Sea Scout - History

History

Robert Baden-Powell grew up being constantly reminded of his family's naval connections. His maternal grandfather was Admiral William Smyth. In 1872, when he was 15, Baden-Powell accompanied his brothers on a cross-country expedition by collapsible canoe. They slept in tents and cooked their meals over open fires. Little wonder then that B-P was to write later on in his life that he started his Scouting as a Sea Scout.

Sea Scouting had its beginning at a campfire in England when Baden-Powell voiced the hope that older Scouts would be interested in learning about boat management and seamanship. He stressed the need for young men to prepare themselves for service on their country's ships. Sea Scouting was introduced by Baden-Powell with the assistance of his brother, Warington Baden-Powell, K.C., an Admiralty lawyer, sailor, and inventor of canoe sailing. Lord Baden-Powell personally held a Scout camp at Bucklers Hard, Hampshire in August 1909 which marked the start of Sea Scouts, though they were not officially named such until 1912. Warington Baden-Powell wrote the handbook Sea Scouting and Seamanship for Boys in 1910 with a foreword by Robert Baden-Powell. A special uniform was approved in 1910. It was enthusiastically received by the young men of Britain and soon found its way to the rest of the world. Warington Baden-Powell is also the author of Canoe Travelling: Log of a Cruise on the Baltic, and Practical Hints on Building and Fitting Canoes London, Smith, Elder, 1871.

In August 1950 The Wangle III, owned by 1st Mortlake Sea Scouts was lost on a return voyage from France, all 10 scouts on board perished in the disaster.