After a New Year Party at The Rendezvous (cost 2/0d or 10p per head) the first newly constituted D.A. committee meeting took place at The Ashley Arms, Walton.  Many later meetings were held there but also at The Halfway House, Walton;  The Old House at Home, Hersham; Woking's Y.M.C.A. and at a Kingston Hotel.  The question of framing D.A. rules was fully discussed but it was agreed to work under the general rules laid down for the running of D.A.s.  Four dozen bar badges were ordered from Messrs. Phillips of Aldershot, costing 1/0d (5p) each, to be sold for 1/3d (6p).

A Woking Section supper at Old Woking was a great success.  Prior to the merger, premises for committee meetings had been paid for from D.A. funds but, though D.A. meetings could still go on in this way, "Sections" had no such call on the funds and so, in the case of Woking Section, meetings began to be held in members' homes.

In March there was a joint run of both sections when, meeting at Martyrs Green, the ride went to Cowdray Park and 67 were at tea at the Fox & Pelican at Grayshott.  There was a letter from H.Q. suggesting that D.A.s elect representatives to local Safety First Councils but enquiries showed that no such councils existed in the D.A. area.  Later that month there was a slide show at Woking by Wilf Hudson, a prominent member from Cork but, though a fine show, it was poorly attended.  From then on, both sections continued with their own programmes, with occasional joint events but members never fraternised as had been envisaged.  In fact, at joint teas, it was usual for each group to settle at separate tables, though those on the joint D.A. committee did get to know each other quite well, Fred Jones and Ron Osborne in particular.

Section records after this time are incomplete but those available contain such entries as the following:-

Kingston:  Camping week-end at Marlow;  Miniature Sports Day;  New Club Room at Hampton Court;  18 on run to Whipsnade Zoo;  Enjoyable Whitsun camp at Clymping.

Woking:  Easter in Kent, poor accommodation;  22 in free-wheeling event, 16 in speed-judging; 19 in Treasure Hunt; 16 on bathing run;  week-end at Thame;  42 at Christmas Party.

Both sections staged Invitation Rides, and both supported the Ladies Run led by Kingston's Miss P. Siggins when 61 were at tea in Shere.  In July a letter from H.Q. suggested that members form groups and offer assistance to local Air Raid Precautions authorities.  Then a letter from a Wolverhampton member pointed out that the constitution of the C.T.C. did not permit the secretary or council to offer the Club's services in any matter outside cycle touring and urged a protest to the Club.  As no national scheme was in being and interest appeared lukewarm, the Club suggested that the decision be left to individual members.  In the event, some members did become involved with the A.R.P. authorities.  In the Woking area, Mr. A. Benstead became head of a big pool of motor-cyclists and pedal cyclists that became one of the best corps of A.R.P. messengers in the south of England.  Bill Inder acted as deputy to Mr. Benstead and organised a number of dummy runs to neighbouring A.R.P. headquarters - such as Tunbridge Wells - using routes that excluded main roads.  Anticipating a possible war in which parachutists might sabotage all usual means of communication, these exercises were designed so that alternative means would be available in calling for help from surrounding areas.  But despite these rumblings of war, with members liable to be called up for national service, the D.A.s activities continued much as before.

Woking Section organised the 125 miles in 10 hours Test Ride to Burford and back in July, the start being at Staines and the finish at Colnbrook with tea at The Ostrich.  There were 27 riders, hardriders badges being given to all except one.  Other events that year were a week-end on the Isle of Wight, a night ride to Salisbury, boating runs to Amberley and Sonning;  a night ride to Salisbury and Andover in September saw 15 start but only 11 finishing the 100 miles in 8 hours.  There was also a map-reading contest, an enjoyable evening at Kingston Section club room and 12 were on a Bank Holiday tour in the Cotswolds.  Boating runs, Y.H.A. week-ends, camping at Clymping, a spelling-bee and a visit to "The Feast of the Lanterns" at Gatton Park were among the many fixtures filling the rest of the year.

In October at the age of 63, the D.A. President, Mr. E. J. Steel - to demonstrate his physical fitness - rode 100 miles from Welwyn to Norwich, unpaced, in 5 hours 21 minutes and, in the following year, Mr. Steel stepped down as President and was replaced by Stanley Baron at that time a regular contributor of outdoor articles in the "News Chronicle".

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Web page by Chris Jeggo.  Last revised:  18 January  2005.