1914 – WWI Cadets
The Cadet Movement, a form of preparation for the Volunteer forces which had developed in the Public Schools during the latter half of the 19th Century, had, by the time of the formation of the BB, grown into a more general military training From the outset, the Boys’ Brigade like the other religious brigades, had insisted that drill and, by implication, all other military characteristics was only a means to an end and not the end itself. The ‘Territorial Forces’ Bill introduced in 1907, provided the legal framework for extending Cadet membership to all existing youth organisations. By 1910, the BB was being targeted by the War Office. William Smith and, it would seem, a large majority of officers and churches were opposed to the BB being included. With the outbreak of the Great War, the attitudes of the brigades and of their sponsoring churches began to change slowly, in favour of some involvement. The Boys’ Brigade Executive, by 1917, felt an obligation to allow those companies which wished to be recognised as Cadets to have their way. Even by 1919, however, only 311 BB companies had accepted official recognition with a mere 63 adopting the khaki uniform. In 1924, the BB withdrew from the Government Cadet Scheme, reverting to its old relationship with the churches.
The story in more detail – By 1911 The Church Lads’ Brigade and the London Diocesan Church Lads’ Brigade had both tranferred authority to the Territorial Cadet Force . Since 1910, the War Office had targeted, the Boys’ Brigade with the idea that it should follow the same route. Sir William Smith would have none of it, seeing it as devisive. In fact, the BB Executive considered the majority of officers and churches to be opposed. BB members, upon ageing-out of the organisation at seventeen years, would then be free to serve in the territorials if they so-wished. The Great War served to gradually change the attitudes of the BB and many of its somewhat disparate sponsoring churches. By 1917, the Boys’ Brigade Executive felt an obligation to allow those companies which wished to be recognised as Cadets to have their own way. There was, however, far from a mad rush to change. In 1919, there were still only 311 BB companies which had accepted official recognition and only a mere 63 which had adopted the khaki uniform. There was, an advantage which came with cadet affiliation. For example, grants from the War Office, and free loan of camping equipment. On the other hand, the loss of autonomy and the transfer of control from the church to political masters was a real disadvantage. The balance was often in some areas tipped in favour of cadets when it was realised that independent cadet units were being formed which might impact on BB membership.
The Government realised it must include such a large organisation as the BB in its planning. In 1917 an Advisory Council of Brigade Cadets was formed with BB President Lord Guthrie as Chairman. The Council was composed of representatives from all the major brigades. Other committees existed such as the Home Office Juvenile Organisations Committee & Cadet Sub-Committee, and the Staff Officers’ Conference of Brigade Cadet Secretaries and Secretaries of certain Territorial Force Associations Committees. Mr Chas. E. Ranken represented the BB on the latter two committees and was responsible for much of the liaison between the BB and the Cadet authorities. The idea was to develop a uniformity between the various participating brigades. There was quite a variety in the uniforms of the officers and members. The Boys’ Brigade submitted khaki uniform proposals to the War Office in 1917 accompanied by sketches by Douglas Pearson Smith, acting Brigade Secretary and son of the founder. It was thought likely that upwards of 50,000 BB boys would come into the Cadet Force. Meetings were held between Ranken and the War Office. The submitted design emblems, showing the BB Anchor were not approved due to the Royal Navy having control over the anchor insignia. Suggestions for metal buttons and badges were also rejected because of the expense of equipping a potential 55,000 recruits. A pattern of entwined BB letters was eventually agreed instead of an anchor.
Like the other cadet brigades, the BB cadets adopted a service-pattern cap. Internal difficulties within the BB meant that some companies which were cadets, but were not in khaki were allowed to wear cadet badges and caps. Pressures from within and outside the BB led to an alternative ‘Grey’ uniform to be introduced after the end of the war. There was, however, a very small take-up of this Grey uniform.
In 1924, the BB withdrew from the Government Cadet Scheme, reverting to its old relationship with the churches. The Grey uniform continued in BB regulations until 1932. The BB relationship with the Cadet movement was never as strong as it was with the CLB, LDCLB, JLB or CBB, but is was significant because of the numbers involved. Opinions were divided over the decision to allow companies to participate and the reaction against militarism from the ‘left wing’ churches only increased following the war.
Boys of the Brigade at War. Bolton. 2016. pp108-111
