Nicolas Benoit (lieutenant)

Nicolas Benoît (born in 1875 and dead on December 17th, 1914) is the founder of the Éclaireurs of France (today Éclaireuses scouts of France) on December 2nd, 1911. It is thus the first to import the Scoutisme in France and the first association of laic scouting in the world.

Youth

It grows in French Algérie where its family settles starting from 1884. It returns at 20 years to the Naval college, where it takes part in a round the world tour on board the boat Iphigénie as pupils where it learns the rudiments from a vessel. It is distinguished at the time of this voyage by two facts, initially by saving its ship of the propagation of fire in the port of Dar are Salam thanks to the speed of its intervention. It saved also a sailor while being thrown to water to carry help to him.

Professional path

It is named lieutenant in 1906, and takes part in campaigns on all the conitnents. In order to obtain a patent of soldier interprête, he requests a departure in England during one year. He is sent there from May 1st, 1910 to April 20th, 1911. He then discovers scouting through his meeting with Baden-Powell.

Scouting

After its return in France, it sends to the minister Navy a note on the educational technique of Baden-Powell. Nicolas Benoît starts to seek all the people interréssées by the creation of a movement of scouting in France. He meets in May 1911 Pierre de Coubertin, creator of the Olympic Games modern. Finally the two men will not get along on several points, which will lead to the creation of two different entities, the Éclaireurs of France and the French Éclaireurs (which will meet with EDF in 1964). They then deposit the statutes of the first French association of scouting on December 2nd, 1911 in prefecture of Paris. The first activity take place on February 4th, 1912. He saw only very little time his association to develop.

The war

He embarks at the time of the First World War on the French cruiser Chateaurenault , but he asks his affection on the face, in the 2nd regiment of the marine fusillers. It is with Nieuport - Steenstrate in Belgium at the time of a load to the bayonet, that it finds death on December 17th, 1914.

Distinction

  • German imperial Decoration

  • Chevalier of the Legion of Honor (July 12th, 1911)

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