MALACCA HIGH SCHOOL 1ST. & 4TH. FORT SCOUT TROOPS ALUMNI PORTAL

23rd. November 2008

This is our own Malacca High School 1st. & 4th Fort Scout Troops Alumni Web Portal where we hope to publish and collate past articles of the Malacca High School Scout Movement. Founded in 1925, this movement celebrated her Golden Anniversary in 1975 where I was fortunate enough to be involved in organising the 50th. Anniversary of the Malacca High School Scout Movement.

THE EARLY YEARS

The Malacca High School Scout Movement was founded on 28th. February 1925 by Headmaster
Mr. C.G. Colemen. He together with Mr. J.W.Jefferson and Mr. T.A.O’Sullivan put the Troop on
sound footing.

It was formally registered as the 1st. Malacca(High School) Boy Scouts Troop on May 7th. 1925,
and consisted of 6 patrols whose leaders were B.Hans Raj, Tan Boon Teng, J.A.R. Wellington,Abdul Rahman b. Haji Nurdin, Bachik b. Subah and M. Rajan. The Scoutmaster was Mr. W.B.O’Sullivan, who was assisted by Assistant Scout master Mr. Gurdial Singh and Mr. P.f. Pereira.

Rules and regulations were drawn up by the members themselves for the management and discipline of the Troop. Laws were also formulated empowering the formation and defining the functions of the Court of Honour as an Executive and Judicial Body.

Mr. W.B. O’ Sullivan resigned at the end of 1925 and was succeeded by Mr. A.C. Selby-Bigge in
April 1926. Under him, the troop was divided into two sub-Troops. Many volunteers came forward
at the end of 1925 to act as Instructors in various fields – from 1st. Aid to Boxing and Wrestling.

Scouts were trained and tested by the Scout masters and instructors have instructions through
games and Scouting practices.

On February 14th. 1930, the Troop was divided into 3 Troops viz: the 1st.(under Scouter Tan Cheng
Lock assisted by Mr. B.L. Bangah), 10th. Troop (Mr. Pang Yong Wah) and 11th. Troop (Mr. Tan Gim Ann assisted by Mr. Koh Kim Peng), Mr. K.K.Suppiah was appointed Senior Scout master and later became District Scout master. Pearce Cup for Signalling and the Brunton Cup for Ambulance Work were won by the High School Scouts for the 3rd. successive time. In September, the 11th. Troop was renamed the 7th. Troop; Mr. T.K. Joseph was put in charge of the new Group under the name of 7th. Troop.

Meanwhile in 1936, a Rover Crew was formed by S.M. Joseph and in 1936, Mr. Tan Gim Ann was
appointed Group Scout master. By this time the Scouts had a Scout Room and a Scout Library.
In 1938, for the 1st. time in the history of Malacca Scouting, the Group produced 5 Bushman Thong
Holders viz: Chen Ah Leong, Hoe Sit Toh, Lim Ong Beng, Sim Beck Hoe and Tan Siew Hong, all
from 11th. Troop specially trained by S.P.S.Pillay. Mr. S.P.S. Pillay was the first to form a SeaScout Patrol followed by S.M.Lai.

This Patrol was later transferred to the Head Quarters in 1939.