SIR. R. BADEN-POWELL

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 452, 30 March 1912, Page 6

SIR. R. BADEN-POWELL

+ . Than Sir Robert Baden-Powell, who has retired from the Army, to devote himself to the Boy Scout movement, ,of which he was the originator, few military officers have had a more distinguished or interesting career. ' He joined the 13th Hussars in 1876 and served in India, Afghanistan, and South Africa. In 1888-90 he was Military Secretary in South Africa, and took part in the operations in Zululand in the former year. In 1895 he was on special service in charge of the native levies during the ashanti campaign, and in 1896-7 he was Chief Staff Officer in the Matabelelaud Field Force. From 1897 to 1899 he commanded the sth Dragoon Guards. His pertinacious defence of Mafeking during the Boer War will always be remembered. With a small garrison, mainly composed of Colonials, he held the little town for months in the face of an overwhelmingly superior force, and no one will ever forget the intense enthusiasm with which the relief of the beleaguered place was welcomed by his fellow countrymen. Later on in the war General Baden-Powell took part in the operations in the Transvaal, and subsequently he organised the South African Constabulary. In 1903 he was appointed InspectorGeneral of Cavalry, and in 1908 was selected to command the Northumbrian Territorial Division. In the same year he founded the Boy Scouts and he may well be proud of the organisation, which now numbers upwards of 300,000 lads within its ranks. Author and artist as well as soldier, "B-P." has written many books has exhibited sculpture at the Royal Academy, and has distinguished himself in such field sports as golf, biggame shooting, polo, etc. "8.-P." may well be described as a "born scout." From the time of first joining the army he applied the methods of Sherlock Holmes to military purposes, and habitually made deductions from ordinarily unnoticed incidents. One day, when quite a young soldier, he was out ridingi with some more cavalrymen on the Berkshire downs. It was a misty afternoon, and on a distant hill were seen what one officer declared to be four squadrons of cavalry. Another roundly declared them to be horse artillery. "8.-P." noticed one of the objects cross from one point to the other. It was immediately followed by all the others. He betted they were sheep, and innocent sheep they proved to be.