This charcoal and pencil drawing was made c.1916 by A.S. Hartrick. It shows a Scout on Air Raid Warden duty in Holborn Underground Station during one of the many Zeppelin air raids on London.
People now mostly associate air raids with the Second World War, but during the First World War huge German airships dropped bombs on London, leading to the first use of Underground stations as shelters. You can see in this picture that people of all ages and all walks of life are huddled on the floor with no covers other than their coats.
Scouts were awarded badges for their War Service - some Scouts earned badges for more than 1000 days service. In their distinctive uniforms, Scouts were trusted by the public to help in all emergencies, keeping people as calm and as safe as possible. They were less intimidating than the police and other adult uniformed services, and they were valued for their skills and their Promise.
