MEMBERS of the Liphook community turned out in full force for a second screening of the amazing film about a three-year trip around the world by a group of local lads in a double decker bus.

The film ‘Pillock Conquers The World’ had its gala world charity premiere in July 1982, at the Rex Cinema, in Haslemere, in aid of the Liphook Carnival, then raising £2,500.

Its second showing was held at the Millennium Centre to a full house, even attracting the interest of East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds.

Again all the proceeds were in aid of the carnival committee.

From their departure at The Deers Hut in September 1969 to their triumphant return in July 1972, the film documented the epic journey, which took nine young men across Europe to Persia and Afghanistan, through the Khyber Pass to Pakistan and India, then to Australia and finally to the United States and Canada.

They became honorary citizens of Texas and hold the keys of New York, all as a result of a bet with Bert Oram, who was then landlord of The Deers Hut, their local pub at Griggs Green.

Initially to win a pint of beer each, Bob Hall, Adrian Bird, Dick Hayes, Alan Hughes, Richard King, Tim Palmer, John Wilson, Clive Hughes and Tony Hough crossed deserts and mountains, paying their way by singing folk songs as “The Philanderers” and making numerous live appearances all across the world.

Cameraman John Wilson, the original Hairy Pillock, shot the entire film on a 16mm clockwork camera, ending up with 10 hours of unedited material on his return, which was tackled by Richard King, leader of the group, who took another 10 years to edit it into a 90-minute movie.

The bus, a 1948 Leyland, which cost £100, had already clocked up 723,000 miles before it was taken over by the Pillock Organisation, who added another 47,000 miles with their trip around the world.

Richard Hayes became star model for men’s outfitters Austin Reed, who kitted out the band with their latest trendy suits for the USA tour, while Adrian Bird, an ex-school choirboy, who acted as navigator on the Euro-Asian part of the trip, left the group in Bombay to return to Liphook and his architecture studies.

Tim Palmer regularly sent reports about their progress to newspapers back in the UK, as well as family and friends.

Between 1969 and 1972 the Hairy Pillock visited among other places Vienna, Athens, Teheran, Kabul, arriving in April 1970 in Bombay, then on to Perth, Sydney, which they used as their Australian base, Brisbane, Cairns, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, New Orleans, Washington, New York with a brief detour to Vancouver and Anchorage, before returning to Liphook.

Three of the four surviving members of the group – Adrian Bird, Clive Hughes and Richard King – introduced the film at the Millennium screening as “The Longest Ego Trip in the World”.

Richard remembered: “By the time we got to Teheran, we had become cabaret artists and while we were there, we performed for the Shah of Iran.

“We were now known as ‘The Philanderers,’ drove through Afghanistan and the infamous Khyber Pass before reaching the timeless lands of the Indian sub-continent.

“With no real sponsorship and living on a shoestring, we eventually arrived in Australia, closely followed by the bus, which was shipped across from Bombay.

“There we made a name for ourselves as singers and entertainers, appearing on radio and television, as well as giving live performances, and earning much-needed money to continue our trip.”

Eighteen months later the bus was found crossing the United States, promoting BOAC, the British Tourist Authority and other travel interests, again giving numerous live performances.

Finally, two years and 10 months after their departure from Liphook, the world travellers and their bus arrived back in England where they were invited to 10 Downing Street by then Prime Minister Ted Heath, who congratulated them on boosting the tourist industry in 1972 with more visitors than ever – from all over the world and especially the USA – coming to the United Kingdom.

Finally, they returned to a heroes welcome and a large homecoming party at The Deers Hut, claiming their free pints of beer.