Kenneth McLaren

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Kenneth McLaren DSO (sometimes known as Kenneth MacLaren),[1] DSO, (1860–1924) was a Major[2] in the 13th Hussars regiment of the British Army. After his military service he assisted with the growth of the Scouting movement founded by his friend Robert Baden-Powell.

In 1898 McLaren married Leila Evelyn Landon, who died in 1904. He married Ethyl Mary Wilson in 1910 despite the advice of Baden-Powell, who considered her below his station.[3]

Military service

McLaren had schooled at Harrow[4] and studied at Sandhurst[5] before joining his regiment, the 13th Hussars in 1880.[6] He was posted to India, where he served as regimental adjutant and later aide de camp to General Baker Russell.[1][7] In South Africa he was gravely wounded at the siege of Mafeking in March 1900, falling prisoner to the Boers.[1] He was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in November 1900.[8] McLaren played polo throughout his military service,[9] and was umpire of one of the two matches in the 1908 London Olympics.[10]

McLaren first met Baden-Powell (also a 13th Hussars officer) in 1881. Although McLaren was 20 at the time, Baden-Powell nicknamed him "the Boy", on account of his appearance.[5][6][11][12][13] The two became fast friends, their relationship being one of the most important friendships in Baden-Powell's life.[3][13][14]

McLaren was recalled to military service in World War I, but retired again in 1915 due to ill-health.[4][15]

Boy Scouts

McLaren was one of the staff at Baden-Powell's Brownsea Island Scout camp in 1907.[3][13][16][17] Baden-Powell convinced McLaren to be his first manager at the C. Arthur Pearson Limited office of The Scout magazine but McLaren resigned that position in March 1908.[3][18][19]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Captain Kenneth MacLaren, 13th Hussars, who it will be remembered was for a time adjutant of the regiment, was in July 1899 acting as A.D.C. to General Sir Baker Russell. He was then ordered to South Africa, as Colonel R. S. S. Baden-Powell had applied for his services. Captain MacLaren had been seriously wounded outside Mafeking, March 31, 1900." CHAPTER XXXVI. South African War, 1899-1900. Part Two. To December 1900.Regimental History, C. R. B. Barrett, History of the XIII Hussars, 1911 [1]
  2. ↑ "Obituary Many of our older readers will have heard with deep regret of the death of Major Kenneth McLaren, late of the 13th Hussars. Cavalry journal, Volume 15 - Page 105
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Military career
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jeal, p. 66
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27359. p. 6305. 27 September 1901.
  9. ↑ The Badminton Magazine of Sports and Pastimes, Volume 9, p. 277, Longmans, Green and Co., 1899 (Original from Princeton University)
  10. ↑ Horace A. Laffaye, Nigel À Brassard, The Evolution of Polo, McFarland, 2009, ISBN 0-7864-3814-2, p. 119
  11. ↑ Brian Gardner, Mafeking: a Victorian legend, Cassell, 1966, p. 19
  12. ↑ Ronald Hyam, Britain's imperial century, 1815-1914: a study of empire and expansion, Barnes & Noble Books, 1976, ISBN 0-06-493099-8, p. 137
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ The character factory: Baden-Powell and the origins of the Boy Scout movement - Page 48; Michael Rosenthal
  15. ↑ Supplement 4039 to the London Gazette, 24 April 1915.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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