Thanks to Frank's Expedition Logbook, the Etna expedition was well documented.

These are only excerpts from the very detailed detailed journal.

(courtesy of Frank O'Neill)

The very heavily laden Land Rover on the quay at Marsa

First Leg of the Journey

The Crossing - The Award Crew on the deck of the Citta di Alessandria

Arrival in Messina - Waiting for the landrover

The group was made up as follows:

Paul Saguna - Venture Leader & Expedition Leader

Bro David - Scout Leader

Mr Pace Axiaq - Cub Leader & Assistant Assessor

Venture Scouts: Oswald, Albert, Joe & Frank

Scouts: Tony & Gaston

Santa Vennerina

"We were dirvien to Santa Vennerina where we camped in a field for the night. The field belonged to the Brothers, and the school was some distance away."

From Frank's journal

Right: Frank Resting by the Land Rover

Below: Pitching Tents for the night

"CADUTE MASSE" - Heavy Landslides, warned us that the road was unsafe. with the Maltese flag stuck to my stave, waving proudly, we left civilisation behind and continued our way down.

From Frank's journal

Left - A Page from the log book depicts Frank's Impression of Etna as seen from catania

The Source of Information

"As I woke, the tingling odour of peppermint entered my nostrils. It was now that I realised we had camped in a field where the peppermint crop had just been collected"

"The one thing I noticed was that when someone died, posters of the deceased were plastered all over the place"

"Mr Pace Axiaq, our assistant assessor, had decided to give us another route as the one we had taken did not comply with the rules which state that a route should be 'rough and unknown'...

From Frank's journal

The cover of Frank's Expedition Log Book, which provided this information.

Everything went smooth according to records, except for a little mishap, a puncture, which is seen, rather well attended by the entire crew. By the looks of it alone, a lot of tips were being given to the 'mechanic'.

Below is the landing photograph with Frank's decorative 'congrats', lifted from the log book

Section 2 Ccontributions by Gaston and Joe

LEFT TO RIGHT: Albert, Oswald, Frank and Gaston

Gaston's Contribution. An authentic hazy picture, but one can make out the slopes. These four guys look like they were ready to conquer anything in their path

Joe's Contribution The SMC Ventures land in Sicily. Scouts eye Sicily, Sicilians eye Scouts and Landrover (easy pickings both). Left, Joe's sticking-out bum, Frank and right, Oswald, Albert and Gaston.

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