CLUB MEETING - WOOLTON VILLAGE CLUB - SCOUTS IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR.

By 1914 Robert Baden-Powell’s Scout Movement had been in existence for six years.  Its popularity had spread not only in Britain but across the world.  Wide spread membership meant many boys and young men had gained a range of useful skills from field-craft and camp cooking to signalling and sailing.  
The fine prospects of a grand Scouting year in 1914 were darkened by the outbreak of war in August. What would happen to this young movement? Many thought it would collapse, but it was not so. Our Scouts were used to guard railway lines and tunnels. They acted as messengers, and “all-clear” buglers in air raids, as well as doing countless other jobs in hospitals, canteens and out on the farms.

Guarding the shores
 
One of the first roles that Scouts undertook was supporting the Coastguard.  The fear of invasion by Germany was a very real threat so watching the coast, ports and estuaries was crucial work.   Scouts were supervised by the coastguard but under the orders of their Patrol Leaders and were responsible for their own activities and actions.  This was a very practical example of one of Scouting’s core practices, giving boys independence.  As the photos below show activities included coast watching, sending signals and delivering messages.  The Scouts weren’t paid but received a basic subsistence allowance.  At first this work was undertaken by Sea Scouts who specialised in water based activities, however, as word spread other Scout groups volunteered to take to part.

During World War One food was scarce and boy scouts were 'doing their bit' by helping to set rabbit traps.
 
Boys helped with the heavy work on farms, as well as with growing vegetables in gardens, back yards and even parks.  Scouts watched the skies for Zeppelin attacks and sounded their bugles to signal when an air raid was over.