The Boer War, Baden Powell and the Boy Scout Movement

At the start of the Second Boer War in South Africa in 1899, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army could not send enough troops in time. While it seems absurd to us to go into war without troops, the British Army compromised, instead sending Colonel Robert Baden-Powell (1857–1941) to the Cape Col­ony to raise regiments of Mounted Rifles from local British citiz­ens. Baden Powell and his officers had three tasks: to resist any Boer invasion of KwaZulu-Natal Province, to draw the Boers away from the coasts to enable British troops to land and to encourage the locals from supporting the Boers. Things did not go well. In 1899, each conflict ended in defeat for the British and their allies, and victory for the Boers.

The worst disaster could easily have occurred at Mafeking, right on the boundary where the British Cape Colony and the Boer Transvaal met. During this Siege of Mafeking, Colonel Baden-Powell and his 2,000 men defended the town as best they could from the 5,000 Boers who continued to shell the town and tried to starve it into surrender. Siege was the correct word. It lasted for six horrible months in 1899-1900.

Col Baden Powell

Mafeking

Second Boer War

The Mafeking Cadet Corps, 1899-1900

Because of the shortage of manpower in the town, 16 volunteer British adolescents in The Mafeking Cadet Corps were used to a] support the troops, b] carry messages around the town and to out­lying forts, c] help with the wounded and d] act as lookouts, warn­ing the townspeople when the Boer siege guns were firing. These tasks freed up adult men for military duties and kept the brave cadets occupied during the Siege. The cadets were easily identified because they wore military-type uniforms and hats. At first they used donkeys, but as the siege ran on, food became scarce and the donkeys became dinner. From then on, the cadets used bicycles instead.

When did the city’s Cadet Force start? The town's newspaper, the Mafeking Mail, was already discussing the local Cadet Force well before Col Baden Powell entered the town with his soldiers in September 1899.

As it turned out, the Siege of Mafeking was the most famous and unexpected British victory in the Sec­ond Boer War. People across the British Empire celebrated wildly; people who had never heard of Col. Robert Baden-Powell now considered him a national hero. The Relief of Mafeking was not due to the Cadets, of course, but by the end of the siege, dozens of the Cadets were awarded the Defence of Mafeking military bar.

Baden-Powell had never been married and had known nothing about caring for adolescent boys. But he was clearly very impressed by the Cadets and often used them in his military books as an example of bravery in war time. And at home he had also been familiar with the organis­ation called The Boys' Brigade, founded by his friend William Alexander Smith back in 1883. Members of the Boys’ Brigade were encouraged to combine drill and fun activities with Christian values.

Yet it was only on his return to Britain in 1903 that Baden-Powell found that one particular military manual, Aids to Scouting, had done very well sales-wise and was being used in Britain by teachers and adult leaders of youth organisations. With encouragement from William Alexander Smith, Baden-Powell decided to re-write Aids to Scouting to suit a younger market. This final document described outdoor activities, character development, citizenship and personal fitness as the core values of boy scouts. And it omitted all military content.

Scouting for Boys

written by Baden Powell

in 1903 and again in 1908

Two important events happened in 1907. Firstly Baden-Powell went on an extensive speaking tour arranged by his publisher, Arthur Pearson, to promote the new book. He was well received wherever he travelled in Britain. Secondly Baden-Powell organised a camp on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour Dorset to test out his ideas for a Boy Scout Movement. Only 20 lads turned up: half from local Boys' Brigade compan­ies and half school boys whose fathers knew Baden Powell. But in a very important sense, this camp marked the formal beg­inning of the scouting movement.

The next year, 1908, scout packs were established across the country, all following the principles laid out in Baden-Powell's book. I don't think the ex-colonel from Mafeking and the Boer War had expected to be so successful, so quickly, in Britain. The first national Scout Rally was held at Crystal Palace in 1909. 

In 1920, the first worldwide Scout Jamboree took place in Olympia in West Kensington, under Baden-Powell’s leadership. Soon after, Baden-Powell was created a Baronet.