If you'd rather place an order by talking to one of our cheerful order desk clerks, please call 1-888-232-4444 (USA and Canada only) or 250-383-6864. From Europe, ring our UK order desk clerk at local rate number 0845 230 9601 (UK only) or 44 (0)1865 722 113.

Esprit de Corps: Recollections of a Baden Powell Scout

by John B. Newberry

84 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); includes black and white photography; catalogue #06-2253; ISBN 1-4251-0495-9; US$12.95, C$14.89, EUR10.64, £7.45

Esprit de Corps is an autobiographical account of scouting memories during the 20s and 30s. It highlights the 67th North London B.P. Troup associated with Ferme Park Baptist Church.

Read more!

About the Book

About the Author

Excerpts

About the Book

When the author, John Newberry, now 94 years of age started writing about his boyhood some three years ago it was with the idea that his family and those to follow would have a record of what life was like in those early years of the 20th century. As he progressed he realized how scouting was so involved with his church and Sunday school like that they would all become a part of the story.

Ferme Park Church and Sunday School in Hornsey a North London borough was one of the largest and strongest in the London area. The Scoutmaster William Herbert, a bachelor was certainly God's gift to scouting with a great gift for getting the most out of the boys in the troop. This was during the period following World War I. Twenty five years of peace was to come and despite the absence of T.V., computers and cell phones, life was still great and we had fun enjoying the more simple pleasures available. The time was just right for the new Boy Scout movement to take hold.

Robert Baden Powell, recently retired from the army and service in the Boer War where he had built up a corps of messenger boys during the siege of Mafeking had the notion that boys needed to be brought together in a movement that would help them to become fine dependable citizens. He organized a camp on Brownsea Island off the south coast of England for just a few boys. He had written a book called Scouting for Boys upon which the movement was to be based and from this beginning in 1907 the Boy Scout movement took off. This coming year, 2007, sees the centennial celebrations with a World Jamboree to be held in England.

The author and many others who have read the book feel that it has some historical value as well as pointing out to any who are in a leadership position that a well disciplined pack or troop is the one that not only has the most fun, but becomes the group that grows and serves its members in the best possible ways. The Scout motto is "Be prepared" and any time you, as a leader, go to a meeting unprepared, it will not take a few minutes for the boys to sense it and "Woe and Betide" you will not do it again.

The author admits to being a sentimental old guy and tends to live in the past. Why not? For him they were the good old days, but he admits that the movement is keeping up with the times and is happy it is.

---

About the Author

John Newberry was born February 22nd, 1912 in Hornsey, a North London borough. As the middle child he had an older brother and sister and two younger sisters. At the age of eleven he transferred from Stroud Green elementary school to the Tollington school, an all boys school, where he earned honours in French and Spanish. This served him well during WWII where he acted as an interpreter for his R.A.S.C unit while in France.

He met and married his wife, Joan, while in the service and and have just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. They moved to the United States in 1951 with their daughter Carole. John and Joan currently have three grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Since his arrival in the United States, John has served several scout committees as well as Scoutmaster and District Commissioner. In recognition of his service to youth, he was awarded the Silver Beaver in 1981.

---

Excerpts

---