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history of kurunegala scouting

Scouting activities in the Kurunegala district began in 1922. The initiative was led by the then District Commissioner, Mr. W. S. Cream Miller. The first District Scout Master was Mr. Braque Elliott. Dr. Leslie was responsible for the initial scout groups.

Schools and their Scout Leaders:

  • Christ Church College – A. M. P. B. Thumledara
  • Maliyadeva College – C. B. Kulasinghe
  • St. Anne’s College – L. I. Ludovic

Following Mr. Braque Elliott’s efforts, the Kurunegala District Scout Association was established with the help of local dignitaries. The first District Commissioner was A. M. T. Stanislaus. Dr. L. Somasundaram and C. V. Leonard also played significant roles in advancing scouting activities in the district.

The first district camp was held in 1924 under the patronage of R. B. Nugawela. In 1931, the first rover scout crew named “Midland Trib” was started under the guidance of Dr. Jinathis Ranasinghe. Another crew, “Woodland Rovers,” was founded in 1933, and it is still active today, known as the Lloyd Ali Jinnah crew, named after Lloyd Ali Jinnah, who has since passed away.

Scouting activities were somewhat disrupted during World War II. After the war, I. G. J. Chandralal, Leonard De Mel, Gerald Fernando, and Lionel Silva, among others, revitalized scouting camps and rallies. A. M. P. B. Thumledara, W. M. A. Wahid, and W. M. B. Jinadasa also made significant contributions to the development of scouting in the district. A. M. P. B. Thumledara’s achievements, including winning the silver award, are particularly noteworthy.

The 13th Sri Lanka Rover Moot, held in Polgahawela, Kurunegala, was a significant event. In 1962, 480 scouts from the district participated in the Sri Lanka Centenary Jamboree held in Colombo. The construction of the district scout headquarters building began, and the land acquisition was facilitated by District Land Officer W. D. Karunaratne and Land Commissioner B. W. Jayapathirana. On February 26, 1967, the building was officially opened by the Chief Scout of Sri Lanka, the Honorable William Gopallawa.

The Jim Camp held in Kurunegala in 1972 was another major event. This national gathering saw scouts from various districts participating in numerous camps and rallies. During the tenure of District Commissioner Ananda Jayatilaka, the 4th National Scout Jamboree was held in Kurunegala in 1992, marking a significant milestone in the district’s scouting history.

The position of District Scout Commissioner, initiated by A. M. T. Stanislaus, was subsequently held by several notable leaders including C. B. Dawood, W. D. Palaratnam, H. Karsten, A. A. Sirivardhana, A. M. P. B. Thumledara, D. D. Jayasinghe Kaluaggampitiya, A. A. P. Gunawardhana, Colonel Aranayaka, T. A. Ordin, W. M. B. Jinadasa, Ananda Jayatilaka, H. M. Dhammika Bandara, W. M. Karunaratne, J. J. Chandrasena, and U. B. Dissanayake. We honor and remember their contributions with great respect.