Although our group was formed in 2023, 4th Gosport has existed in the past. A chat with the Heritage team at Scout HQ helped us to find out about our Scouting ancestors.
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Scout Troops and Wolf Cub Packs were not centrally registered by Scouts HQ until 1919, so the form for both dates to then. There is a box on the on the Troop Registration which indicates that the Troop had been active since 1908. The Wolf Cub Pack Registration gives their first date as 15th October 1914. This would make them one of the pilot packs for Wolf Cubs, as Cubs were not made a formal part of the movement until 1916.
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In 1928, the Group system is introduced, bringing together Cub Packs and Scout Troops into one Group. By this time, there were 33 Wolf Cubs, 31 Scouts, and 3 Leaders. We unfortunately aren't sure when the group closed, only that it was after 1982.
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The following was shared with us from the Heritage team from the GDPR policy when we asked about what we'd be allowed to share.
Please note that we can only release information about individuals in line with GDPR regulations. This means that we can't release information about individuals who are still living without their prior consent.
As we don't necessarily know whether an individual is deceased, we have a blanket policy that we don't release data for people under 100 years old.
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As of 2023, this means that we cannot release information about:
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Volunteers after 1943
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Scouts after 1933
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Cubs after 1931
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Where we have groups records, such as registration documents, we can release these once we've removed all personal data.
Headquarters Gazette
(Dated December 1909)
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(4th Gosport is mentioned in the third Paragraph)
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4th Gosport Troop
Scoutmaster A. E. Sexton
The 4th Gosport Scout Troop Boy Scouts took part in night operations with the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Hants Regiment (Territorial Force).
The Boy Scouts, with the Tee-on-Solent (likely Lee-on-Solent) Section 6th Hants, represented an enemy who had landed at Tee-on-Solent and thrown out in extended order to cover the landing. Quite a spirited action was fought.
The defenders were the "E" Company, 6th Hants (Gosport), whose losses were serious, due to their fighting in the open. Scouts kept splendid cover and were not easily moved from their position. It was mainly due to their vigilance that the invaders were victorious, as was evidenced in the kind and encouraging words addressed to the
by the Chief Umpire, Major J. J. Howe, who congratulated them on the splendid manner in which the boys had performed their duties.
Major Howe also told the Scouts that, being their first time of going into action with the Territorial Army, they had certainly had their baptism of fire, and to show his appreciation gave the boys permission to march home in front of and leading his regiment. An honour for No. 4 Troop! M. G. Wobson, Assistant Scoutmaster, did good service. Second Lieutenant H. J. Webb commanded the landing force.
Headquarters Gazette
(Dated June 1910)
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(4th Gosport is mentioned in the second paragraph)
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The first combined church parade of the Portsmouth Boy Scouts was a remarkable success.
The Scouts assembled at the back of the Town Hall shortly after two o'clock, the troops present being the 7th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 17th (Lord Charles Beresford's Own), 18th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, and headquarter's, Portsmouth; 2nd and 4th Gosport, and 1st Horndean. Altogether over 350 boys mustered under the command of the local District Secretary (Scoutmaster J. Clare, of the 7th), the other officers on parade being Scoutmasters G. Bryan, T. H. Donohue, A. Lamsley, A. Adler, P. Luff, J. W. Clayton, H. Francis, W. D. Kerwood, the Rev. L. E. Burgess, G. Cooper, E. Scovell, A. Hales, W. Sexton, and A. Austin.
It was a thrilling moment when, after the sermon, the Vicar of Portsmouth (the Rev. R. S. Medlicott), who is also the Scouts' Chaplain, faced the alar, held his right hand above his head in the Scouts' salue, and, with the boys following him line for line, took the oath of loyalty to God, King and Country anew, as a token of allegiance to George V. In his sermon the Vicar rose to the occasion in a way that perhaps only a Scoutmaster could have done.
He took as his text the First Book of Samuel, 17th chapter and verse 50: "But there was no sword in the hand of David." In simple, homely language he told the boys the story of David, and then proceeded to show them how patriotism and religion went hand in hand. Mr. Medlicott also emphasised the fact that military work was not an essential part of the Boy Scout's training. The music was a special feature of the service. Mr. R. H. Turner, at the organ, led the singing splendidly, and the boys of the church choir were augmented by the 10th (St. Thomas's) Troop. The lesson was read by the Rev. L. E. Burgess, Scoutmaster of the 19th (St. Mark's, North End) Troop.
Certificate of Merit
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(Highlighted section only)
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Patrol-leader STANLEY GILBERT PAYNE, 4th Gosport Troop. Assisting a girl who had fallen through ice.
