Hongkong Daily Press.
Hongkong, Thursday, May 3rd, 1928.
英壹仟九百廿八年伍月叁日 禮拜肆
戊辰叁月拾肆日
No. 21,779
第弍萬壹仟柒百柒拾玖號
Page 5
INSPECTION OF BOY SCOUTS.
THE REV. G.T.WALDEGRAVE DECORATED.
CEREMONY AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
His Excellency the Governor, Sir Cecil Clementi, K.C.M.G., inspected the Hong Kong Boy Scouts, Rovers and Wolf Cubs yesterday afternoon at Government House.
The boys were drawn up in a large semicircle on the lawn in front of Government House with their officers and patrol leaders. His Excellency the Governor, who is the Chief Scout of Hong Kong, accompanied by the Rev. G.T.Waldegrave, M.A., Commissioner and Deputy Camp Chief for Hong Kong, and Captain Whyte, A.D.C., inspected each patrol, stopping to speak personally to one or two scouts. The boys presented a smart appearance and their hearty cheers at the close of the ceremony showed their keenness.
Among others present were:- Major General C.C.Luard, C.B., C.M.G., and A.D.C., Commodore J.L.Pearson, C.M.G., Sir Henry Gollan, K.C., Lieut. Col. L.G.Bird, D.S.O., Colonel T.A.Robertson, Sir Shou-son Chow, the Hon. Dr. R.H.Kotewall, C.M.G., Mr. Ho Kom Tong, and Mr. R.E.Lindsell.
The Chief Scout's Speech.
Sir Cecil Clementi addressed the Commissioner as follows:-
Mr. Waldegrave,- Upon the unanimous recommendation of the members of Council of the Hong Kong Branch of the Boy Scouts' Association, in whose opinion I heartily concurred, the Chief Scout, Sir Robert Baden Powell, has awarded you the order of the "Silver Wolf," which is the highest mark of distinction in his gift.
Your connection with Boy Scouts dates from December, 1908, when you became the Scoutmaster of the 3rd Sherborne (Dorset) Troop. Later you were Scoutmaster of the 5th Cambridge. (Perse School) Troop and of the 102nd Midland (Birmingham Parish Church Troop). You were also representative of the Birmingham Central Scout "Division" on the Executive Committee of the Birmingham Scout Association. In 1915 you were co-founder with Baron F. van Pallandt of the Scout Officers Training Corps in the Internment Camp at Groningen, Holland. During 1917 and 1918 you ran the Sea Scout Patrol in connection with the Sea Scout Messengers at Lowestoft Naval Base. Since October, 1921, you have been Commissioner of Boy Scouts in Hong Kong.
You have rendered splendid service to the Association for almost twenty years and you have thoroughly earned the distinction now given by the Chief Scout.
New Secretary Takes The Oath.
Mr. J.A.Worswick, who has been appointed Secretary to the Hong Kong Boy Scout Association, was then presented to His Excellency and the Commissioner, and took the boy scouts oath of loyalty and then exchanged salutes with the scouts.
The Silver Wolf.
The Hon. Dr. R.H.Kotewall, C.M.G., then formally presented the Rev. Waldegrave to the Chief Scout, and said that he heartily endorsed all that His Excellency had said of the Commissioner. It had been his privilege to be associated with Mr. Waldegrave for a number of years, and his tact and devotion to duty had filled the speaker with admiration. He had thoroughly earned his high award which had given the greatest possible pleasure to all members of the Association, on whose behalf he (Dr. Kotewall) tendered Mr. Waldegrave hearty congratulations.
The Certificate.
The certificate from Sir Robert Baden Powell, Chief Scout, was then read by Dr. Kotewall as follows:-
This certificate is granted to the Rev. G.T.Waldegrave, M.A., Commissioner and Deputy Camp Chief for Hong Kong as evidence that I have awarded him the Honorary Silver Wolf in recognition of his most excellent services on behalf of the Scout Movement.
Sd. ROBERT BADEN POWELL,
Chief Scout.
April 23rd, 1928.
The green ribbon carrying the insignia of the Silver Wolf was bung round the Commissioner's neck by His Excellency, who then called for three cheers from the Scouts, which they accorded in traditional fashion with their hats on their staves.
The Greatest Award.
The Rev. G.T.Waldegrave addressing the assembly said that he did not know how to thank His Excellency for his kind words, and he appreciated more than he could say the award which had been made to him. But the greatest award had been the pleasure he had found in the work and the friends he had gained in the scout movement. He spoke of the extraordinary courage shown by the Chinese scout masters in having taken up fearlessly this movement to bring boys of this old nation into line with boys of other newer civilizations the world over, and their clearness of vision which enabled them to see that there was nothing in the scout movement to which any boy could not subscribe.
Three cheers were given by the scouts for His Excellency, who received their salute.