The Apprentice - Jewish Lads Brigade

I was amused, while watching game-show “The Apprentice” tonight, to hear Sir Alan Sugar excoriating the losing contestant, who seemed to constantly brag about some sort of scholarship to Sandhurst (whatever that means):

Dahn’t go bangin’ on abaaht blaahdy Sandhurst again. I was in the Jewish Lads Brigade, Stanford Hill Division, Trainee Bugler. It didn’t make me sell computers when i got older.

I never knew there was such an organisation, but a quick Google search turns up all sorts of information about what is now the Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade.

The Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade (JLGB) is England's oldest Jewish youth movement. It was founded in 1895 as the Jewish Lads' Brigade by Colonel Albert Goldsmid, a senior army officer, to provide an interest for children of the many poor immigrant families who were coming into England at that time. The first company was launched in London's East End but others soon appeared throughout the city and the provinces. The movement later spread as far as South Africa and Canada

I’m a former Boys Brigade lad myself – 1st Yate Company, to be specific. I stopped after the Junior section, but my brother Gary – yes, the Gary Barlow – was the musician in the family and went on to become a drummer, bugler and the local Staff Sergeant.