THE KING AND SCOUTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 April 1943, Page 3

THE KING AND SCOUTS

VISIT TO HEADQUARTERS

The King’s visit to the Imperial Headquarters of the Scout Movement in London is described in a letter received by Sir James Grose, Dominion President of the Boy Scouts Association, from Lord Somers, Chief Scout of the Empire. “The visit,’ writes Lord Somers, “was an acknoweldgment of His Majesty’s real interest in the movement and a sign of his appreciation of what Scouts all over the Empire are doing to help the war effort. The delightful thing about it was its informal nature. We walked togethei through the Scout shop where empty shelves told the story of our wartime uniform difficulties. The King was especially interested in the lightweight camping equipment which Rovers did so much to popularise before the war. “The King noticed many things as we moved about the building. On the wall of one of the corridors several photographs attracted him. ‘lsn’t that Windsor?’ he asked, indicating one of the photographs of the Windsor Scout Rally of 1911, which was attended by his father, King George V. The wonderful collection of treasures m ‘B.P.’s room’ was the subject of great interest to the King He specially liked the collection of Christmas cards sketched by' 8.P., and he remarked on the old chief’s remarkable ability of being able to draw equally well with both hands. “We had at the time in our committee room a pictorial display of The war service work of Scouts. A panel giving a list of the gallantry awards won by Scouts during the war took His Majesty’s eye, and, turning to me, he remarked that he had not realised he had decorated so many Scouts. “His Majesty tested my memory when he came to a picture of himself in Scout uniform presenting a trophy to a Scout. ‘Can you tell me where that was?’ he asked. ‘And do you know who it is with me?’ For the life of me I couldn’t remember. ‘lt was a rally in South Australia in 1927,’ said the King, smiling, ‘and that is General Tom Bridges' with me.’ Then laughingly he added, ‘Do you know, I have still got those stockings I was wearing on that occasion.’ “I thought the King’s visit a good opportunity to bring together representatives of the various foreign Scout associations now in Britain. His Majesty was very glad to see them, giving each of them a Scout handshake and asking them about their particular branches. It was, I know, a great moment for our brother Scouts of these foreign associations, and a tremendous surprise, since they had no idea until their arrival at I.H.Q. that they were to have the honour of being presented to the King.” .