Warrior and The Last Horse-drawn launch of Brook Lifeboat

Many people will instantly recognise this photo as being General Jack Seely and his horse, Warrior, better know an "Warhorse". But how do they feature in the history of Isle of Wight Scouts? Well....

The South West coast of the Isle of Wight is often known as "The Back of the Wight", a very dangerous stretch of coastline, scene of a number of shipwreck, the most famous of which was "The Clarendon".

To help keep mariners safe, a lifeboat was stationed in the middle of the coast, at Brook.

The lifeboat was housed in a building on top of the cliff, to protect it from storms.

In the hills above Brook bay is Brook House which was owned by General "Jack" Seely and his horse Warrior", the horse featured in "Warhorse".

General Jack Seely and Warrior are pictured here with Queen Mary.

Although the most famous image of them is this painting.

Not far away is Mottistone Manor which was home to Jack Seely when he became Lord Mottistone.

Lord Mottistone (left) is photographed with Lieutenant Colonel A. O. L. Kindersley, the County Commissioner for IW Scouts 1926-1946 (photo: IWCP 11.6.38).

Major General Jack Seely was, during the 1890’s, Member of Parliament for the Isle of Wight. He had also been Secretary of State for War from 1912 to 1914. With his famous horse ‘Warrior’, he became closely involved in the fighting in Flanders during the First World War, organising and leading the Canadian Cavalry Brigade as a Major with both courage and skill. Major Seely was both wounded and gassed in the conflict, but was mentioned in dispatches five times and promoted to Major General. After the war, he settled down, first at Brook, and then at Mottistone. His interest in politics was maintained and, in 1923, he again won the Isle of Wight for the Liberals, their last success here until 1974. By that time, he was Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and was soon to become the chairman of the Savings Movement. He also helped to establish the British Legion, and was a county alderman. Although he owned Brook House, which he leased to many influential and famous people, at the time of this camp he had moved to Mottistone Manor. “Warrior” obviously escaped any injuries during the Great War, returned to England and lived to the ripe old age of 40.

The Seely family had been successful corn millers from Lincolnshire and had then invested their money in coalmines, making an even larger fortune. When they sold the mines they moved to the Isle of Wight. The family bought property on the Island and were extremely good landlords. They also maintained a long-standing family interest in the lifeboat movement. Major General Seely’s grandmother had christened the first lifeboat on the Island and Major General Seely had been a member of the Brook lifeboat crew at the age of 17, taking part in many dangerous rescues. Sir Charles, Major General Seely’s father will always be remembered for his contribution to the free library service in the Isle of Wight. The first step had been to supply books to village reading rooms and then he took the initiative by his offer of £500 for the building of the Seely Library in Nodehill, Newport. The family coat of arms is still to be seen above the porch, and Miss Florence Seely, the eldest of Sir Charles’ seven children, laid the foundation stone on a July afternoon in 1902. A similar ceremony was performed on the same day for the technical institute, which was part of the same block of buildings, Sir Charles spoke appropriately of ‘the marriage between school and library, hoping they would spend a very long time together’.

Lord Mottistone often allowed IW Scouts to camp on his land. This camp was at Whitsun 1933. General Seely and Warrior were often present during the camps.

Report by J.M. Cheverton, from Shanklin, on his time with 1st Shanklin Scouts

Perhaps the love of camping made me join 1st Shanklin Scouts in 1932, a few weeks before my eleventh birthday. Joining was accomplished by first being interviewed by ‘Puffer’ Knighton, the Group Scoutmaster, who lived in a large house on the Broadway at Sandown. Being a member of St. Paul’s Sunday school helped, as a Christian upbringing was essential in Puffer’s eyes. I was duly enrolled in the “Curlew” patrol and over the years advanced to become a Second, then Patrol Leader, a First Class Scout with 16 badges and the red and white cords, and finally Troop Leader.

Another important event during the weekend at this camp was the last launching of the Brook Lifeboat using horses, helped by a large number of Scouts! (more in a moment)

This was a ceremonial launch, possibly arranged especially for the Scouts Major General Seely, who had served on the Brook Lifeboat during his youth, and was a supporter in later years, . Further camps were held at Brook, Telscombe near Rottingdean and Upperlyme near Lyme Regis. The 3rd Sandown Troop ran the latter and their Scoutmaster, Captain Pound, who managed successfully on only one leg, invited me as a guest. {Editors note: See photograph in Group Histories - 3rd Sandown} At the age of 14 I became a King’s Scout and attended a national rally for King’s Scouts at Windsor Castle, where we marched past King George V. During my time in the Scouts, my Patrol second, Bernard Griffiths, caught diphtheria and died. It was a shock to find out that one so young could die after quite a short illness and at such a young age. All the Scout Troop attended the funeral at St. Paul’s Church.

1934 Camp

General Jack Seely and Warrior were again with the Scouts during their 1934 camp/

The high point of the camp for many Scouts was the pair riding to join them for a "Scouts Own".

SUNDAY MORNING SCOUTS' OWN SERVICE

The Scouts' own service on the south lawn of the residence on Sunday morning once more attracted a large number of people interested in the Scout movement in the Island, and it was made memorable by an address by Lord Mottistone, who in the uniform of a Major-General spoke to the assembled Scouts and Guides while seated on his famous war-horse “Warrior”, which he held up to them as the embodiment of the three chief virtues expected in a good Scout, viz., courage, endurance, and friendship.

Among those also present were Lady Mottistone and the Hon. Emily Seely, the Countess Jellicoe, accompanied by the Ladies Gwendoline and Norah Jellicoe, Miss Blackett (a grand-daughter of the late Admiral Lord Fisher), and Miss Denton Carlisle, Mrs. Aubrey Wykeham, Mrs. Dalbiac, Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Rowbotham, Miss Brenda Blake (county commissioner of Guides), and Mrs. Kindersley (divisional commissioner of Guides in the West Wight). About 60 Guides from West Wight Companies, in charge of Mrs. Hans Hamilton (district commissioner), and a number of Guiders attending a training camp in the locality under Miss Eva Shedden (county camp adviser) were included in the parade. They stood in the centre of the lawn and at a signal the discharge of a small cannon the Scouts appeared as if by magic from all sides to form in a semi-circle around them.

The Rector of Brook (the Rev. A. A. P. Winser) conducted the service, which included some beautifully expressed prayers for blessing on the Scout and Guide movements and the singing of the hymns "Glorious things of Thee are spoken" and "For all the Saints," and at its conclusion Lord Mottistone rode on to the lawn on Warrior and addressed the company from the saddle.

"I thought it much better to bring my dear old horse Warrior to see you and to talk of his truly Scout virtues than to attempt to preach a sermon." His Lordship then proceeded to tell the familiar history of Warrior. How he was now 23 years of age and how he went to France as a three year-old, spent four years in the fighting on the Western Front, had numerous hairbreadth escapes, and came to be known as "The horse the Germans could not kill”. As to his courage, he told how on one occasion he and his Brigade-major were visiting the front line trenches. They left their horses a little way behind in charge of a groom. As they were entering the trenches he saw a shell burst near the spot they had left the horses, and on their return they found the Brigade-major's horse cut practically in two by a piece of shell, the groom lying unconscious from concussion, and Warrior unharmed. "He could easily have sought safety on the other side of a ridge close by," added His Lordship, "but although he had had two years of war then and knew its risks he waited patiently for me."

As an example of Warrior's endurance Lord Mottistone told how during the great retreat in March 1918, his mounted brigade were sent for to proceed in hot haste to a threatened part of the line near Ypres. They made a wild night dash of 58 miles. Warrior ended the journey with a quarter of a mile gallop and, as he dismounted, the gallant horse collapsed. "He lay on the ground for a while and I thought he was dead," said the General, "but after a little rest he scrambled to his feet again and he carried me for the rest of the day."

Speaking of his friendship, his Lordship remarked, "My word, what a friend he has been to me all these years! He will never leave me if he can help it. If I were to dismount now and go away l am perfectly sure he would be waiting here for me whenever I came back. And now I am going to ask Col. Kindersley to give him a lump of sugar," concluded Lord Mottistone. Immediately the word sugar was mentioned Warrior turned his head, watched his master get the dainty morsel from his pocket, and then took it from Col. Kindersley's hand, though he hesitated somewhat, apparently expecting to receive it from the General.

Lord Mottistone rode him along the lines of Scouts and Guides to the delight of the youngsters, and then asked the boys and girls to give three loud cheers "just to test Warrior's nerves." Warrior was evidently taken unawares at the first cheer, as he gave a jump and threw up his head as if to say "Is there another war on?" but he soon regained the composure befitting such a veteran and quietly walked away after the subsequent cheers had been given.