[English] 8,000 SCOUTS AND GUIDES GREET CHIEF LORD BADEN-POWELL AT CORONATION JAMBOREE

8,000 SCOUTS AND GUIDES GREET CHIEF

LORD BADEN-POWELL AT CORONATION JAMBOREE

Eight thousand Scouts, Guides and Cubs, including contingents from Nigeria and Czechoslovakia and other parts of the world, gave a great welcome to Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, the Chief Scout and Chief Guide, when they attended the Coronation Jamboree at Eastnor Park, Herefordshire recently.

It was a great day for Lord Baden-Powell, for it was also the 37th anniversary of the relief of Mafeking. As a Colonel fighting in the South African War he led the defence of the place against the Boers' siege for 218 days.

A special cheer was reserved for young Prince Michael of Rumania, who appeared in Scout uniform. He is staying at Eastnor Castle as the guest of Lord Somers, the Deputy Chief Scout, and Lady Somers.

The chief event of the day was the pyramid of welcome to the Chief Scout, designed to illustrate the growth of the Scout movement. At a signal the 8,000 young people, who had been hidden behind the hills, came into view and formed an immense human pyramid. Moving down the hillside in mass formation, a small camp representing the beginning of the movement in 1907 was engulfed by the mass of 1937.

Lord Baden-Powell, addressing the assembly, referred to the relief of Mafeking, and said that another present that day was General Sir Alexander Godley, who was with him at the siege and who was also a great friend of the Scouts.

ROYAL RECOGNITION

Lord Baden-Powell said that 7,000 Scouts in London, undertook the work of selling Coronation programmes for King George's Jubilee Trust, 1,650 Rovers helped the police, and 250 Scouts were on duty at Westminster Abbey.

"The King," he went on, "is deeply interested in the Scouts and has given one of the highest honours in his power to the Scout Movement - the Order of Merit.

"I am the figurehead and have the honour to wear that decoration, but you Scouts, Rovers and Wolf Cubs are the people who have won it by your good name and reputation. It is up to you to keep that reputation and to do your duty to God and King."

Source:

1. Page 5, "Hong Kong Daily Press", Tuesday, 15th June, 26th Year of the Republic of China

   • 7th Day, 5th Lunar Month, Ding-chou Year

   • Tuesday, 15th June, 1937 Common Era