The Boy Scouts And Girl Guides Of The Great War

At the outbreak of the First World War, with many men volunteering to fight, certain roles were taken up by the Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts saw a rise in the number of boys that had joined at the outbreak of war - everybody wanted to do their bit to help the war effort. They were too young to join the army or the navy and so this was the next best thing. 

These Boy Scouts were tasked with carrying out important war work such as watching the skies for Zeppelin raids, sounding their bugle to warn of imminent attacks and again once the threat had cleared. They also carried different, most often important messages around the immediate area. They could be set to getting help for a casualty, or carrying messages amongst home front organisations. Boy Scouts carried out various other jobs depending on what was needed - after all, most able-bodied men were away fighting, with older men left behind, most of whom wouldn't be able to run for several minutes to get a message to someone. The Boy Scouts became highly respected for the work they were doing. 

For the girls there was the Girl Guiding. They were expected to undertake different, more female roles. These included parcelling up clothing to send to the frontline, delivering milk, learning and carrying out basic first aid as well as also deliveries messages, similar to the Boy Scouts. There is also rumours, of which the truth will probably never be made public, that the Girl Guides were also involved in delivering messages on behalf of MI5. It is believed that the Girl Guides were the second choice, with the Boy Scouts being the first choice. However, MI5 are said to have believed the boys to be to wild, sometimes naughty and more often than not highly talkative, something that MI5 didn't want. 

Both the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides gave children a purpose in the war, which I think boosted morale to thousands of children across the country and gave them a sense of purpose. With many of them missing fathers and other male family members who were on the front line, being part of the organisations meant that time was taken up carrying out their 'duties', taking their mind off other events. However, I do also think that the duties they were carrying out made them feel older and I think they left their childhood behind them sooner than they would have in peacetime.

Life AT War - Day By Day

26th August 1915

The Russian city of Best-Litovsk is currently overrun with German troops.

Life AT War - Day By Day

25th August 1915

British forces are currently trying to recapture Constantinople and force Turkey out of the war.

78,000 Anzac troops have landed at Gallipoli.

Life AT War - Day By Day

23rd August 1915

Tsar Nicolas the second has taken control of the Russian Army.

Life AT War - Day By Day

21st August 1915

Italy has declared war on Turkey.

Life AT War - Day By Day

19th August 1915

Rationing laws have gone into effect in the Netherlands.

The Battle of Van has begun.

The British liner, SS Arabic, has been sunk by a German submarine without warning, whilst sailing from Liverpool to New York. It is reported to 44 people have lost their lives.

Life AT War - Day By Day

9th August 1915

A British attack at Chanak Bair, Gallipoli has taken place. British Lieutenant Henry Longbottom has sadly died in battle.

Life AT War - Day By Day

6th August 1915

More British troops have landed at Suvla Bay on the northern shore of Gallipoli in an effort to break the stalemate on the peninsula.

Life AT War - Day By Day

5th August 1915

Russian soldiers have evacuated Warsaw, where shortly afterwards it was occupied by German troops.