Colonel J. S. Wilson | |
|---|---|
 J.S. Wilson withMishima Michiharu, Chief Scout of Japan, at thenational training camp atLake Yamanaka, on the slopes ofMount Fuji, December 1952 | |
| World Organization of the Scout Movement secretary general | |
| In office 1938–1951 | |
| Preceded by | Hubert S. Martin |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Spry |
ColonelJohn Skinner "Belge" Wilson (1888–1969) was a Scottishscouting luminary and friend and contemporary ofGeneral Baden-Powell, recruited by him to head theWorld Organization of the Scout Movement'sbureau. Wilson was its acting director from 1938 to 1939, following the death ofHubert S. Martin. He was elected in 1939 and remained in office until 1951. He then became Honorary President of WOSM for four years.
Baden-Powell visitedIndia in 1921, where he met and recruited Colonel Wilson, who was then theCalcutta Police senior deputy commissioner and, in his free time, was serving asCalcutta's district Scout commissioner.[citation needed]
Wilson ranThe Boy Scouts Association'sGilwell Park in the early 1920s. He served as the Boy Scouts International Conference (later WOSM) bureau director for 15 years, tasked with co-ordinating various Scout movements within countries and between them. After retirement, he served as WOSM's committee honorary president for a further four years.[1]
To encourage the creation ofRovers in theBoy Scouts of America, the firstWood Badge course held in the United States was a Rover Scout Wood Badge course, directed by Wilson.[citation needed]
Wilson introduced theWOSM emblem in 1939, a silverfleur-de-lis or arrowhead badge on a purple background surrounded by the names of the five continents in silver within a circular frame. The wearing of it was confined to past and present members of WOSM's committee and bureau staff. A flag of similar design followed, the flying of which was restricted to international Scout gatherings.[citation needed]
In 1937, WOSM awarded Wilson itsBronze Wolf Award for exceptional services to world Scouting.[2] In 1952 he also received the highest distinction of theScout Association of Japan, theGolden Pheasant Award.[3] During a visit inAustria in 1957 he was awarded with one of the highest honours ofAustrian Scouting theSilbernen SteinbockSilver Capricorn (on red-white-red ribbon).[4]
Wilson took a six-year world tour reviewing the world's Scout organisations, culminating in a five-month tour of Asia in October 1952. In 1957, Colonel Wilson took his research notes gathered on the trip and authored the publication of the first edition of the seminal work on world Scouting,Scouting Round the World.[citation needed]
At the age of 52, Wilson took leave from his WOSM bureau position duringWorld War II, to help select and train candidates for theSpecial Operations Executive (SOE).[1][5] Upon learning that Nazi scientists were attempting to build nuclear weapons, Winston Churchill and US PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt decided that all Nazi efforts innuclear research must be sabotaged. A key element ofHitler’s nuclear programme was theNorsk Hydro plant in Nazi-occupied Norway, which produced “heavy water”.[1][5] After a failed attempts to destroy the facility by parachute troops and aerial bombing, ten SOE operatives trained by Wilson were deployed. They successfully parachuted into Norway, evaded capture, scaled a 600ft ice-bound cliff to gain access to the plant, and destroyed the heavy apparatus.[1][5][6] A film, "The Heroes of Telemark" was made of the story. For his services,Colonel Wilson was awarded anOBE and made a Commander of theRoyal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.[7] His story is detailed in the book ‘Hunting Hitler’s Nukes’ by historian and filmmakerDamien Lewis.[1][5]
| World Organization of the Scout Movement | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Secretary General 1938–1951 | Succeeded by |
