Kenneth McLaren

Kenneth McLaren (sometimes known as Kenneth MacLaren),[1] DSO, (1860–1924) was a Major[2] in the 13th Hussars regiment of the British Army. After his military service he assisted with the growth of the Scouting movement founded by his friend Robert Baden-Powell.

In 1898 McLaren married Leila Evelyn Landon, who died in 1904. He married Ethyl Mary Wilson in 1910 despite the advice of Baden-Powell, who considered her below his station.[3]

Military service

McLaren had schooled at Harrow[4] and studied at Sandhurst[5] before joining his regiment, the 13th Hussars in 1880.[6] He was posted to India, where he served as regimental adjutant and later aide de camp to General Baker Russell.[1][7] In South Africa he was gravely wounded at the siege of Mafeking in March 1900, falling prisoner to the Boers.[1] He was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order in 1901.[4] McLaren played polo throughout his military service,[8] and was umpire of one of the two matches in the 1908 London Olympics.[9]

McLaren first met Baden-Powell (also a 13th Hussars officer) in 1881. Although McLaren was 20 at the time, Baden-Powell nicknamed him "the Boy", on account of his appearance.[6][5][10][11][12] The two became fast friends, their relationship being one of the most important friendships in Baden-Powell's life.[12][3][13]

He was recalled to the colours in World War I, but was forced to retire again in 1915 due to ill-health.[4][14]

Boy Scouts

McLaren was brought in to help with the growing Scout movement in 1907, serving on the staff at the Brownsea Island Scout camp.[12][3][15][16] According to biographer Tim Jeal, Baden-Powell convinced McLaren to be the Boy Scouts' first manager, but McLaren resigned that position in March 1908.[3] According to other accounts, when the Scout Association was formed in 1908, Major MacLaren became its first Secretary.[17][18]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Captain Kenneth MacLaren, 13th Hussars, who it will be remembered was for a time adjutant of the regiment, was in July 1899 acting as A.D.C. to General Sir Baker Russell. He was then ordered to South Africa, as Colonel R. S. S. Baden-Powell had applied for his services. Captain MacLaren had been seriously wounded outside Mafeking, March 31, 1900." CHAPTER XXXVI. South African War, 1899-1900. Part Two. To December 1900.Regimental History, C. R. B. Barrett, History of the XIII Hussars, 1911 [1]
  2. ^ "Obituary Many of our older readers will have heard with deep regret of the death of Major Kenneth McLaren, late of the 13th Hussars. Cavalry journal, Volume 15 - Page 105
  3. ^ a b c d Jeal, Tim (1989). Baden-Powell. London: Hutchinson. pp. 74–83. ISBN 0-09-170670-X. 
  4. ^ a b c Military career
  5. ^ a b Craigmoe, Peter (2006). Burnham: King of Scouts. ISBN 9781412009010. http://books.google.com/books?id=gMkyGhtul10C&pg=PA19&dq=%22Kenneth+McLaren%22+-inpublisher:icon&lr=&as_brr=0&cd=35#v=onepage&q=%22Kenneth%20McLaren%22%20-inpublisher%3Aicon&f=false. Retrieved 2010-02-04. 
  6. ^ a b Jeal, p. 66
  7. ^ "Naval and military intelligence". The Times. 1895. http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/743/252/91161099w16/purl=rc1_TTDA_0_CS101768358&dyn=10!xrn_4_0_CS101768358&hst_1?sw_aep=corlonli. Retrieved 2 February 2010. 
  8. ^ The Badminton Magazine of Sports and Pastimes, Volume 9, p. 277, Longmans, Green and Co., 1899 (Original from Princeton University)
  9. ^ Horace A. Laffaye, Nigel À Brassard, The Evolution of Polo, McFarland, 2009, ISBN 0786438142, p. 119
  10. ^ Brian Gardner, Mafeking: a Victorian legend, Cassell, 1966, p. 19
  11. ^ Ronald Hyam, Britain's imperial century, 1815-1914: a study of empire and expansion, Barnes & Noble Books, 1976, ISBN 0064930998, p. 137
  12. ^ a b c Warren, Allen (2008). "Powell, Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-, first Baron Baden-Powell (1857–1941)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/30520?docPos=4. 
  13. ^ The character factory: Baden-Powell and the origins of the Boy Scout movement - Page 48; Michael Rosenthal
  14. ^ Supplement 4039 to the London Gazette, 24 April 1915.
  15. ^ Knobel, Bruno (1962) (in German). Das große Abenteuer Lord Baden-Powells (2 ed.). Zürich: Polygraphischer Verlag AG Zürich. p. 197. 
  16. ^ "1907-eine Bewegung entsteht Die Insel Brownsea: Es geht los!" (in German). SCOUTING — Unabhängige Zeitschrift für Pfadfinderinnen und Pfadfinder 2/2007: 10. 2007. 
  17. ^ Gilwell Gazette Vol 1 No.7. April 20, 2007. http://google.com/search?q=cache:zUoOQU1oYxIJ:www.oldcolonycouncil.org/woodbadge246/gazette/Gilwell%2520Gazette%2520Vol%25207.pdf+%22Kenneth+MacLaren%22+secretary+scout&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk. Retrieved 2010-02-04. 
  18. ^ Ernest Edwin Reynolds (1962) (in German). BIPI (3 ed.). Augsburg: Verlag Die Brigg. p. 91.