Kenneth McLaren

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Kenneth McLaren (1860–1924) was a British Army officer who served with Robert Baden-Powell in India. He was exceptionally young looking, considered by BP to pass for a boy of fourteen when he first set eyes on him in 1880. The two became fast friends, their relationship being debatably the most important emotional attachment in the latter's life[1].

McLaren was brought in to help with the growing Scout movement in 1907, when on 12 November Baden-Powell invited him to be the Boy Scouts' first manager. In the early power struggles of the period, Baden-Powell trusted in his friend to prevent others from leading the organization in a wrong direction. (Jeal, p.388)

Baden-Powell nicknamed McLaren affectionately "The Boy," and remained close to him until (against Baden-Powell's advice) McLaren chose to remarry after divorcing his wife of thirty years, to a woman who in Powell's opinion was below his station.

McLaren had schooled at Harrow and studied at Sandhurst before joining his regiment in 1880.