Jonas Urbonas on This is How the Meetings were Held: The Third Meeting of the Scouts, translated by Ann Tündern-Smith with much help from Google Translate

We start the meeting late in the evening by a blazing fire, on the shore of the Lake.*

Twelve scouts gather. We begin the meeting with the troop's official announcements. Once these solemn announcements—sad, yet filled with resolve and love for the Fatherland—have been read, Borisas Dainutis reads a report in which he sheds light on the foundations of the Lithuanian nation and our tasks as scouts in distant Australia. The annoying smoke from the fire does not distract our thoughts and we immediately solve a few questions about the future.

Our leader, Borisas, invites us to repeat the scout's motto. After the subdued voices of the repetition, he invites us to tie a second knot in our scarves, as a symbol of our love for our Motherland and a reminder to sacrifice only for it. And this knot will be untied only when, having made the greatest sacrifices for the Motherland, we return to our dear homeland.

Tomorrow the first swallow will fly away from us into an unknown future. It is Brother (Vytas) Kunčiūnas. By the burning bonfire we say goodbye to him and the other brothers who are preparing to leave this emigrant camp.

Jonas Urbonas was already 26 years old when he left Bonegilla 2 days after Vytas

Source:  National Archives of Australia

Brother Kunčiūnas' words, full of deep sincerity, touch the heart of every Scout. He remembers the last moments spent in the Homeland, the separation from his parents, and the tears rolling down his cheeks do not allow him to finish his farewell speech.

Then we all part ways and leave the gardens of the homeland, hoping to return to the homeland again before the storms of war hit. We are tightly bound by our mutual promises, although the weapons of war do not ring and we are not pursued by the occupiers and our goals have already changed, but we are united by common ideas, we dare to meet in camps and at conventions. Although the vast distances and various obstacles separate us, we press on, wishing our brother Vytas good luck and travel to join others at the Pacific Jamboree. After the traditional words are said, we leave the campfire.

I have no doubt that everyone felt our family togetherness this evening. They felt the bond that binds us tightly with mutual promises. Although only a few meetings have passed by this bonfire, they will become symbolic. These three bonfires will smoulder in us and remind us of the great promise: to God, to the Homeland and to our Neighbour. So, to work, brothers, we are still laden with the tasks of the Homeland.

Let us be vigilant!

J. Urbonas, 6 January 1948, Bonegilla

* I have evidence from elsewhere that the locals really were very worried about whether the Baltic newcomers would understand how dangerous fire was in their new environment, as reported by Jonas Motiejūnas in the previous entry. Presumably, the fire on the shore of Lake Hume did not get out of control, but we still have to hope that the Scouts, being prepared, had lots of buckets on hand.

SOURCE: Urbonas, Jonas (1948) ‘3. Taip vykdavo sueigos: Trečioji vyčių sueiga’ Skautu aidas (Scouting Echo) Augustdorf bei Detmold, Germany, 15 June, pp 29-30 https://www.spauda2.org/skautu_aidas/archive/1948/1948-Nr05-06-SKAUTU-AIDAS.pdf, accessed 24 July 2026.