Morecambe Guardian 21 January 1939:-
For Service Rendered
PRESENTATION TO MRS. F. KING.
At Scouts Annual Meeting
The 7th Morecambe and Heysham Boy Scouts on Tuesday night at their annual general meeting, presented to Mrs. King a badge as a token of appreciation for the service she had rendered the troop in past years.
The Badge was received by Mr. F. King on behalf of his wife who was unable to attend owing to ill health. This is the first time in the district that this honour has been awarded.
Scoutmaster E. Lowe * explained that the badge was for high service to the scout movement “I think“ he said “that all present will agreed that Mrs. King’s service to the movement through our troop is equal to any award that we can possibly make two her.“
HIGHEST AWARD SCOUT MOVEMENT COULD MAKE.
The Mayor (Coun. R. W. Williams), who made the presentation commented that it was the highest award the scout movement could give to any person who had served.
Mr. F. King said that the 7th Morecambe and Heysham troop, which he and his wife had founded, was one of his wife’s greatest interests and it was one of her greatest displeasures when she had to give it up.
Welcoming the Mayor, Mr. E. Lupton spoke at some length on the Mayor’s excellent work and his exemplary character, remarking the that he possessed wisdom, skill and foresight and, whether meetings were large or small, the Mayor would attend – health and other engagements permitting.
NOT A TIN GOD.
The Mayor replying said : “It is quite unnecessary to go to such trouble to welcome me. I can appreciate all the nice things Mr. Lupton has said about me and I didn’t think anybody could say so many nice things in such a short time. But it is most embarrassing and quite unnecessary, though I appreciate it. Please don’t think I am a little tin God, I am just an ordinary plain man doing my work as you are doing yours. The work of your movement is one of equal importance to that done by the Council, the Mayor or any other person in the country .“
FINANCE.
The balance sheet presented by the treasurer (Rover Scout R. M. Price) revealed liabilities of 7s.11d. with assets of 7s.11d. The main worry was the band debt, but he thought that with the help of the supporters committee they could completely wipe out that date this year.
Confidence in the advance of “Cubbing” was expressed by the cubmaster Mr. F. Hurley, who presenting his report for 1938 said that the year opened with every promise of success. Meetings were arranged to be held as usual and attendance had been steadily maintained through the year with good attendances.
During the year six of the cubs had gained their Star and at the annual sports day organized by the first Morecambe group their pack distinguished themselves in a splendid way.
SCOUTS AND THE CRISIS.
A successful year was reported by the secretary (Rover Scout R. M. Price. Owing to the activity of their assistant District Commissioner, Mr. Wright, the warrants for their scouters had come through. The investiture of another Rover into their crew had brought their total of active Rovers up to seven and their total crew number up to 15.
“During the national crises, “he said, “the Rover crew were put into service at the Town Hall checking and reporting the assemble of gas masks for distribution to the public.
Presenting the shield to the Lion Patrol for the best work throughout the year, the Mayor said “I don’t presume to know all the details of scouting but I do remember its commencement. I know who is responsible for it and the ideals and he had. Coming after the South African War, there was a need in the world for banding youth together and now they have grown until they are part of the nation.
Presenting the Mayor with a book, which set out the rules of the scouts movement, Scoutmaster E. Lowe remarked that even if the Mayor did not know the details of the scouts association he was carrying out the scout ideals himself.
Presentations of warrants to assistant scoutmaster K. Dovy and Scoutmaster E. Lowe were handed over by the Assistant District Commissioner F. Wright, who wished the Troop every success in the next twelve months. He was pleased to see the interest taken in the troop by parents and friends. He sketched out briefly the ideals and aims of scouting and wished the President Mr. Lupton every success in the ensuing year. From reading their reports they seem to have done very well.
“Parents” he continued “can help their boys by taking an interest in scout work: by seeing that they attend all possible meetings and seeing that he keeps the scout promise.“
IF.
Again referring to the work of the scout movement he said “If people of all nations had developed the ideals of the scout movement which we have, then it would be a much more peaceful world than it is at present.”
Officers elected were: President, Mr. E Lupton; secretary and treasurer, Rover Scout R. M. Price; Supporters Committee, Messrs E. Lupton, A. Lowe, H. Price, W. Porter, Mesdames Grant, King, McCormick, Dovy, Lowe, Price, Porter, Walker. Misses. Price, and Robinson.
* Possibly Albert ‘Eric’ Lowe born 3 October 1918 in Morecambe, son of Albert Lowe and Edith Nora Dearden. The family was living at 13 Hale Carr Grove, Heysham in 1939.
Eric attested for the Royal Artillery in World War 2:-
915428 LOWE Albert Eric, being discharged 1.5.46 Para 390 (XVI) KR 1940.
Records show that he was reported missing 15.2.42 in the Far East and appears in Prisoner of War records from 1942:- 915428 Bdr. A E Lowe 88 Fd OVL 6.11.42
British Army Casualty Lists 1942:
Royal Artillery
Expeditionary Forces (b) Malaya. Previously posted missing now reported Prisoner of War
Date missing 15.2.42 915428 Lowe A/L/Bdr A E 88 Fd Regt.
#Singapore fell to the Japanese on 15.2.42
It is recorded in ‘Scouting in Lonsdale 1908-1999’ that Eric organised a Rover Crew in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp.
Lancaster Military Heritage Group:
Both the First and Second World Wars saw the involvement of the local regiment, The King’s Own, but many other units also recruited in the area – including, the local gunners of the 88th Field Regiment Royal Artillery (350 Battery was based at Dallas Road). They served in France and Belgium, before being evacuated through Dunkirk, only to be sent to the Far East and many men were captured at the fall of Singapore to the Japanese.
Eric married Kathleen Louisa Price, twin daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Price of 27 Tomlinson Road, Heysham, 31 Dec 1945 at St. John’s, Sandylands. He died locally in 2006.
