Boys' Brigade in Singapore

The Boys' Brigade in Singapore is a youth uniformed group organisation which has been present in Singapore since 1930. It currently consists of over 700 officers and 6,300 Boys in over 116 companies. Its current Brigade President is Mr Poh Leong Berg and its Honorary President is Lieutenant-General (Ret) Winston Choo, the former Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces. The Boys' Brigade in Singapore celebrated its 85th Anniversary in 2015 and has the distinguished honor of having the President of the Republic of Singapore as its Patron.

The Boys' Brigade was introduced to Singapore by James Milner Fraser, an architect from Britain. He was a former member of the 23rd Aberdeen and the 23rd London Companies.

On 12 January 1930, Fraser started the 1st Singapore Company at Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church. With the aid of ex-Sergeant Quek Eng Moh of the 1st Swatow Company, he assembled 12 local Boys to form the company.

Progress was slow initially, but by the time the company was officially enrolled at Brigade Headquarters in London, in August 1930, the membership had risen to 40. The company chaplain was Reverend William Murray and Fraser's lieutenants were John McNeish (formerly of 76th Glasgow) and Dong Chui Sing. Bible class, drill, concerts, wayfaring, signalling, first aid, swimming, fencing, tumbling and other forms of physical recreation formed the core of the Boys' Brigade syllabus.

In the following year, the first camp was held at the Singapore Volunteer Camp at Siglap. A successful inspection was also held to bring the session to a close.

Extension soon followed, spearheaded by McNeish with the formation of the 2nd Singapore Company at Kampong Kapor Methodist Church in February 1931.

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