Cornwell Scout Badge Awarded To A Wellington Scout

Wanganui Chronicle, 10 November 1949, Page 9

Cornwell Scout Badge Awarded To A Wellington Scout

Advice has been received from the Imperial Headquarters of the Boy Scouts Association, London, that the Empire Chief Scout, herd Rowallan, has awarded to Scout lain H. H. Chisholm, of 56 Mulgrave Street, Thorndon, Wellington, a “Cornwell Scout” Badge in recognition of his high standard of character and devotion to duty under great suffering. This rare and highly coveted badge has only previously been awarded to six New Zealand Scouts, who were Arthur Meachem, Wellington, 1927; Michael Rex Rafter. Wellington, 1933; Roger Kingsford, Nels jo, 1940; Stanley Cole, Wellington, 1940; Angus Mcrjie, Wellington, 1947; Stanley Mcrris, Hutt Valiev, 1948. The “Cornwell Seoul’ badge is an exceptional award in respect of preeminently high character and devotion to duty, together with great courage, endurance or gallantry. In the Battle of Jutland in 1916, when the British Fleet was fighting the German battleships, the former London street boy, Jack Cornwell, once a Boy Scout, died a national hero, and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. In order to keep his memory and his example alive among his brother Scouts, the Cornwell Scout Decoration was instituted. The badge is a plain letter “C” in bronze, and though it is not gaudy to look at, it is the highest honour a Scout can win. The small “C ’ means not only Cornwell but also the Courage that made Cornwell a hero. Scout lain Chisholm was paralysed at the age of four years and could not move his arms or legs, and spent almost four years on his back. His own personal perseverance has enabled him to restore the partial use of his hands and he has learned to use a typewriter and the piano. Recently when boarding the Kelburn cable car he was unseen by the driver, who moved the vehicle, and lain suffered a broken leg, and again displayed outstanding courage in the face of very great suffering.