The CD Barnes Award - His Story

Colin Barnes and his pals were attracted to and practiced the ideas and ideals of Scouting before the Boy Scout Movement was formed. As soon as they discovered the existence of BP’s movement they formed themselves into a ‘Monkey’ Patrol which became the nucleus of 1st Muizenberg when it was formed in September, 1909. He later became Patrol Leader, King’s Scout, Rover, Assistant Scoutmaster and Scout master with the 1st Muizenberg Scout Troop.

As such, the C.D. Barnes award was created by his successors to honour the man responsible for the beginnings of 1st Muizenberg Sea Scout Group. The C.D. Barnes award is annually awarded to a Scout or Scouter for Character, Perseverance and putting into practice at all times the Scout Promise and by living up to C.D. Barnes’ quote, “Look Wide and Think Twice”

Traditionally, the deserving C.D. Barnes award recipient would receive a cloth badge (as indicated above, Navy Blue badge for Scouts and Yellow badge for Cubs), an award certificate (shown below) and a brass tally indicating the recipient name that was placed on the C.D Barnes award. The award is actually the large wooden ship wheel that is nowadays located inside the superstructure. Tragically, in the past, the entire wheel was stolen out of the old Scout Hall. Fortunately, the wheel was recovered at an Antique Shop in Kalk Bay, but unfortunately all of the brass adornments were removed and stolen off of the wheel. This meant that all of the C.D. Barnes award recipient history and the actual award adornments were lost forever.

Nowadays, the deserving C.D. Barnes award recipient only receives the badge and certificate. The historic replication of the C.D. Barnes award and possible capture of the recipients list remains a project for a willing individual…lets hope this award and data can someday be restored.

Some of the terms and conditions surrounding the C.D. Barnes award are as follows: • The C.D. Barnes award is nominated for a Scout recipient by the Scouts. What this means is that a few weeks prior to the prize giving night, the Scouts are handed a slip of paper and a pen; they have a few minutes to decide on a nominee and thereafter they secretly write down the name of their nomination. The nomination can be themselves or another Scout. It is a blind nomination where the recipient remains a secret until the night of prize giving. • In some extraordinary cases, Scouters may nominate fellow Scouters for receipt of the award. • At prize giving, the C.D. Barnes award is handed out to the deserving Scout by the previous year’s C.D. Barnes recipient. • The C.D. Barnes award may not be received more than once, in other words, no Scout or Scouter may receive the award more than one time. Nominations for such a member are discarded. • The C.D. Barnes cloth badge is worn in position 3 on the right-hand pocket (as shown below)

The C.D Barnes award remains a highly sought-after award as it is an award for 1st Muizenberg by 1st Muizenberg. No other troops have a C.D. Barnes award; therefore, this award makes 1st Muizenberg unique.

In closing, I remind each and every one of the quote often spoken by Colin Barnes, “Look Wide and Think Twice”.