was the first Gilqua Course Leader which was held at the Hawequas Scout Adventure Centre near Wellington in 1992.
Past Courses
