Richard David Scott

Richard David Scott was the son of James and Annie Scott (née Smith). His father James was born in 1857 in Nottingham and his mother Annie Smith was also born in Nottingham in about 1857. They were married at Basford St Leodegarious in May 1880 and had six children, two of whom died in infancy or early childhood. Their surviving children, who were all born in Basford, were: Emma birth registered 1881 (J/F/M), Richard David birth registered 1883 (J/F/M), James William b. 1885 and Mary Eliza b. 1898. In 1891 James, a fitter, his wife and three children Emma, Richard (8) and James (5), were living in Pepper Place, Palm Street, Basford. They had moved to Whitbread Street by 1901; James was a lace hand/fitter. All five children were still at home: Emma a lace clipper and scalloper, Richard who was probably also working in the lace trade, James an iron turner's apprentice and Mary (2). Richard enlisted in the Royal Scots Fusiliers in July 1901, naming his parents and siblings Emma and James, all of Whitbread Street, as his next of kin. He transferred to the Army Reserve in 1909 and was discharged in 1913. (See 'Military history') James, Ann and their daughter Mary were living on Bulwell Lane, Basford, in 1911. Their eldest daughter, Emma, had married John Robert Pinkett in 1905 and they and their two children were living in Bulwell. Richard was a hospital porter at Nottingham General Hospital and either 'living-in' or on duty when the census was taken. James had married Caroline Trick at Nottingham St Mary in 1908 and they were living in Nottingham where James worked as a furniture van man. Richard was appointed a postman at Mansfield Post Office in June 1912 and probably lived in the town. His parents were living at 25 David Square, David Lane, Old Basford, when the later CWGC record was compiled. This was in the parish of Basford St Aiden. Richard's brother, James, also served in the war, initially in the Royal Artillery (RHA/RFA) but after being wounded in France in December 1915 was released for muntions work in Nottingham. (See 'Extra information')

1901 - working in the lace trade. 1911 - hospital porter at Nottingham General Hospital, Postern Street. June 1912 - appointed postman at Mansfield Post Office

Enlisted Mansfield

8th Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers Richard enlisted in the Royal Scots Fusiliers (6864 Private) on a short service engagement (7 years with the Colours, 5 years Reserve) on 30 July 1901. He was 18 years 5 months old and working as a labourer. He joined at Ayr, Scotland, on 3 August 1901 and served at home to 9 March 1903 (1 year 223 days) and then was drafted to India from 10 March to 3 December 1908 (5 years 269 days). He returned to the UK on 4 December 1908 and having elected in 1904 to extend his service to complete 8 years with the Colours, he did not transfer to the Army Reserve (B) until 30 July 1909. Richard transferred to the Army Reserve (A) on 4 November 1909 and was discharged on 29 July 1913 on the termination of his period of engagement. The 8th (Service) Battalion was raised in Ayr on 1 October 1914 and landed at Boulogne on 20 September 1915. However, by November 1915 the battalion was in Salonika and remained in the Balkans until the end of the war. As Richard had completed his engagement in the Army Reserve he would not have been mobilised on the outbreak of war. However, it is likely that he volunteered for service in his old Regiment very early on and was quickly promoted to sergeant. Richard served in France from 20 September 1915 but the battalion was drafted to Salonika in November 1915 where he died of malaria on 11 July 1916. He is buried in Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery, Greece. Richard qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery (extract): 'The cemetery is 2 km north of Thessaloniki. At the invitation of the Greek Prime Minister, M.Eleftherios Venizelos, Salonika (now Thessaloniki) was occupied by three French Divisions and the 10th (Irish) Division from Gallipoli in October 1915. Other French and Commonwealth forces landed during the year and in the summer of 1916, they were joined by Russian and Italian troops. In August 1916, a Greek revolution broke out at Salonika, with the result that the Greek national army came into the war on the Allied side. The town was the base of the British Salonika Force and it contained, from time to time, eighteen general and stationary hospitals. Three of these hospitals were Canadian, although there were no other Canadian units in the force ... Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery (formerly known as the Anglo-French Military Cemetery) was begun in November 1915 and Commonwealth, French, Serbian, Italian and Russian sections were formed. The Commonwealth section remained in use until October 1918, although from the beginning of 1917, burials were also made in Mikra British Cemetery. After the Armistice, some graves were brought in from other cemeteries in Macedonia, Albania and from Scala Cemetery, near Cassivita, on the island of Thasos.' (www.cwgc.org)

His brother James William also served in the war. He was already serving in the Robin Hood Rifles (Vol) when he attested in Nottingham on 31 December 1914, aged 29y 7m, occupation iron turner. He joined the Royal Artillery (RHA/RFA) at Newcastle on 4 January 1915 (63994 Gunner) and served with 60th (Reserve) Battery. His army record shows that he served in France from 10 September 1915 until 16 December 1915 (98 days) when he returned to the UK having suffered gunshot wounds to the head on 10 December. He was released for munition work to Messrs Cammell Laird & Co National Projectile Factory in Nottingham on 4 September 1916. James was discharged 'in consequence of demobliisation' to Rupert Street, Meadows, Nottingham, on 14 December 1918; he was deemed to have served at home from 17 December 1915 to 14 December 1918, a total of 3 years 349 days. CWGC: 'Son of James and Annie Scott, of 25, David Square, David Lane, Old Basford, Nottingham.' Mansfield Reporter & Sutton Times, 18 August 1916, photograph with caption: 'Mansfield Ex-Postman Dies In Salonika. Sergeant Richard David Scott, 33 years of age, in the Royal Scotch (sic) Fusiliers, had died of malaria at Salonika. He was a postman at Mansfield, being appointed in June, 1912.’ Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his father, James Scott, was his legatee.