Richard Francis "John" Thurman

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

JP (4 April 1911 – April 1985) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

Scouting Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...

notable and Camp Chief of

Gilwell Park Gilwell Park is The Scout Association's principal camp site and Scout Activity Centre, activity centre in the United Kingdom. It is a site, located in Essex in the Sewardstonebury area of Waltham Abbey within Epping Forest near the border with ...

from 1943 to 1969 and scouting’s first International Director of Adult Leader Training In 1943, he introduced the Gilwell

woggle A woggle (or ''neckerchief slide'') is a device to fasten the neckerchief, or scarf, worn as part of the Scout or Girl Guides uniform, originated by a Scout in the 1920s. In form and function, a woggle is similar to the Tie ring, a formal pi ...

as the insignia for Basic Training. The woggle was first created in the early 1920s by Bill Shankley, a member of the Gilwell staff. He produced a two-strand

Turk's head ''Turk's Head'' ( – the expression also has the colloquial meaning of 'scapegoat' or 'fall guy' in French) is a 2010 French thriller film directed by and starring Pascal Elbé. Roschdy Zem and Israel actress, Ronit Elkabetz also star. It was r ...

slide which was adopted as the official woggle. From 1943 to 1989, the Gilwell woggle was awarded on the completion of Basic Training, and the Gilwell

scarf A scarf (: scarves or scarfs) is a long piece of fabric that is worn on or around the neck, shoulders, or head. A scarf is used for warmth, sun protection, cleanliness, fashion, religious reasons, or to show support for a sports club or team. ...

and the Wood Badge beads were awarded on the completion of Advanced Training. In 1962 Thurman conducted the only

Wood Badge Wood Badge is a Scout leader training program, first implemented by The Scout Association, The Boy Scouts Association in the United Kingdom in 1919 and subsequently adopted, with variations, by some other Scout organizations. Wood Badge Course ...

course ever in

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

. He was awarded the

Bronze Wolf The Bronze Wolf Award is an award presented by the World Organization of the Scout Movement for outstanding service by an individual to the Scout Movement. Just over 400 people have received the Bronze Wolf since its creation in 1935. WOSM has r ...

and the Silver Jay (Dutch scouts) in 1959 and the

Silver Buffalo Award The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of Scouting America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting program. The ...

in 1962. In 1957 he also received the highest distinction of the

Scout Association of Japan The is the major Scouting organization of Japan. Starting with boys only, the organization was known as Boy Scouts of Japan from 1922 to 1971, and as Boy Scouts of Nippon from 1971 to 1995, when it became coeducational in all sections, leading ...

, the

Golden Pheasant Award The is the highest award for adult leaders in the Scout Association of Japan. It is awarded by the Chief Scout of Japan, awarded for eminent achievement and meritorious service to the Association for a period of at least twenty years. It may be ...

. He became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1963 ''"for services to the Boy Scouts' Association"''.

Works

John Thurman wrote a number of instructional Scouting books, notably on the subject of Scout pioneering. They were written in an amusing style, and are credited with increasing the popularity and scope of pioneering within the Scout Movement in the post World War II period. Many of his other books were co-authored with his friend Rex Hazlewood, who was editor of

The Scout (magazine) ''Scouting'' magazine was a bi-monthly publication of The Scout Association. The magazine included information, resources and support for both young people and adults involved with The Scout Association and Scouting. From 2004, it was supplied fre ...

and

The Scouter ''Scouting'' magazine was a bi-monthly publication of The Scout Association. The magazine included information, resources and support for both young people and adults involved with The Scout Association and Scouting. From 2004, it was supplied fre ...

magazines. * 1949: ''The Campfire Leader's Book'' (with Rex Hazlewood) * 1950: ''Pioneering Projects'' * 1950: ''The Patrol Leaders' Handbook'' * 1951: ''The Scout's Book of Gilwell'' * 1952: ''Scout Camps: A Book for Scouters'' (with Rex Hazlewood) * 1956: ''Fun with Ropes and Spars'' * 1957: ''The Gilwell Camp Fire Book: Songs and yells from fifty years of Scouting'' (with Rex Hazlewood) * 1959: ''Some Training Ideas for Scouts'' (with Rex Hazlewood) * 1960: ''Camping'' (with Rex Hazlewood) * 1962: ''The Second Gilwell Camp Fire Book: A further collection of songs and yells from fifty years of Scouting'' (with Rex Hazlewood) * 1962: ''Pioneering Principles'' * 1963: ''The Scout and his Axe'' * 1964: ''Progressive Pioneering'' * 1964: ''Summer Camp All Year Round'' (with Rex Hazlewood) * 1969: ''The Gilwell Story'' (with Rex Hazlewood)

References

External links

The Scout's Book of Gilwell
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thurman, John 1911 births 1985 deaths The Scout Association Recipients of the Bronze Wolf Award Members of the Order of the British Empire

Works

See also

References

Further reading

External links