Casgliadau Arlein

Small flag commissioned by the 4th Cardiff Scout Troop and flown aboard the Terra Nova during Captain Scott’s Antarctic expedition, 1910-13

The flag is made from two pieces of coarse green wool machine sewn across the centre. The sides are turned to the reverse and machine sewn and there is a selvedge at the top and bottom. In the centre is a yellow wool fleur-de-lis motif with painted outline detail in black and brown. The green wool has been cut away and the motif is inserted and machine sewn with a double line of stitching around the edges. This enables the motifs to be seen from both sides, even though the text can only be read from the front. Below the fleur-de-lis is a scroll, also in yellow wool, with the words ‘BOY SCOUTS BE PREPARED’ hand painted in black, the scroll is inserted in the same way as the main motif. The troop name is painted in white in the left bottom corner. The left side of the flag would have been tied to the hoisting rope by means of rope ties and/or toggles which have now been lost. The bottom end of the flying edge of the flag is quite frayed from use.