Frank Eric Giles

Cambridge District Scout Archive

Frank attended the Perse school before the advent of Scouting. He became a Civil Engineer and whilst in Portugal c 1910 – 1911 founded of the first Portuguese Boy Scouts movement. He died in WW1 on the 18th September 1916.

JWR| Archivist May 2022

The following has been supplied by Gonçalo Brito Graça who has been researching early Portuguese Scouting for his PhD in 2023.

FRANK GILES Frank Giles has died. Duty called him to the battlefields where the destinies of his earthly homeland are played out. As a good son of the brave Albion, after the first months of war, soon he voluntarily offered his services to his homeland. Once he was accepted, and after duing his military preparation, he was sent to fight at the front in France. Struck by some illness, he returned to England. After leaving the hospital, some days later, on April 4th, he married Miss Mary Henskaw, after then he left again to France. It was in September that our dear Giles disappeared from the number of the living, and the official confirmation only came in last December. Frank Giles has died and with his death our Group loses one of his best friends. It is to him that his generous initiative of the foundation of Scouting in Portugal is owed. Having for some time, been a scout in Cape Colony, South Africa, he came to Lisbon in the company of his uncle, our late friend Mr. Alfred Giles. Once here, and being accompanied in his efforts by John Brown, he endeavored to carry out the founding of the 1st Group, which he achieved. Assisted by Roberto Moreton and Rodolfo Horner, on April 9, 1912, he organized the 1st Group, and for this reason, he started the worthy Scout movement in the country. After the death of his uncle, he withdrew from Portugal on November 11, 1913, leaving a position that was not easily filled. He knew how to combine his qualities as a scoutleader, with those of a loyal and dedicated friend. He had his heart set on the Group he had founded. And he found his contentment in socializing with his subordinates. Even in England he had not forgotten his [portuguese] Group, which he dearly held. We know the satisfaction with which, together with Mrs. Mary Polley, he discussed some plans for our visit overthere at Hastings. Death came to prevent him from witnessing “the happy days when he would see his old friends again”, as he said in his conversation with Mrs. Polley when he last visited her. Let us know, young scouts, to honor the memory of someone who was such a friend of ours, and who taught us so well how to practice Scouting in all its phases. May the one who not only brought us the ideal, but the spirit of this movement that we love, be another example to imitate for the integral improvement of all who are honored to be part of the ranks of our Group. – Due to the limited space that our ‘Jovem-Luso’ [magazine] gives us this month, we have reserved the news related to the Group’s work for the next issue. We gladly make the columns in our section available to all those who wish to collaborate with us in the crusade for good in favor of Portuguese youth.»

[in «“Sempre Pronto” Secção de Escutismo – Frank Giles», ‘O Jovem-Luso. Boletim da União Cristã da Mocidade‘ (Dir. Eduardo Moreira). 1st Year, n. 1, Lisbon: 1917-Jan; p. 3]

Frank was born ‘at sea’ 13th February 1891. His father was a Captain in the Merchant Marine and as such could travel with his wife. The ship was probably the Larnaca near San Francisco (but the handwriting is not very clear) and Frank’s younger sister was also born at sea. His wife was also from San Francisco.

By 1901 he was living in a village some miles from Cambridge, his father a Poultry Farmer. He was not a border at the Perse and at that date a direct train line existed. His father died in 1906 and by 1911 he and his sister were living with his Uncle in North West England – he is listed as an apprentice engineer. From the report above it appears that he was working with his uncle on international projects.

Many did see B.-P. outside the hall as he arrived.

Private 3986 1/23rd London Regiment