Education
McLaren had schooled at Harrow and studied at Sandhurst before joining his regiment, the 13th Hussars in 1880.
McLaren had schooled at Harrow and studied at Sandhurst before joining his regiment, the 13th Hussars in 1880.
In 1898 McLaren married Leila Evelyn Landon, who died in 1904. He was posted to India, where he served as regimental adjutant and later aide de camp to General Baker Russell. In South Africa he was gravely wounded at the siege of Mafeking in March 1900, falling prisoner to the Boers.
McLaren played polo throughout his military service, and was umpire of one of the two matches in the 1908 London Olympics.
McLaren first met Baden-Powell (also a 13th Hussars officer) in 1881. Although McLaren was 20 at the time, Baden-Powell nicknamed him "the Boy", on account of his appearance.
The two became fast friends, their relationship being one of the most important friendships in Baden-Powell"s life. McLaren was recalled to military service in World War I, but retired again in 1915 due to ill-health.
McLaren was one of the staff at Baden-Powell"s Brownsea Island Scout camp in 1907.
Baden-Powell convinced McLaren to be his first manager at the C. Arthur Pearson Limited office of The Scout magazine but McLaren resigned that position in March 1908.