Any Scouting experts out there?

[Trees]

This looks like a seven boy patrol in front of their tent Usually a bell housed six sleeping feet to the pole but if they had minimum gear seven would have been housed. The lad sitting with the two leaders was probably the troop leader an older boy at the top of the age limit who helped the leaders. Later he would have been a Rover on the ground you can see their patrol pennant this small pennant would have had the patrol emblem in the centre the patrol had the name of the bird depicted the boy next to your Uncle has a whistle lanyard usually whistles were worn by the PL  (patrol leader and PS  patrol second Badges were divided into “Interest “ and “service” badges and worn on different sleeves but this is confusing as they are wearing the first aid badge(the one like a cross on the interest arm and I thought First aid was a service badge. They are not wearing woggles to hold their neckers so I think they must have been introduced later than 1913. The whole uniform resembled the cavalry uniform of BP's service days The necker was to keep the dust from the cavalry man's mouth and to stop sweat running down his neck it was a triangle shape and doubled as a triangular bandage and could be folded into a narrow bandage although somewhat bulky They have tied knots in the ends of the necker this was to remind the boy he must do a good turn before the day is out once the Good turn was done he could untie the knot I can't see any garter ribbons but they were made from  loosely woven wool and a strand could easily be pulled out to use as darning wool should the need arise The braid hanging from their left shoulder was another patrol marker being the colours of their particular patrol bird the first interest badge should be sewn in line with the bottom of these patrol flashes. The tent has been brailed that is the lower wall has been rolled up to allow the grass inside the tent to get the air First thing in the day if it was dry this wall would have been half brailed ie looped up under the eaves to dry the sod cloth   a Hessian strip that touches the ground once that is dry the wall is fully brailed as shown by rolling it up inside the tent and holding it in place with quick release hitches needed if it came to rain in order to drop the wall quickly
Sorry but I can not make out any other  badges other that the PL's chevrons
Lovely historic photograph.
Trees

[jjq]

Trees ..  what can I say, but THANK YOU !!!!!!

What a wealth of information you have given me - I am amazed!  It is more than I hoped for.

It is one of my favourite family photos - the only other one I have with William on is a group family picture (on the restoration board). I would have loved to have known him - such a shame he died so young - but then again, he would have been an age to be called up for the First World War. To think that his father wasn't sure whether to let Will join the scouts!

Once again, many thanks  -I will keep a copy of your information with the original photographs - for future historians!!


Regards

Jan

[Trees]

My pleasure Jan only wish I could help further. My Dad was an early Cub Scout and Mum a Guide I have photos of them under Youth movements in the social history section of our web site. I have served as both a Guider and Scouter. but not in the early days , and have many happy memories of the movement.I hope someone else can take the information a little further for you.
Trees

[madfan]

Hi Jan,

Well I showed the picture to the scout leader and DC (District Commisioner) last night. They were, like all of us fascinated by it. They can remember wearing those large hats - in the 50's though 

To be honest they weren't really able to come up with anything different to Trees excellent information, although we think that as well as a first aid badge we think we can identify a camp service badge as well (its the other one that looks like a cross). The scout leader is going to have a look at home for some older scout books to see if he can identify any others. We have books dating back to the 1930's in the scout hut.

We haven't been able to identify the badge on the right hand side on the shirt front - the one that looks like a life buoy (well it does to me anyway).

Sorry I can't give you any other info, but if the scout leader comes up with anything else I will let you know.

Everytime I look at the photo I can't help thinking that a few years later those boys would be in the war, I wonder how many, if any came back? 

Zoe

[Trees]

The hat was known as "a wide awake" I still have mine worn as Akela in the 60's we kept to the old style hat as we couldn't get a scoutleader for a while and my boys went as a guest patrol to a different group so the hat distinguished us as well as our scarf. an awful lot of hats were lost at the BP centinary jamboree in Sutton Colefield when we cheered the chief by throwing the hats in the air  great days
Trees

[jjq]

Trees and Zoe

Many thanks for all your help and information -  it is greatly appreciated.

(Incidentally, I am still waiting for a reply to my e-mail to the Scouts Website. Will let you know if I hear anything else!)

Regards


Jan

[Trees]

You may like a peep at my dad as an early Cub He's on my site under Youth movements
Trees

[jjq]

Hi Trees

I had a quick peep at the site this evening - great !

I will have a more thorough look tomorrow! I was only a Brownie - in the days of the triangular tie which could be used as a sling! My mother & Aunt were in the Girls Life Brigade (1930's)

Regards

Jan

[Trees]

that was a great tie already a wide bandage and held down with a safety pin for use with the full sling if requires Ah happy days those were the days when Brownies wore Brown  today they are Yellowies ugh  but I bet they still have fun 
Trees
I was a Guide then Cadet (I wonder if anyone remembers the Guiding cadets we were the training branch same age as rangers we wore a guiders uniform with a white folded tie) then guider (captain) then outdoor activities commissioner and had extention guides at the same time as being Chil to my husbands pack gave up my own cub pack before I met him due to work.
you've brought back happy memories
Trees