1920 Wj1 Tjb 03 » Pine Tree Web Home Page

The Jamboree Book, 1920
1st World Jamboree, Olympia, England

Japanese Boy Scout from Tokyo
From: The Jamboree Book, 1920, Boy Scout Association

The Rovers.
From: Boy Scout Association, The Jamboree Book, 1920

0f the boys themselves nothing but good can be said. The Rover Scouts covered themselves with glory at the jamboree. Hundreds upon hundreds came to Olympia during the week, fine healthy fellows who represented . many thousands of others unable to attend. Of them nothing was heard but praise. They filled all sorts of odd jobs at short notice and left them only if their presence was urgently required to play a part in the arena.

A few expressions of opinion by heads of departments who had Rover Scouts acting on permanent and special duty during the jamboree speak more eloquently than pages of mere words:

"This wonderful Rover has a fine, quick brain and is invaluable in disaster, a nice manner and is capable of getting things done at once: an invaluable assistant."

"At a moment of tremendous excitement while the Chief was being ‘chaired’ on Saturday at the close of the jamboree, there was considerable danger, and it was due solely to the ready handful of Rovers who kept close up that an accident was averted.

"The crush was so great that had anybody fallen before the ‘G’ sounded there would have been serious danger. At that moment, as the Times said, ‘A miracle happened.’ "

"From all sides the reports come in that the Rover Scouts, whenever they were put on a job, seemed to jump to the occasion in an unaccountable way. Their reliability for all sorts of jobs and their readiness to come up to the scratch to answer any appeal was very marked."

"I came across an athletic fellow, 6 feet high, a Rover from a distant country, who had given up his holiday to come up to the jamboree. That was on the last Friday. He was on police duty. I asked him if he was enjoying the jamboree and he answered, ‘Topping!’

"Have you been in the arena often?"

"Not once.

"Why?

"I was pinched for police duty on one of the gates as soon as I arrived and have stuck to it ever since.

"But would you not like to see the show?

"Of course, but as I was put on the job I thought it was the best thing I could do to stick here without asking questions."


		Boy Scout Association The Jamboree Book, 1920 Part One

		Baden-Powell Photo Gallery 1st World Jamboree Home Page
		Baden-Powell Photo Gallery Baden-Powell at the World Jamborees Links to the World Jamborees, 1920-1937
		The Baden-Powell Home Page

Return to the Pine Tree Web Home Page: A Collection of the Author’s Links