Flag Bell and Whistle

At Second Cove Sea Scouts the opening and closing ceremonies that we use differ from what you would normally expect a scout troop to use.

• • At the begining and end of the evening the troop is brought to the alert by one of the patrol leaders with the order:

"Troop. Troop alert."

They then give the order:

"Duty patrol. Colour party fall out."

• • The colour party (the three most senior scouts of the duty patrol - usually the patrol leader, assistant patrol leader and one other scout) then fall out and march to the front. They fall in with the patrol leader in the center, the assistant patrol leader to their right/in front of the flag and the other scout to the patrol leader's left/facing the bell.

  • The patrol leader now uses the Boatswain's call to sound "still", if it is the begining of the evening, or "carry on" if it is the end.

  • After the patrol leader has used the Boatswain's call, the scout infront of the bell steps forward and strikes the bell. Seven strikes (in three pairs and a single strike) at the begining of the evening and three strikes (in a pair and a single strike) at the end of the evening.

  • Once the scout has struck the bell, the assistant patrol leader steps forward and raises the flag (a Red Ensign).

  • The patrol leader, followed by all members of the troop, then salutes and the colour party returns to the duty patrol.

  • Finally the patrol leader giving the orders for the evening gives the order:

"Stand at ease."

if it is the begining of the evening.

At the end of the evening the order is

"Troop dismiss."

at which point everybody turns to the right and the meeting officially ends.