Lieutenant-General Baden-Powell in France during the First World War, 1916

From: Baden-Powell, Lessons from the Varsity of Life, Chapter XI: "The War"

"I MUST now go back to 1914 and tell something of the work of the Scouts and Guides of those days.

"When War was declared I went and saw Lord Kitchener and offered my services in any capacity whatsoever.

"However, he expressed his firm belief in the potentiality of the Boy Scouts behind the scenes in replacing men required at the front; and as the doctors would not pass me Et for service he urged me to organise them for the many purposes for which they could be employed.

"The moment fortunately was just ripe for such adventure. Six years old, the Scout movement had now got on to a firm foundation of decentralised administration all over the Empire and was strong in numbers with a capable lot of officers. On the other hand most of these, and of the senior boys, joined up in the forces directly War was declared (ten thousand of them never came back).

"But we carried on with the next best, and these, with responsibility thrust upon them, played up well."

Baden-Powell, Lessons from the Varsity of Life, 1933

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