Richard Francis "John" Thurman OBE[1] JP[2] (4 April 1911 – April 1985)[3] was a British Scouting notable and Camp Chief of Gilwell Park from 1943 to 1969 and scouting’s first International Director of Adult Leader Training [4] In 1943, he introduced the Gilwell woggle as the insignia for Basic Training.

[5] The woggle was first created in the early 1920s by Bill Shankley, a member of the Gilwell staff.

[9] In 1957 he also received the highest distinction of the Scout Association of Japan, the Golden Pheasant Award.

[10] He became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1963 "for services to the Boy Scouts' Association".

They were written in an amusing style, and are credited with increasing the popularity and scope of pioneering within the Scout Movement in the post World War II period.