Sri Lanka's oldest scout leader dies
The oldest scout leader of the Sri Lanka Scout Association, George R.
de S. Samarasinghe died at the age of 101 on March 4 after brief illness
and cremated yesterday at Galkissa cemetery.
He was an Assistant Scout Commissioner for the Colombo District and a
honorary life member of the Sri Lanka Queens and President Scout Guild.
In 1918, when he was attending S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, at
the age of 12 years joined the 15th Colombo Open Scout Group, under the
leadership of C. A. P. Wanigatunga.
In 1920, he joined the Trinity College, Kandy and attached to the 2nd
Kandy Trinity Scout Group and won the King's Scout Badge in 1922.
In 1930 he formed a cub scout pack and in 1933 he was awarded the
Gilwell Scarf and Woggle and the Wood Badge which is the highest award
for a scout leader.
Samarasinghe met Lord Baden Powell, founder of the World Scout
Movement at the Ceylon Exhibition Hut of the 1st Indian Jamboree, New
Delhi in 1937. He attended the National Scout Parade and Service at the
Windsor Castle in 1978 and there he met Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth
II.
He was awarded the Silver Lion Award from Sri Lanka Scout Association
for his unique service to the movement. |
