THESE girls had packed their cases for what was probably the biggest adventure of their lives.

At a time when foreign holidays were still rare, they were heading off for a week of excitement in Germany.

The eight girls, who went on the trip, were all pupils at Old Marston County Secondary School in Oxford.

They are pictured on the platform at Oxford station in May 1961, waiting for an early-morning train to London.

Headmaster Mr DE Smith, in the centre, was at the station to see them off. The woman to his right was teacher Mrs I Fiss, who was in charge of the party.

The girls, aged 14 and 15, took the ferry from Dover to Ostend, in Belgium, then travelled to Cologne.

The programme also included a weekend in Bad Honnef, in south-west Germany.

The Oxford Mail reported at the time: “The trip will include educational sightseeing as well as just holidaymaking.

“For the girls, it is a welcome break as they are in the middle of the County Test of Achievement.” Before setting off on the trip, the girls had done extra work after school, learning German and geography in preparation for the visit.

We know the name of only one of the girls – 14-year-old Doreen Edwards – although we don’t know where she is in the picture. She was editor of the Old Marston School newspaper, News and Views, and planned to write a complete story of the trip when they returned.

Do you recognise yourself or anyone else in the picture?

Let me know.