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May 2020 May 2020
BERE REGIS AND DISTRICT (no.76 Dorset) of which the Commandant was Mrs Radclyffe and the
Quartermaster, Mrs F G A Lane. For, on that day, a display was given on the
TWINNING ASSOCIATION cricket field and they were inspected by a military officer. The Detachment
assembled on the Village Green where they were joined by the local troop of Boy
Scouts (whose Scoutmaster, Mr Bert Jesty was unavoidably prevented from being
Bere Regis became involved with Twinning when present)...There was a parade through the gaily decorated village to the field.
a group of villagers who had a love of France Here a temporary hospital, equipped to the last detail, had been fitted up in the
and wanted to know more about the people and pavilion. The nurses gave an excellent display of the treatment of the wounded,
their way of life than can be found out just by several of the Scouts acting as patients and the practical and expeditious
taking holidays there, decided to set up a treatment that they received drew forth the highest encomium from the
twinning group. The Dorset Twinning Association inspecting officer and the admiration of the numerous spectators. The Drax Hall
assisted the process by providing details of three had also been fitted out as a temporary hospital. Much interest was manifest in
French communities of a similar size to Bere Regis who had expressed a desire to the two kitchens that had been built in the field and the day previous, the
twin with an English energetic cooks had prepared an excellent luncheon of which the nurses were
one. Opportunities invited to partake in a tent on inspection day. The cooks had prepared many
were provided for delicacies for the ‘wounded’ and the labours of the culinary experts cannot be
visits both ways to praised too highly. During the afternoon there was an exciting tug-of-war
explore the other between the nurses and the Scouts.(There is no record of who won!)
communities. The
information gathered War was declared on 4 August 1914, The Grand Fleet which had assembled at
on the three French Portland for Annual Manoeuvres and a Royal Review, slipped away overnight en
communities was route for its wartime muster point at Scapa Flow. The Army mobilised and
circulated throughout Reservists poured into the Depot at Dorchester before joining the Dorset Regiment
the village, and as a stationed in Belfast.
result of a vote, Bere
Regis opted to twin There are few mentions of the Scouts in the Parish Magazine during this period.
with Cerences, a Nationally, Baden Powell had decided that, unlike the Boys Brigade and the
village in Normandy Church Lads, both rather more militaristic youth organisations which formed
between Coutances volunteer Army battalions in the Great War, he would offer the services of the
and Granville, about Scout Association to the Authorities in a supporting role.
1½ hours drive from An extract from the Southern Times of 5 August 1914 reads:
Cherbourg.
Boy Scouts on National Service
Here are some facts about Twinning:
Copy of Telegram from Major General Baden Powell to Lord Portman, Chief Scout
The aim of twinning is to promote and foster friendships and broaden Commissioner for Dorset: ‘Hope you can supply thousands of Scouts, if required, to
mutual understanding of social and cultural activities between communities guard culverts and telegraphs against spies and run despatches, billet troops,
in this country and abroad. collect transport, etc in your county, provided exemption from schools and
employment granted. If so, communicate with your Chief Constable.’
Bere Regis is twinned with Cerences, a village in Basse-Normandie, France.
Lord Portman replied that he could provide a hundred Scouts including 25 cyclists
We celebrated our 20 anniversary in 2017.
th
and 1 motor cyclists. New Scout Troops were being formed.
We usually visit each other’s village, as a group, on alternate years. Families
from both communities are matched up and entertain one another for a Baden Powell did not volunteer the Scout Association for involvement in the war
weekend, usually in September. as such as he regarded the Movement as an international youth peace
organisation. Scouts, however, acted as messenger boys, air raid wardens, first aid
orderlies, security patrols, escorted people to air raid shelters, assisted with the
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