The Rucksack (1942), the magazine of the Youth Hostels Association

We’re grateful to Henry for sending us in the post a copy of the Rucksack. This is the Easter 1942 issue of the official publication of the Youth Hostels Association (YHA). The YHA had been formed in 1930 and the quarterly Rucksack followed from 1932.

This is the first issue we’ve seen of the Rucksack, and knowing it was published during the Second World War, we’re not sure if ours, at 28 pages, was a slimmed down version or not. Regardless, it was published at a time when arriving at a youth hostel in a motor car was frowned upon, and this is emphasised by the editorial, ‘In praise of walking and cycling’ which needs no further explanation. Elsewhere there are articles on personalities in the movement, ‘Eohippus, a paleontologic ditty’ (‘for recitation in unison at youth hostel common room parties’), regional news, and otherwise wholesome and uplifting pieces. 

There are ads too. Bournville Cocoa is still at ‘less than pre-war price’, while Lucas offer the ‘Masklite’, a ‘headlamp shield’, for 6d. (Mind you, my cycling lights until LEDs came along were largely useless in projecting light, so how much light ended up being projected once this gadget was fitted would be interesting to see…) Bartholomew’s were offering their half-inch-to-the-mile maps and Shredded Wheat, we are told, is ‘the quickest sustaining hot breakfast’.

The Rucksack continued until 1956 and was replaced by the Youth Hosteller. After that, and once we get into the 70s and 80s, it gets rather complicated, which I suspect was reflective of the YHA starting to lose its way. We’re particularly pleased, then, to have our copy of the Rucksack, published in what was surely a simpler time.