John William Scott

John William was the son of William and Eliza Scott (née Adkin). His parents were married in 1890 and had seven children of whom five survived infancy or childhood. Six children were named on the census between 1891 and 1911: John William b. 1891 (reg. A/M/J), Ethel May b. 1892 d. 1896, Harold b. 1894, Rose birth registered 1896 (J/F/M), Norah b. 1899 and Albert b. abt 1905. All the children were born in Nottingham. William (24 b. Mansfield), a dyer, and Eliza (19), a hosiery mender, were living in Brookfield Place, Nottingham, in 1891; their son John was one day old. Their daughter Ethel was born the following year but died in 1896. The couple had moved to Gladstone Terrace, Bunbury Street, by 1901 where they were living with their four children, William, Harold (7), Rose (5) and Norah (2). William died in 1906 and in 1911 the widowed Eliza was living on Loughborough Terrace, Ryeland Crescent, Meadows, with her five children: William a clay miner, Harold a needle maker, Rose an errand girl, and Norah and Albert (7) who were both at school. Also in the household was a boarder, Robert Turner, a colliery banksman. John married Selina May Beckett at Nottingham Register Office in December 1912. His army service record names three children: John William b. January 1913, Norah b. January 1915 and Albert b. April 1916. Albert has not yet been traced on civil records after this date and does not appear on military records after John's death. John and Selina were living at 105 Annesley Street, Meadows, when he attested in 1914. John's service record shows that he had separated from his wife by October 1917, the month he returned to the UK for medical treatment, citing her infidelity. While Norah remained with her mother, their son John was cared for by his grandmother, Eliza Scott. The documents in John's service record show that after his death a pension was paid only for his two children, John and Norah. (See 'Extra information'). His widow Selina May probably married Thomas Brooks in 1936 (reg. Northampton).

1911 - clay miner. He was a bench maker upon enlistment.

105 Annesley Enlisted Nottingham.

'C' Coy, 8th Bn The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment). John William Scott attested in December 1914, service counted from 14 December. He was posted to the Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) (20818 Private), standing 5' 5" and weighing 115 lbs. He transferred to the Lincolnshire Regiment (43168 Private) in July 1916 and then to the North Staffordshire Regiment in 1918. Army service record: Home 14 December 1914-24 October 1915. MEF 25 October 1915-27 June 1916. BEF France 28 June 1916-15 October 1917. Home 16 October 1917- (-) April 1918. BEF France (-) April 1918-29 April 1918 (26 days). John embarked, presumably with the Sherwood Foresters, for the BEF Mediterranean on 25 October 1915. He was admitted to No. 17 General Hospital Alexandria in February 1916. Later the same year the battalion was posted to the BEF France. Although the dates on his service record show him to have been in France from 28 June there is also a note on his service papers that he embarked for the BEF on 5 July 1916, disembarking five days later on 10 July. However, on 16 July 1916 John was transferred 'in the field' to the 7th Lincolnshire Regiment (authority ACI 1499 of 1916), although it is likely he transferred to the 9th and then the 6th Bn just before joining the North Staffordshire Regiment in 1918. John was wounded in action on 11 October 1917 and on 16 October was transferred to England, where it appears he was treated at Canterbury military hospital, Kent. He was posted to the 3rd Bn Lincolnshire Regiment on 25 November 1917, probably on returning to duty, and remained on home service until April 1918 when he returned to France. He was transferred from the Lincolnshire Regiment to the 8th Bn North Staffordshire Regiment (42767), probably on 4 April 1918, although one document cites 4 March, when he was still in the UK. John was killed three weeks later on 29 April 1918 during the fighting around Kemmel. He is buried in Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery, Belgium (grave ref. V. B. 18). The cemetery is 6 kilometres south-west of Ieper [Ypres] and has 805 First World War burials. The history of the cemetery and the grave reference number indicate that John's body was brought in after the Armistice either from the battlefields of Dikkebus, Loker and Kemmel or from two smaller cemeteries in the region. CWGC - History of Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery (extract): 'The village of Kemmel and the adjoining hill, Mont Kemmel, were the scene of fierce fighting in the latter half of April 1918, in which both Commonwealth and French forces were engaged. The cemetery was begun in January 1917 and Plots I to III were made by field ambulances and fighting units before the middle of January 1918. Plot IV was begun in April 1918. After the Armistice, graves were brought into Plot I, Row H, and Plots IV to VII, from two smaller cemeteries (Ferme Henri Pattyn-Vanlaeres, Poperinghe, and Mont-Vidaigne Military Cemetery, Westoutre) and from the battlefields of Dikkebus, Loker and Kemmel.' (www.cwgc.org)

Original research by David Nunn Nottingham Evening Post, Roll of Honour, 9 May 1918: 'Scott. Killed in action April 29th 1918, Pte J W Scott, North Staffs. From his sorrowing mother, sisters and brothers and son Willie.' Army Service Record. Correspondence dated 19 October 1917 from the Ministry of Pensions to No. 1 Infantry Record Office: ‘Sir, I am directed by the Special Grants Committee to inform you that no further issue of Separation Allowance will be made to Mrs Scott, the wife of No. 43168 Pte JW Scott of 7th Lincolnshire Regiment on account of her infidelity to him. The allowance at the (-) rate is being issued for the child, John Williiam, to the soldier’s mother and ordinary rate for Norah to the wife.' Army Service Record: Memo from the Ministry of Pensions (Widows and Dependants Branch) to the Staffordshire Regiment. 'The two children of 42467 Pte JW Scotts North Staffs awarded a pension of 15 shillings a week with effect from 18 November 1918.' The memo was annotated '10 shillings payable to Mrs E Scott in respect of the child John, five shilliings payable to widow as guardian of Norah.' Registers of Soldiers' Effects: payments were made to Selina M Scott and to Selina for the child Norah and also to the grandmother & guardian Eliza Scott and to Eliza for the child John. WW1 Pension Ledgers: named Selina May Scott guardian, John Wm Scott b. January 1913 and Norah Scott b. January 1915, all resident in Mansfield.