The History of the Michael Mallinson Scout Centre

Major Michael Stuart Mallinson, MC
1920 - 1944

Michael was the oldest son of Colonel Sir Stuart and Lady Mallinson, the owners of the White House, Woodford Green, from 1926 - 1965. Lady Mallinson died in 1969 and Sir Stuart continued to live in The White House, until his death in 1981, from the time that Waltham Forest Borough Council became the owners of the House, the woodlands and the land on which The Scout Centre is built. The transfer of ownership in 1965 came about because Sir Stuart wanted to ensure that The White House and the forest and grounds, covering some 25 acres, would continue to be used for social and scouting purposes for the benefit of the community, for which he had tried to do so much in his 93 years.

Sir Stuart was born at Forest Gate and lived his life, outside the timber business, creating sports facilities and activities for local churches, clubs and social groups, providing Welfare for troops during and after the 1st and the 2nd World War, commanding The Home Guard for the Eastern Approaches to London, and supporting Scout Groups in Walthamstow, Gilwell Park and N.E. London.

Michael was educated at St Aubyns School on Woodford High Road, and went on from there to Cheasunt School, and Marlborough College, where he played cricket for the 1st Team for three consecutive years with matches played at Lords against Rugby School, in which his leg spinners were of outstanding effect. He joined The Essex Regiment the day following the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939.

At the age of 24 he won The Military Cross in an episode of terrible fighting around Monte Cassino, in Italy, which reached the headlines in several National Newspapers. He volunteered to penetrate enemy lines between Castle Hill and Hangman's Hill, immediately below the Monastery of Monte Cassino, in order to rescue 500 Ghurka soldiers. They had been cut off by the enemy forces and were being bombarded continuously from the Monastery, which towered above them. On reaching the Ghurkas, Michael released a pigeon with a single slip of paper on one of its legs, indicating that he had got through the enemy lines and had brought to the Ghurkas their plan of escape. That night, he led them back the route which he had taken, which had become known to British artillery from his pigeon post, and a bombardment was laid on either side of that route to keep enemy heads down. They were all brought back beyond Castle Hill to safety.

By May 1944, Michael had been transferred to the Adriatic Coast with the 1/4th Battalion of The Essex Regiment, and it was there at Orsogna that an enemy shell fell upon company Headquarters he had set up on the mountain side overlooking the sea. He and six of his Headquarters staff died together, and Michael is buried in one of the most beautiful settings for a Military Cemetery which one can image. There are 2,700 British and Indian soldiers buried in that ceremony, a stark reminder of the tragedy of war for young people, and yet also a reminder for all who enter The Michael Mallinson Scout Centre that he and others fought and died to ensure that you could live in freedom from tyranny and aggression in a democratic Country. His last letter, received by his family after he died, included these: 'My only wish was to be able to fight and live for England, and help, to my capacity to make our Country, and, in so doing, the World, a better place, where all have enough, and equality of opportunity." That is the origin of The Michael Mallinson Scout Centre in The White House Grounds, Woodford Green.

Michael Mallinson Scout Centre
Highams Park
Booking Secretary- Wendy Mears
Tel - 020 8491 6627
E-mail - mallinsonscoutcentre@ntlworld.com