NATIONAL ORGANISATION OF RUSSIAN SCOUTS (NORS)

Part of the Strathfield & Sydney Community


National Organisation of Russian Scouts, which was based in Strathfield for many years, has its roots in Tsarskoe Selo, St Petersburg, when Col. Oleg Ivanovich Pantuhoff founded the Russian Scouting Movement.

Tsar Nicholas II was so impressed with the scout organisation having read Baden Powell's book "Scouting for Boys" and following the visit of Baden Powell to Russia, that Nicholas II enlisted his son Tsarevich Alexei as one of the early scouts in the Russian Scouting Movement.

Following the purge of Russian Scouting by the Bolsheviks during and after the revolution from over 143 cities of the Russian Empire, O.I. Pantuhoff was confirmed around 1920, in Constantinople, as the Chief Russian Scout of NORS, for life.

Soon , NORS patrols and troops were formed in many countries of the world where Russian emigres lived. This included Europe, North and South America, Manchuria, China,Philippines and in Sydney and Brisbane at the end of the 1940's.

The first steps of NORS in Australia were made in Bathurst Migrant Centre in October 1949, when Assistant Scoutmaster A. Konovets took a group of Russian scouts , newly arrived from the Philippines, on a trek to the nearby hills.

They raised the National Russian tri-colour flag, proclaiming the beginning of NORS in Australia. The present Chief Scout of NORS, Senior Scoutmaster Nikita Gileff who has worked with NORS continuously for 50 years , was present at that ceremony as a 9 year old cub.

In 1950 Scoutmaster M. M. Plehanoff, newly arrived from Shanghai and the Philippines accepted the role of Chief Scout NORS.

The activities of the Sydney Troop of NORS were from the beginning , closely tied with the Russian Club, when the club was still located in the centre of the city and later when the club moved to Strathfield. Sunday scout meetings, their festivals and parties were held in the Club. The scout leaders assisted the Russian Club in the organisation of its activities and assisted the Club financially with a loan during times of hardship.

Upon completion of construction of the St Peter & Paul Cathedral at Strathfield, NORS Scouts were invited to meet there and first met in an old garage on the property.   

Here during the "winter period" scout activities included , the learning of prayers, songs and in consolidating the Russian language and culture.

Scouts received practical instruction at the yearly camps held at Lilyvale in the Royal National Park till late 50's. When Scoutmaster Plehanoff departed for USA in 1959 Scoutmaster M. Nikoliaev was appointed as Chief Scout. He is credited as the founder of the Iron Curtain Countries Association of Scouts in Exile and was president of this Association of scouts for a number of years when it became known as the Australian Association of Scouts in Exile. The alliance comprised Russian (NORS) ,Ukrainian (PLAST) Hungarian, Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian scouts / guides most of whom were located in the Strathfield district or nearby.

For many years NORS met with brother scouts in friendly competition including Jamborettes, swimming and sports' carnivals, mutual camps and social events.

From 1956 Scout Leader I.I. Rezayeva edited a journal , "Iskry Kostra" (Sparks from the Campfire.) Later, this task was undertaken by N. Gorohovnikov.

Prior to departure of Michael Nikoliaev for USA in 1960, Scoutmaster Vladimir Mercier from NORS in Tientsin , accepted the position of Chief Scout of Australian NORS.

It was during this period that great efforts were made to raise finance to build the Scout Hall in the Strathfield Cathedral grounds. Grand Balls were held each year in June at the Paddington Town Hall (the Paddo.).   It was a place to be seen and the Scout balls with the debutantes were certainly an occasion of splendour. During that early period the scout ball and the New Year's Eve Ball were about the only large scale functions and were eagerly attended by the Strathfield and Sydney community. Many young ladies and gentlemen will recall the day that they were introduced to society.