Symbolic ties to our worldwide brotherhood of Scouting
Legend has it that the founder of the Scouting movement Lord Robert Baden-Powell, would collect some ashes from the campfire of each Scouting event and carry them to the next. He would spread the ashes of the previous fires with the leaping flames of the new one. The ashes represent the Friendship and Scouting Spirit shared by Scouts and Guides at campfires around the world. Joining of these remnants of past Scouting experiences with the cheerful spirit of new ones symbolize the unbroken chain of fellowship and dedication to a common purpose that binds the Scouts of all nations.
Scouts from around the world have shared campfires and this tradition. As the tradition has grown, Scouts have made lists to record the events where the ashes have been shared. These lists form a history and reinforce the bond between us, over the years and across the miles, no matter our language, culture or uniform. The lists usually show the date, location, and name of the events.
The list and ashes I have tonight date back to the year 1956. They have been around the world several times and represent Scouting events in 16 countries, 5 continents, and many of our 50 United States. They have been to several World and national jamborees, as well as many large international events.
To join in this tradition you simply gather a small amount of the ashes from this fire (tomorrow morning after they are cool) and take them with you to sprinkle into the flames of a Scouting campfire. I can provide copies of the history of these ashes to anyone interested.
It is tradition that only those present at the ceremony share and pass on the memories that they represent. At this time, does anyone else have ashes with them that they would like to include in our campfire tonight?
When other sets of ashes are combined, the lists and history are merged to form a common list
The ashes I spread into this campfire carry memories and cheerful fellowship from nearly 50 years and thousands of Scouting friends. I hope that you carry these memories for many years into the future and share them with countless people and generations.
- spread ashes -
Greetings, from our Scouting brothers and sisters, from around the world.
* This document forms a script to be used when doing an ashes ceremony *
This list, the ashes, and the tradition were presented to Scouter Neff at his Wood Badge training in 1996. He has, in turn, shared them with his troop and with other Scouts and Scouters.
| 1956 Germany Order of the Arrow Council Fire, Camp Freedom |
| 1956 Scotland International Jamborette |
| 1957 Germany Order of the Arrow Council Fire, Camp Freedom |
| 1957 England World Jamboree, Sutton Colfield |
| 1958 Switzerland International Scout Chalet, Kandersteg |
| 1958 Germany Order of the Arrow Council Fire, Camp Freedom |
| 1959 Germany Order of the Arrow Council Fire, Camp Freedom |
| 1959 USA National Junior Roundup |
| 1961 USA National Junior Roundup |
| 1962 USA National Junior Roundup |
| 1962 Switzerland Our Chalet, Adelboden |
| 1963 USA All State Campout |
| 1964 USA All State Arizona Project |
| 1965 USA Senior Campout |
| 1965 USA Shadow Ridge Campout |
| 1965 USA Cadette Campout |
| 1965 USA All State Campout |
| 1965 USA All State Arizona Project |
| 1965 USA Camp Mary White |
| 1966 USA Cadette Campout |
| 1967 Canada With Lady Baden-Powell |
| 1967 Brazil Second Pan American Jamboree, Rio de Janeiro |
| 1968 Taiwan Jungle Survival |
| 1968 Taiwan Camp McCauley |
| 1969 USA Camp Chimney Park, Long Peaks Council, Wyoming |
| 1970 Germany Training Camp, Schwetzingen Forest |
| 1970 Germany German Guide Camp, Petershof, Odenwald |
| 1970 England Diamond Jubilee Camp, Lancashire |
| 1970 USA Camp Covered Bridge, Louisville, KY |
| 1971 Germany Garmisch Conference |
| 1971 Belgium Training Camp, Fresnaye |
| 1971 Holland Whitsun Camp, Dwingeloo |
| 1971 USA Camp Covered Bridge, Louisville, KY |
| 1972 Germany Camp Juliette, Rhein Main |
| 1972 Germany Junior Campout |
| 1972 Germany Camp Lachenwald |
| 1972 Belgium Training Camp, Chievres |
| 1972 Germany Munich |
| 1972 Germany Siegenberg |
| 1972 Germany Garmisch Conference |
| 1972 Germany Siegenbery |
| 1972 Germany Gannisch Conference |
| 1972 USA Little Roundup, Peoria, IL |
| 1972 USA Camp Covered Bridge, Louisville, KY |
| 1973 Mexico Cruerravera |
| 1973 USA Arizona |
| 1973 Germany Training Camp, Friendship Acres |
| 1973 Belgium Training Camp, Abbaye de Maredsous |
| 1973 Germany Training Camp, Idenheim |
| 1973 Germany Camp Zorus |
| 1973 Germany Camp Lachenwald |
| 1973 Belgium Belgium Guide Camp, Laresnaye |
| 1973 Germany Resident Training Camp, ldenheim |
| 1973 Germany Siakein |
| 1973 Germany Leadership Training, Seeshaupt |
| 1973 Liechtenstein Guides and Scouts Camp |
| 1973 Germany Heidelberg Day Camp, Schwetzingen Forest |
| 1973 Germany French/English Cadette Carnpout, Gerlin |
| 1973 Germany Seeshaupt |
| 1973 USA Wood Badge Training, Region 4, Buckskin Res., WV |
| 1973 USA Camp Rough River, Old Kentucky Home Council, KY |
| 1973 USA Philmont Training Center |
| 1973 USA National Jamboree West, Farragut National Park, Idaho |
| 1974 Germany Trainer's Conference, Heidelberg |
| 1974 Switzerland Adelboden |
| 1974 Germany Camp Lelback. Senior Camping |
| 1974 France French/German/American Campout, Vogasen |
| 1974 Germany District Hilltop Day Camp, Stuttgart |
| 1974 Germany Cadette Encampment, Stuttgart |
| 1974 Switzerland Camp Training, Adelboden |
| 1974 Germany Munich |
| 1974 Germany Camp Dahn |
| 1974 England Keys to Partnership Conference, Oxford |
| 1974 Germany Outdoor Training, Camp Dahn |
| 1974 Germany District Conference, Camp Taho, Kaiserslautern |
| 1974 Germany Training Conference, Zwingenberg Youth Hostel |
| 1974 England London |
| 1974 Columbia Third Pan American Jamboree, Bogota |
| 1974 Germany Wood Badge Training, NE-III-9, Camp Freedom |
| 1974 Luxemburg Camp Training, Vianden |
| 1975 England UK Conference, Green Magic, Baden-Powell House |
| 1975 Germany Hostel Bash, |
| 1975 Germany Leader Campout, Schwetzingen Forest |
| 1975 Germany All Junior Campout, Schwetzingen Forest |
| 1975 Germany Heidelberg Day Camp, Schwetzingen Forest |
| 1975 Belgium Intercamp '75 (Six Nations) |
| 1975 Germany Wood Badge Training, NE-III-23, Camp Freedom |
| 1975 Germany Klondike Derby, Heidelberg |
| 1975 Norway 14th World Jamboree, Lillehammer |
| 1975 Germany 6th Grade Junior Campout, Schwetzingen Forest |
| 1975 Germany Leadership Development Training, Schwetzingen |
| 1976 Germany District Spring Camporee, Lampertheim Woods |
| 1976 Germany World Badge Training, NE-III -32, Camp Freedom |
| 1976 Germany Wood Badge Training, NE-III -33, Camp Freedom |
| 1976 England Bicentennial Camp, Chalfont Heights Scout Camp, Buckinghamshire |
| 1976 Germany Order of the Arrow Conference, Camp Freedom |
| 1976 England Wood Badge Training, NE-III-34, Gilwell Park, London |
| 1977 England OA Spring Camporee & Ordeal, Chalfont Heights Scout Camp, Buckinghamshire |
| 1977 England Troop Leader Development Training, Gilwell Park, London |
| 1977 England "Jamescamp 8", Chalfont Heights Scout Camp, Buckinghamshire |
| 1977 Germany Wood Badge Training, NE-III-42, Camp Freedom |
| 1977 Belgium Charlemagne District Spring Camporee, DeKluis |
| 1977 Belgium Charlemagne District Spring Historical Camporee, Waterloo |
| 1977 USA Portage Spring Camporee, Fort Dearborn, Chicago, IL |
| 1977 USA Campfire, Pompeii Community Camp, Park Forest, IL |
| 1977 USA National Scout Jamboree, Moraine State Park, PA |
| 1977 USA Campfire, Troop 5B, Two Rivers Council, National Jamboree, PA |
| 1977 USA Campfire, Pompeii Community Camp, Park Forest, IL |
| 1978 England Wood Badge Training, NE-III-44, Gilwell Park, London |
| 1978 England Troop Leader Development, 802-7, Gilwell Park, London |
| 1978 England Fall Camporee, Rough Close, Coventry |
| 1978 USA Campfire, Pompeii Community Camp, Park Forest, IL |
| 1979 England Girl Scout Day Camp, Croughton, Oxfordshire |
| 1979 England Troop Leader Development! 802-9, Gilwell Park, London |
| 1979 Germany Girl Scout Summer Camp, Lachenwald |
| 1979 England Gilwell Golden Falcon, Boy Leader Training, Gilwell Park, London |
| 1980 USA Eastern Camporee, West Point, NY |
| 1980 USA Wood Badge Training, SE265, Del-Mar-Va Council, Camp Rodney |
| 1980 USA Pitwillow Intercouncil BSA Camporee. Nottingham, PA |
| 1981 England Mayflower District Spring Camporee, Phasels Wood |
| 1981 England Gilwell Golden Falcon, Boy Leader Training, Gilwell Park, London |
| 1981 England Wood Badge Training, NE-III-71, Gilwell Park, London |
| 1981 USA Eastern Camporee, West Point, NY |
| 1981 USA Octoraro Lenape District Rendezvous, Nottingham, PA |
| 1982 USA Wood Badge Training, NE-V-66, Camp Jubilee, Chester County, PA |
| 1983 Australia Australian Jamboree, Collingwood Park, Ipswich, Queenland |
| 1984 USA Wood Badge Training, NE-V-80, Camp Jubilee, Chester County, PA |
| 1986 USA Wood Badge Training, NE-V-95, Camp Ware, Chester County, PA |
| 1987 USA NE Region Wood Badge Course Directors Conference, Camp Alpine, NJ |
| 1988 USA Wood Badge Training, NE-V-105, Camp Ware, Chester County, PA |
| 1990 USA NE Region Wood Badge Course Directors Conference, Camp Alpine, NJ |
| 1990 USA Wood Badge Training, NE-IV-51, Camp Ware, Chester County, PA |
| 1991 USA NE Region Wood Badge Course Directors Conference, Camp Alpine, NJ |
| 1992 USA Wood Badge Training, NE-IV-59, Camp Ware, Chester County, PA |
| 1992 USA Council Camporee, Chester County Council, Nottingham Park, PA |
| 1992 USA NE Region Wood Badge Course Directors Conference, Camp Alpine, NJ |
| 1993 USA National Jamboree, Camp A. P. Hill, VA |
| 1993 USA NE Region Wood Badge Course Directors Conference, Camp Alpine, NJ |
| 1994 USA Wood Badge Training, NE-IV-66, Camp Ware, Chester County, PA |
| 1994 USA 75th Anniversary Camporee, Hibernia Park, Chester County, PA |
| 1994 USA NE Region Wood Badge Course Directors Conference, Camp Alpine, NJ |
| 1995 USA NE Region Wood Badge Course Directors Conference, Camp Alpine, NJ |
| 1996 USA Wood Badge Training, NE-V-124, Camp Seven Mountains, PA |
| 2001 USA Historic Trails trip Battle of Gettysburg, York-Adams council, Pa. (T-31) |
| 2001 USA Annual family campout at Rickets Glen State Park, Pa. (T-31) |
| 2002 USA Nittany District Fall Camporee, Black Moshanon State Park, Pa. |