萌芽時期

SPROUTING PERIOD

1914年「帝國日」的香港第1旅(聖約瑟書院)童軍

1st Hong Kong Scout (St. Joseph College) in Empire Day 1914

童子軍運動創辦人貝登堡曾於1912年，其環球之旅時在香港短暫停留，並向港督介紹童子軍運動的發展，鼓勵在本港成立童子軍團。有些學校和熱心人士，如皇仁書院的詹姆士(B. J) 在1912年4月和皇家炮兵隊士官史密夫(Sgt. Smith RGA) 在1913年8月曾分別致函倫敦總部，查詢如何組織童子軍及索取有關書刊。聖約瑟書院的童子軍團更率先在1913年9月正式成立並向英國倫敦總部註冊，由愛德華斯(Albert J. Edwards)出任童子軍團長，總團長(Chief Scoutmaster)則由英國陸軍軍官寶雲少校(Major F. J. Bowen)出任，不過正式註冊文件因郵遞需時要到翌年5月才發出。同年位於九龍尖沙咀的聖安德烈堂亦向倫敦總部申請註冊成立童子軍團，成為第二個童子軍團。香港童子軍的發展看來挺不錯，單是聖約瑟書院童子軍團在剛開始時已有約90人，其後更在海軍軍官史捷菲(Capt Streafield)的演講後，組織海童子軍小隊。另外按山頂學校(Peak School)的請求，年長的童子軍為該校學童提供戶外活動及體操等訓練，後來組成山頂小狼團，由該校的老師史堅娜小姐(Miss Skinner)出任團長。童子軍總會香港分會(The Boy Scouts Association, Hong Kong Branch)亦在1914年正式籌組，並於同年5月委任首位香港總監(Colony Commissioner)─英軍軍官麥夏德少校(Major A. A. McHardy, D.S.O.)。海軍准將安史導(Commodore R.H. Anstruther)在1915年接任香港總監並在同年主持首次全港童子軍會操。

The Founder visited Hong Kong during his world tour in 1912. During his stay, B-P introduced to the Governor the development of the Scout Movement, and urged for its establishment in Hong Kong. Educators and enthusiasts like B. James from Queen’s College and Sgt. Smith RGA became aware of the Scout Movement, and wrote to The Boy Scouts Association for information in April 1912 and August 1913 respectively. However, the first officially registered Boy Scout Troop was established at the St. Joseph’s College in September 1913, with Major F. J. Bowen as its Chief Scoutmaster and Albert J. Edwards as Scoutmaster. Because of long delivery time, it was not until May 1914 that the Troop’s warrant was issued in Britain. The 2nd Hong Kong Troop was established at the St. Andrew’s Church Kowloon in the same year; the development of Scouting in Hong Kong seemed optimistic. St. Joseph’s Troop had 90 members when it started, and its Sea Scout Troop was formed after the talk by Capt. Streafield, Later on, the Peak School invited older Scouts to lead outdoor activities and physical training for its students, and soon the first Wolf Cub Pack, led by the school teacher Miss Skinner, was established there. The Boy Scouts Association , Hong Kong Branch, was officially established in 1914, with Major A. A. McHardy, D.S.O., appointed as the first Colony Commissioner. In 1915, Commodore R. H. Anstruther succeeded as the second Colony Commissioner, and took salute at the first Hong Kong Boy Scouts Parade.

香港童子軍運動在剛起步時，遇上不少困難，首先遇上了貝登堡童子軍(Baden-Powell’s Scout)必須是英籍的規定，使聖約瑟書院的童子軍人數大幅下降，加上歐戰爆發迫使不少領袖回國服役，當中不少是剛成立之童子軍總會的骨幹成員。雖然戰爭開始時，童子軍曾請纓協助政府各項戰時服務，如籌募戰爭經費、接受急救訓練、組織救傷隊、為政府機構和義勇軍分擔傳訊工作等，可是漸漸地有不少年長的童子軍(當時年限是12至18歲)離港返國參軍，令香港童子軍運動進入冬眠期。

The beginning of the Scout Movement in Hong Kong, however, was not without hurdles. First, the regulation that Baden-Powell’s Scouts must be British caused a significant decline in the number of Scouts in St. Joseph’s College. Furthermore, when World War I broke out, many Scout leaders, who were also key members of the newly-established Boy Scouts Association, had to leave Hong Kong to serve for their home countries. At the outbreak of the war, the Boy Scouts took the initiatives to serve the Government by raising funds for the warfare, attending first-aid training, forming first-aid teams, and dispatching messages for governmental and voluntary organizations. However, as the Boy Scouts (aged between 12 and 18) grew up, many of them left to fight for their homeland. The Scout movement in Hong Kong thus entered a dormant state.

1920年的小狼團 Wolf Cub Pack 1920

1920年代初期不同族裔的童子軍

Different races of Scouts in early 1920s

歐戰雖然在1918年結束，香港童子軍活動卻未能立刻恢復。1917到1920年間更沒有香港總監，總會最高的負責人是童子軍區長愛德華斯(A.J. Edwards)。直至1920年，聖約瑟書院童子軍創辦人、已晉升為中校的寶雲(Lt. Col, Bowen)返港出任香港總監，但真正的復興要到華德利牧師(Rev. George T. Waldegave)在1921年11月接任香港總監後才開始。華德利牧師於1920年來港出任海員傳道會(Seamen’s Mission)的牧師(Chaplain)，當時香港童子軍正陷入低潮，全港各級童子軍人數只得139人，比對上次於1915年統計之155人還要少。華德利牧師熱心海童子軍，成立首個海童子軍團並親自擔任團長，還鼓勵華人為主的學校開辦童子軍團。短短兩年間，至少有五個新成立的童子軍團，如西營盤學校(Sai Ying Pun Anglo-Chinese School, 即英皇書院的前身)及育才書舍(Ellis Kadoorie School)等華人學校。

Although World War I ended in 1918, Scouting activities in Hong Kong did not restart immediately, and the position of Colony Commissioner was vacant during 1917-1920. District Scoutmaster A. J. Edwards was in charge of the Hong Kong Branch until Lt. col. Bowen, the founder of the St. Joseph’s Troop, returned to Hong Kong and became the Colony Commissioner in 1920. However, the actual revival of the Hong Kong Scout Movement began only after Rev. George T. Waldegrave, Chaplain of the Seamen’s Mission, has succeeded as the Colony commissioner in November 1921. At that time, the Hong Kong Scout Movement hit bottom with only 139 members, a number even lower than the 155 participants recorded in the 1915 census. Rev. Waldegrave had strong interest in Sea Scouting, and eventually set up the first Sea Scout Troop in Hong Kong and became its Scoutmaster in 1922. During his tenure, Rev. Waldegrave also encouraged the formation of Scout Troops in schools, particularly those serving mainly Chinese. In only 2 years’ time, at least 5 more Scout Troops were established, including those at Chinese schools such as Sai Ying Pun Anglo-Chinese School and Ellis Kadoorie School.

1922年4月，英皇儲愛德華王子在其環球旅程中訪港，抵港首天即在總督府接受男女童軍的歡迎，並檢閱華德利牧師領導的香港童子軍，出席名單如下：

In April 1922, the Prince of Wales visited Hong Kong as part of his world tour. In the afternoon on his first day of arrival, the Prince received the welcome from the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides at the Governor’s House, and inspected the Hong Kong Scouts led by Rev. Waldegrave. The troops attended were as follow:

香港第1團 ─ 聖約瑟書院 1st Hong Kong Troop – St. Joseph’s College

香港第2團 ─ 九龍聖安德烈書院 2nd Hong Kong Troop – St. Andrew’s Church Kowloon

香港第3團 ─ 循道會 3rd Hong Kong Troop – Methodist (First Wan Chai)

香港第4團 ─ 瑪利兵房學校 4th Hong Kong Troop – Murray Garrison School

香港第5團 ─ 羅浮童子軍 5th Hong Kong Troop – Roving Fifth

香港第6團 ─ 育才書舍 6th Hong Kong Troop – Ellis Kadoorie School

香港第7團 ─ 西營盤學校 7th Hong Kong Troop – Sai Yin Pun School

香港第8團 ─ 衛理會 8th Hong Kong Troop- Wesleyan

當中第3、第4和第5團更有小狼團出席。

Wolf Cub Packs from 3rd, 4th and 5th Hong Kong Troops were also present.

愛德華王子的訪問，大大振奮仍然幼弱的香港童子軍，給社會人士帶來良好印象，對日後童子軍運動的發展帶來幫助。王子離港後，總領袖司徒拔(Sir Reginald E. Stubbs)督憲徵得王子同意，將原本掛在其坐駕轎子兩旁，繡有其威爾斯太子徽號的錦旗送給香港男、女童子軍會，作為團制挑戰比賽的優勝錦標。翌年5月，在快活谷舉辦了首屆比賽，由新成立的海童子軍團和香港第6團共同獲得冠軍。

The Prince of Wale’s visit had left the general public with a good image of the Souts, which in turn aided the development of the Scout Movement in Hong Kong. Sir Reginald E.Stubbs, the then Chief Scout, suggested to the Prince that the two banners (with the Prince of Wales’s Feathers on) flanking his sedan chair be presented to the winning troops of the annual Boy Scouts and Girl Guides competitions. The first Prince of Wales Banner Competition was then held in May 1923 in Happy Valley, where the championship was shared by the newly formed Sea Scout Troop and the 6th Hong Kong Troop.

首先為香港童子軍帶來的考驗是在1923年爆發之天花疫症，單是該年10月便錄得60個新病症，其中有21名患者死亡。香港政府為市民接種牛痘防疫，在自願人員如聖約翰救傷隊的協助下，每天為上千人接種。童子軍稍後亦加入自願防疫人員行列，在臨時衛生站替市民接種牛痘，海童子軍團更使用本身的船隻在避風塘為漁民接種牛痘。此外，1926年元旦的香港酒店大火，童子軍在總監華德利牧師的帶領下，緊急出動協助筯疲力竭的消防員。香港童子軍在各方面之出色表現，讓市民留下深刻印象，對童子軍運動的拓展幫助不少。

Another challenge faced by the Hong Kong Scouts was the smallpox epidemic in 1923. In October 1923, 60 patients were diagnosed with smallpox, and 21 of them died. The Hong Kong Government then launched a colony-wide vaccination campaign. With the help of voluntary organizations like the St. John ambulance, more than a thousand of citizens got vaccinated daily. Hong Kong Scout, later, also assisted in vaccinating the citizens. The Sea Scouts even sailed their boats into the typhoon shelters to help vaccinated the fishermen against smallpox. In addition, the Scouts, led by Rev. Waldegrave, coordinated with the firemen and helped put out the fire when a fire broke out at the Hong Kong Hotel on 1 January 1926. The good services provided by the Scouts in various areas impressed the citizens of Hong Kong, thus contributing a great deal to the healthy development of the Scout Movement in Hong Kong.

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