陳溥志先生 

Mr Paul CHAN Po-chi

人稱「溥叔」的陳溥志出生於新界元朗,雖不是新界原居民,但在元朗出生、成長和受教育。他受鄉間農村環境薰陶,熱愛大自然,在學時曾參加童子軍,椎當時新界區學校的童子軍課多依隨內地教育部的規格。陳前輩憶述和平後,新界地區的學校漸次復課,戰前已在元朗地區辦學的廖爵榮於1946年任教元朗光明學校,同時組織童子軍活動。同年9月童子軍總會香港分會重新登記已恢復集會的旅團,並將位於新界的旅團從新編配旅號。而元朗光明學校的童子軍團獲編為新界第1團。


 

1947年陳前輩第一次由新界元朗到中環兵頭花園,出席和平後之聖佐治日童軍大會操,有如大鄉里出城。之後年齡漸長的陳前輩除協助旅團施訓外,亦跟隨南約的幹部包括廖爵榮、黄劍白和黄建五等人在元朗及新田等地拓展童軍運動。童軍會亦委派盧孟煊為九龍及新界地區總監,協調及指導新界地區的童軍運動之拓展,同時亦有資深領袖江嘉仁為輔。陳前輩主要負責學校組織旅團和訓練工作,但由於當時香港往返倫敦的郵遞需時,由元朗到中環的交通也不如今日之便利,他的首張領袖委任狀要到19501月才正式發出。

 


1951年英國巡迴總監杜爾(Mr F. J. DAHL) 來港視察,建議在新界成立分區委員會,祈為更有效推動發展童軍。香港分會接納建議並委任江嘉仁為署理新界區總監,當時新界地區有九個旅團。同年香港童軍會首辦小狼木章第二段訓練班,由班士夫人(Mrs J. BARNES) 主持。除陳前輩外還有廖爵榮和楊瑞瑤等新界領袖從新界地域遠赴中環摩士小屋上課。1952年新界區再分拆為南約及北約區,南約區區總監為廖爵榮,北約則由李振威任區總監。南約區分別由陳前輩及黄劍白出任小狼區長及童軍區長,負起新界童軍艱巨的拓展任務。同年成立隸屬南約區會的公開旅南約第7旅設有深資童子軍團,讓區內的適齡童軍可以繼續童子軍運動。


 

除了積極拓展新界地區童軍運動外,陳前輩也熱心支援領袖訓練工作,在完成木章訓練後即受邀加入訓練組。隨着陳前輩負擔的領袖工作增多,他在1958年受委任為小狼助理領袖訓練主任,並於1959年成為本港首位小狼領袖訓練主任。除了主要負責小狼領袖訓練工作,陳前輩還於1958年完成童軍木章訓練並於1960年獲委任為新界地域(訓練)總部總監。因著全力參與領袖訓練工作,於1961年被選派前往錫蘭(今稱斯里蘭卡)參加訓練隊員專訓班及1966年在英國基維爾營地參加訓練隊員專訓班。

 


1955年南約區成立的旅團已增至15個,短短時間有此成績,皆賴眾人之力,奠下良好基石。1956年因應拓展童軍運動需要大量童軍領袖,陳前輩特與師範學院聯絡,開辦童軍訓練活動,並成立童軍訓練單位(1966年初改稱為見習領袖旅)。初時不乏反對聲音懷疑成效,然而童軍發展迅速,實在需要領袖人手。陳前輩親力親為,先訓練幾位熱心的骨幹學員,再由他們協助施訓其他學員;就如童軍傳統訓練方法由童子軍團長先訓練小隊長,再交由小隊長教導隊員一樣。學員在完成大約四個月的基本訓練後,便可以到各學校旅團中出任領袖。當然陳前輩亦鼓勵各學員繼續參加各種技能訓練班,邁向木章之路。在19661969這四年間,陳前輩獨自負責這項見習領袖訓練,當時全港領袖近半是由該計劃所產生,其訓練的2,815名學員當中近半仍留任各級領袖。


 

1967年夏季,因應時局影響及政府要求,總會為非童軍之青少年舉辦各類大規模的康樂活動。翌年再為非童軍之青少年開設領導才訓練,陳前輩被選為青年訓練總監主理其事。至1969年成立附屬機構童軍知友社,負責童軍會所有非童軍青少年活動。之後陳前輩在1971擔任助理香港總監及正式出任總部總監(領袖訓練),專責領袖訓練工作至1973年升任副香港總監止。

陳前輩因家庭因素於1982年辭退香港副總監一職,獲委任為名譽總監。其後移居美國與家人團聚,至十多年前回流返港。服務青少年70年的陳前輩雖不再活躍於童軍運動,卻十分支持和鼓勵後輩,如指導编寫2018年出版之《承先啟後:向香港訓練人員致敬》一書;同時陳前輩熱愛拍攝雀鳥,可見其喜愛大自然之心至今數十年仍不改變。



忠誠服務童軍多年的名譽總監陳前輩,於20171016日獲總會頒發長期服務五星獎章。

Prior to attaining his first Scouter warrant in 1950, Mr Paul CHAN Po-chi (also known as Uncle PO) had already been participating the Scout Movement in the New Territories area before and soon after the World War II. Despite not being an indigenous inhabitant in New Territories, he was born and raised in Yuen Long. As the Scout Movement in New Territories resumed after World War II shortly, Uncle PO followed the footsteps of Mr LIU Cheuk-wing and WONG Brothers (WONG Kim-pak and WONG Kin-ng), working hard for the development of Scouting in New Territories with these pioneers.

 


Uncle PO completed his Wood Badge at a very early stage as he had joined the first Wolf Cub Part II Course (known as the Advanced Training Course today). The Course was run in 1951 by Mrs J. BARNES, Assistant Colony Commissioner for Wolf Cubs, with the assistance of Travelling Commissioner F. J. DAHL. At that time, Uncle PO had to travel a long way from the New Territories to Morse Hut in Central District to attend the course, which was not easy and challenging in early post War years.

 


Uncle PO was invited to join Hong Kong Training Team since its establishment in 1951. He also contributed to the Scout Movement by taking up various positions in his Scout Groups, District, Area, Regional and the Headquarters. Working in the field of education, Uncle PO devoted almost all his spare time to the Scout Movement, channeling his effort to nurture the next generation. In 1982, Uncle PO stepped down as the Deputy Chief Commissioner and moved to the United States to accompany his family. Despite this, he was still the consultant of the New Territories Region and was appointed as the Honorary Commissioner.

 


Uncle PO returned to Hong Kong around a decade ago. Since then, he has had more opportunities to meet his old friends. On 16 October 2017, Mr CHAN, the Honorary Commissioner, was awarded the Long Service Medal with 5 stars.