Scouts Remembrance and the Story of Jack Cornwell

Date: 14th Nov 2021 Author: City of Newcastle Scouts

Every remembrance Sunday, Scouts from across the City of Newcastle District take part in many different parades and services, to reflect and remember those who lost their lives in wars past and present.

The Scouting organisation holds a strong connection with remembrance and wartime. By the time the first world war broke out, in 1914, Scouts had existed for six years and its popularity had spread across the world. Widespread membership meant that many boys and young men had gained a range of useful skills from camp cooking to signalling and sailing. As the first world war broke out, these skills were put to practical use. 84,000 signed up to go to war, and unfortunately 8,000 did not come back.

During the second world war, Scouts carried on both at home and abroad. Scouts on the home front used their skills to support their communities and Scout leaders volunteered to support refugees and displaced people. Scouts in prisoner of war camps across the world secretly carried on with Scouts, risking punishment in order to continue their connection with the movement. By 1940, 53,000 scouts had joined up to help the war effort.

So on remembrance Sunday, spare a thought for the Scouts who bravely gave up their freedom to ensure the war effort was a success.


The Story of Jack Cornwell

On the 31 May 1916, the actions of an ordinary boy in extraordinary circumstances led to the development of The Cornwell Badge. The badge is still awarded to honour Scouts under 25 years of age who show a ‘pre-eminently high character and devotion to duty, together with great courage and endurance’.


Jack’s Scouting time was cut short by the outbreak of WW1, too young for the army at the time, he joined the Navy aged just 15 – the age of an explorer. Jack was shipped of to Devonport in 1915 to become a ‘sight-setter’ for large naval guns, his Scouting skills put him in good stead for military life.

Shortly after he joined HMS Chester in May 1916, the ship set sail for Jutland, Denmark. On 31 May 1916 British sailors spotted German ships off the coast, so the guns opened fire. The Battle of Jutland had begun.

After firing their guns for hours, Jack’s ship came under fire from four German ships, all of Jack’s gun-crew were killed or badly wounded. Only Jack was left standing. Although he was in pain , he stayed by his gun waiting for orders. When rescuers found him, he was alive but terribly wounded by the German attack.

Even though it was damaged, the HMS Chester got back home and Jack was taken to hospital in Grimsby. The doctors sent for his mother. Before she arrived Jack sadly died on 2 June 1916.

A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

Jack’s story was used to inspire young people to emulate his sense of duty and courage. In Scouting it was felt that an award to honour the highest achieving Scouts should be created in his memory. A recipient should not only have reached the highest standards in his Scouting career but also have performed an act of bravery which saved a life or have undergone suffering in a heroic manner.

100 years on from Jack Cornwell’s heroic behaviour, The Scout Association still honours young people in his name and the core values that Jack’s story embodied; selflessness, devotion to duty, commitment to others and strength in the face of adversity, remain as important to our Movement as they did then.

The Cornwell Scout award remains one of the highest awards in Scouting, and represents the importance of recognising and remembering the bravest and most resilient people within our community.

HM King Charles III has been confirmed as our new Patron, a great honour for UK Scouts.

The King continues a long tradition of the monarch giving their Patronage, dating back to 1912. This was when Scouts was granted its Royal Charter and HM George V became our first Patron.

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King Charles III

Our Patron, HM King Charles III