The Fleur-De-Lis, Khaki Shorts and Me: A Logbook of My Adventures in Scouting

By Graeme C Legge

When Graeme joined Scouts aged twelve, who knew it would lead to a commitment beyond forty years? Challenges and adventures within Victoria, interstate and international sites led to an enthralling life.

Hard to imagine how many have been uplifted and encouraged by Graeme in his variety of roles. He’s certainly made a highly valued contribution to the well-being of others around him and has a real gift of being able to enrich young lives, serve the community and support two emergency services.

The inspirational memoir “The Fleur-de-Lis, Khaki Shorts and Me” contains narrative and anecdote with spiritual overtones. It has been excellently written, appropriately illustrated and is about real life that was inspired only to reach its zenith in community service.

Graeme ‘Promised’; he meant it and lived it throughout all stages of his life. His eminent achievements and exceptional service to Scouts Australia and elsewhere makes outstanding reading.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: May 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781982294663

Graeme C Legge

Known as the “Man in Khaki Shorts” Graeme was a foundation member in a new Scout Troop. Inspired by the Queen he became a Queen’s Scout, a Scout Leader, and more. Upon Investiture he promised “his best” in the three-fold duty to ‘God and Queen’,When Graeme joined Scouts aged twelve, who knew it would lead to a commitment beyond forty years? Challenges and adventures within Victoria, interstate and international sites led to an enthralling life. Hard to imagine how many have been uplifted and encouraged by Graeme in his variety of roles. He’s certainly made a highly valued contribution to the well-being of others around him and has a real gift of being able to enrich young lives, serve the community and support two emergency services. The inspirational memoir “Graeme, ‘Fleur de Lys’ and Khaki Shorts” contains narrative and anecdote with spiritual overtones. It has been excellently written, appropriately illustrated and is about real life that was inspired only to reach its zenith in community service. Graeme ‘Promised’; he meant it and lived it throughout all stages of his life. His eminent achievements and exceptional service to Scouts Australia and elsewhere makes outstanding reading to help other people and to fulfilling the Scout Law. Graeme was also Fire Captain, School Principal, Mayor, Lay Preacher and Justice of the Peace. He has been a powerful influence through his support of community with his special emphasis on youth work. From Patrol Leader to Scout Leader with up to 100 Scouts before becoming involved with 500 youth members, Graeme’s adventures have ranged from sites local, state, and interstate and even a bit of international action. Graeme’s distinguished service was at a consistently high level and provided significant and outstanding support to others. The Man in ‘Khaki Shorts’ is respected and highly regarded.

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Copyright © 2022 Graeme C Legge.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com.au

AU TFN: 1 800 844 925 (Toll Free inside Australia)

AU Local: 0283 107 086 ([phone] from outside Australia)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-9465-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-9466-3 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date:05/18/2022

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CONTENTS

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Foreword

Preface

Part 1: Boy Scout

1 A New Beginning in Emerald, 1948

Wonga Park Jamboree, Ringwood, 1948–1949

2 Scout Hall

3 Scout Trips

Fraser Island Adventure 1950–1951

Sun Youth Travel 1951

Pan-Pacific Jamboree, Greystanes, Sydney, NSW 1952–1953

Rendezvous Sou’west Expedition, Pieman River, West Coast of Tasmania, 1953–1954

Part 2: In Uniform

4 Queen’s Scout Graeme Legge

5 Uniformed Scout Leader

Professional Career

Military National Service, 1956

Pan-Pacific Jamboree, Clifford Park, Victoria, Australia, 1955–1956

School to Scouts 105 Miles (168 km), 1957–1959

HRH Princess Alexandra, 1959

World Chief Guide in Emerald, 1967

6 Camping

7 Rallies and Advancements

Sherbrooke Forest District Scout Rally, 1960

Advanced Scouter Training Wood Badge Course, 1983

8 Emerald Hall

9 Drives and a Ball

Bobs-for-Jobs and Good Deeds

10 Third Hampton Scouts

11 Emerald Expansion

Leaders

Jeff Latter and the Ogilvy Rover Crew

Carl Stemp, Outstanding Scout Leader

A Certain First Emerald Group Committee Annual Meeting

Sherbrooke Forest District Founder’s Day

12 Twenty Years as Warranted Leader

Graeme Can Knot (and Splice and Whip and Lash)

13 First Emerald Scouts and Anzac Day

Part 3: Scouting 1997–2022

14 Scout Activities as a Municipal Councillor

15 Cardinia District Scout Executive

16 Continued Association with Emerald Scouts and General Scouting

17 State, National, and International Contributions

18 Summary of the Author’s Scouting History with Scouts Australia Victorian Branch

Scout Badges

Scouting Service between 1948 and 2022

Scouting Awards

Community Awards in Chronological Order

Afterword

Appendix

About the Author

To my family

with whom I have lived many of my scouting experiences

and whose lives Scouting has enriched

as it has as my own

FOREWORD

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The Fleur-De-Lis, Khaki Shorts, and Me

A Log Book of My Adventures in Scouting

This Log Book is much more than its title suggests. This is the story of Scouting and of community service in and around Emerald, Victoria and reflects the impact of Scouting in a semi-rural part of Victoria and Graeme’s role in moulding a part of it.

It commences through the eyes of a youth, Graeme Legge, who joined the re-established Emerald Scout Group as a 12 year old in 1948 and recounts his leadership and support to youth and community of his town, its Scout District and Cardinia Shire over more than seven decades.

Graeme shares his early Scouting travel experiences in the 1950s to Fraser Island in Queensland, to the Pieman River in western Tasmania, to Jamborees at Wonga Park, Victoria in 1948, Greystanes, Sydney in 1952 and Clifford Park, Victoria, 1956 as something we the readers can contrast with how Scouting does such adventures today.

He outlines four months of overseas travel to the UK in 1951 as part of the Sun newspaper Youth Travel scheme where he met some fellow Scouts who, like him, were chosen to represent their local Shire and he visited places and experiences which clearly had an impact on his future Scouting journey.

He captures the mood and the energy of his years of Scouting Leadership, as when he met Lady Baden-Powell in Emerald, illustrated through his photos, clippings and graphics which are drawn from his personal collection and research of local newspapers in the Victorian Scout Magazine, all befitting the method of a teaching and educational professional.

I commend this to all who cherish a story of personal growth through Scouting training and leadership which later contributes to leadership in our wider community based on experiences of being a Scout, Scout Leader and Scouting Supporter, spread over more than seventy years.

Robert (Bob) Taylor AM

Chief Commissioner, Victorian Branch of Scouts Australia, 2008-2014.

PREFACE

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Two personal interests, Scouting and local history, have merged in this book, woven together to strengthen the story of an interesting life.

I became a foundation youth member of the local Boy Scouts in 1948 – in this its third iteration. I thoroughly enjoyed its activities, interests, challenges, and the company of others. Upon turning eighteen, I became an adult leader and pursued those same interests in a different capacity.

In 1953, I qualified for my Queen’s Scout Award, which led to the presentation of its Certificate by His Excellency the Governor and Chief Scout of Victoria, Sir Dallas Brooks in 1954. The Governor went on to say, The Queen’s Certificates did their recipients high honour. They were the reward of zealous application to the work that must be done before the Guide or Scout is deemed worthy.

His Excellency further said that Her Majesty the Queen had been an inspiration to Guiding and Scouting. Now, he added, it is your duty to re-dedicate yourselves to your promises—your faith in God, your allegiance to the Queen, and your conduct in your daily life.¹

About to embark on a new teaching appointment in 1957, I boarded in a small Victorian country town. A slim booklet on local histories came to me. Although I’d not visited any (nor even heard of some), I was fascinated. As I was wont to do at that time, I pondered, Why doesn’t someone do that for Emerald? Then, as was my custom, I turned that idea around to ask, Why shouldn’t I do that for Emerald?

Soon I was interviewing older residents and taking notes. I also began collecting newspaper clippings, tickets, invitations, photographs, and other memorabilia—what a boon for later research!

Throughout the world, the fleur-de-lis has been associated with the Scouting Movement, as it symbolises Scouting’s unity and brotherhood. Its three points represent the components of the Scout Promise, which all Scouts make at the time of being invested, regarding their duty to God and Queen, to help other people, and to live responsible lives. The fleur-de-lis was enriched by the addition of two stars, each with five points, represent Scouting’s Ten Scout Laws.

While a magnetic compass points northwards—and with the direction of north having been established, south, east, and west may then be known—and by this means shows a Scout the way on land and water, the fleur-de-lis points the way to life itself.

The current Scout Group Leader in Emerald invited past Emerald Scouts to write about their experiences in the Scout Movement. And so these two interests have happily come together.

PART ONE

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Boy Scout

1

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A New Beginning in Emerald, 1948

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Membership certificate of the author, Graeme Legge, foundation member of Emerald Scouts in 1948.

This third