Figure 1.--Italian Cubs wore this uniform,if I understand the coding correctly, from 1949-74. This Cub uniform was for the ASCI Cubs. HBC has seen some Cubs wearing the traditional green peaked cap as late as 1989.

I have seen a variety of Italian Cub uniforms. One 1949 drawing shows boys wearin a Britisj looking green peaked cap, green jumper, and grey cord short pamys. Some cubs in 1989 were wearing a uniform that looks similar to the British cub uniform with green caps and yellow trim. Other cubs wear red caps with blue shorts. Some Cubs wear yellow shirts. These different uniforms represent uniform changes over time as well as different Scout associations. HBC does not yet have details on the different association uniforms and changes over time.

Association Uniforms

Italy currently has two main Scout associations. As in many European countries, Scouting and trge assocciated Cub units were separated along religious grounds.

AGESCI

AGESCI is the Catholic Scout association. It is a coed group formed in 1974 from the union of the all-boy ASCI and the girl AGI. The ASCI was founded in 1916, but banned from 1928-44 during the Fascist era. Presumably Cub units were formed before the SSCI was banned. HBU does not, however, have any details or early Italian Cubbing or information on such early Cub uniforms. The AGI was of more recent origins, founded in 1943. The AGI girls, including the Brownies (Lillybirds) wore light blue blouses with dark blue skirts and socks. The blue cap of the older girls was replaced by a red cap with seven black points. The only information that HBU has on ASCI Cubbing dates from 1949. The uniform adopted at that time was a green English-style peaked cap with yellow poping. It was worn with a green "T" sirt or sweater and dark blue short pants and kneesocks. HBU believes that te shorts worn by the Cubs were mostly cord shorts. The ASCI changed the Scout uniform in 1968. The Cub uniform, however was left unchanged.

When the comined AGESCI was formed in 1974, there was a major uniform change. The AGESCI decided that they would discontinue specialized uniforms for different age group levels of Scouting. Thus the new Cub uniform was similar to that for Scouts and Rovers, both for boys and girls. They wear light blue shirts with dark blue sweaters, shorts and skirts, and socks.

CNGEI

The CNGEI is the secular Italian Scout association. The CNGEI is also coed. It was formed in 1976 by the union of the all-boy CNGEI and girl UNGEI. The CNGEI was founded in 1912, but banned by the Fascists in 1927. (Notice how the Fascists banned the secular Scouts first.) It was reorganized in 1944. BC does not have any information on CNGEI Cub uniforms at tis time.

Garments

Italian Cubs appear to have worn, for the most part, the same uniform items as English Cubs. On superficial inspection they look like English Cubs. There are, however, some differences. The boys wore yellow and green peaked caps, just like English Cubs. The caps were green with yellow piping. Some had no front badge. Others sem to have a pin on badge. The boys like English Cubs wore green sweaters (jumpers) with badge sewn on the sleeves. They wore short pants, but I am not sure about the color. Some boys maybhae worn grey shorts. W have also noted dark blue cord shorts. We are also unsure about the knesocks. Some look to be grey, in some cases with bands at the top. I'm not sure what the official uniform entailed and there may have been differences among the diffrent associations. We noted Cubs in 1989 wearing dark blue kneesocks. English boys commonly wore sandals. we are less sure about Italian Cubs. We note many Cubs in 1989 earing boot-like shoes.

Chronolgy

HBU does not know when cubbing was initiated in Italy. Presumably it was after 1916 when cubbing began in England. Thus we are not positive when the first Italaian Cub uniforms were developed. We are also unsure how the Cub uniform developed over time. It appears to have followed the British Cun uniform very closely. We note images from the 1950s with Italian Cubs wearing uniforms similar to the Bitiush Cub uniform. We also note Italian Cubs in 1989 wearing uniforms similr to the Italian Cub unifom. We o not, however, have any current information. Also we are unsure about differences among the different Italian Scout associations.