Thomas Cecil Scott
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Thomas Cecil (known as Cecil) was the only son of John Thomas and Mary Ann Scott (née Hall). His father was born in Hereford in about 1864 and his mother in Warsop in about 1863. John Thomas and Mary Ann were married at Warsop SS Peter & Paul in November 1890 and had four children, one of whom died young. Their three surviving children, who were born in Warsop, were: Millicent Elizabeth b. 1891, Lilian Mary b. 1893 and Thomas Cecil b. 1896 (reg. Thomas Cecil, J/F/M Mansfield). All three children were baptised at SS Peter and Paul, Thomas Cecil in February 1896. In 1891, the year after their marriage, John, an agricultural labourer, and Mary were living on Low Street, Worksop. Their daughter Millicent was born later that year. By 1901 the family was living at 14 Carr Lane, Warsop: John, a colliery sinker, Mary, Millicent (10), Lily (8) and Thomas (5). John, a chimney sweep, his wife and their son Cecil Thomas (sic), a pit boy, were living at 58 Alexandra Street, Warsop. Their married daughter Millicent and her husband Frank Hardwick (21, b. Welbeck Notts), an estate carpenter, who were married the previous year, were also living with them. Lilian was living on Wood Street, Warsop, a servant in the household of John Robinson, a shopkeeper confectioner and baker, and his family. At the time of Thomas' death in 1918 his parents were living at 21 Sherwood Street, Warsop, and were probably still living there when Mary Ann died in 1923. The later CWGC record gave their address as 59 Edward Street, Warsop. John Thomas Scott probably died in 1944.
2nd RM Bn Royal Naval Division. Formerly Private, Notts and Derby Regiment. Served as Cecil Scott. The RN/RM War Graves Roll gives Cecil's date of birth as 11 December 1894, although his birth was registered in 1896 (J/F/M). Cecil probably enlisted in 1914 when he would have been 18 years old. Cecil transferred to the RMLI (short service) on 16 September 1914. He embarked with the RM Brigade (Portsmouth Battalion) on 18 November 1914 and joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in the Dardanelles on 28 April 1915. On 13 July 1915 he suffered a shell wound to the right shoulder and a bullet wound in the 'left axillary region (armpit)'. According to a report in a Mansfield paper later that month it was the second time Cecil had been wounded while in the Dardanelles. Cecil had home leave in December 1915, shorly before the evacuation of Gallipoli in January 1916. Cecil later served with the BEF in France. He was appointed lance corporal 20 July 1916, acting corporal 1 August 1916 and to acting lance sergeant on 24 August the same year. He reverted to corporal on 25 November 1916 but on 28 April 1917 was appointed (paid) lance sergeant then six months later on 18 October 1917 appointed sergeant. Cecil was awarded the Military Medal (Welch Ridge), which was gazetted (London Gazette) on 24 April 1918. He probably won the award at Welsh Ridge on 30 December 1917 when the enemy counter-attacked in the final days of the Battle of Cambrai. Among the units defending the position were the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division (188th, 189th & 190th Brigades). The action was illustrated by war artist John Nash in ‘Over the Top’ (Imperial War Museum). Nash served as a sergeant in the Artists Rifles which also took part in the action. Cecil was killed in acion at Aveluy Wood on 6 April 1918, three weeks before his award of the Military Medal was gazetted. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France (Panel 1). Scott was one of 'Kitchener's Marines' who were transferred from the Sherwood Foresters to the RMLI. Des Turner notes '600 RMLI transfers came from 2 regiments - 200 from the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) and 400 from the Sherwood Foresters. They were predominantly ex-miners and labourers, fit men wanted for their ability to dig trenches and tunnels. The 200 KOYLI recruits were transferred to Plymouth Division RMLI and were given service numbers PLY/1(S) to PLY200(S). This was also the case for the Sherwood Foresters 200 who were dispatched to Portsmouth where already 30 men were recruited and so they became PO/31(S) to PO/230(S). 200 remaining Foresters went to Chatham and were numbered CH/1 to CH/200(S).' CWGC - History of Pozieres Memorial (extract): 'The Memorial relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918 ... The memorial encloses Pozieres Military Cemetery.' (www.cwgc.org)
RN&RM War Graves Roll (Cecil Scott)l: DOB 11 December 1894 (sic). Mother Mary Ann Scott, 21 Sherwood Street, Warsop. WW1 Pension Ledgers Index Card (Cecil Scott): named Mary Ann Scott, 21 Sherwood Street, Warsop. Name struck through and annotated 'died 11th August '23' and replaced with John Scott [father]. Note: no death registration Mary Ann Scott 1923 but see Mary A Scott b. abt 1862 d. 1937 (A/M/J Mansfield). Mansfield Reporter, 30 July 1915. ‘Warsop Lnce-Corporal Killed. News from the Dardanelles’ The report refers to Joseph Hollingsworth, PO/S/80. RMLI, serving in the Portsmouth Battalion with the RM Brigade of the Royal Naval Division who was killed in action near the Dardanelles on the 13th July and also in the same report: ‘by the same post comes the news that Private Cecil Scott, son of Mr and Mrs John Scott of Sherwood-street, has been seriously wounded for the second time in the Dardanelles.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 17 September 1915: ‘Warsop Soldiers’ Letters. Numerous letters have been received by Miss Bennett, the head mistress at the Burns Lane School (girls’ department), for the gifts of clothing etc, sent out to the Warsop boys serving with the colours … The following is from Eric, son of Mr Geo. Bennett, of High-street, all of whose sons (three) have enlisted … I may say we have had some exciting times, but so far all the Warsop boys have escaped unscathed, with the exception of T Blackamore, who was only slightly injured and has joined up again (Note. This letter was written before the news came through of the lamentable death of Lance-Corpl. Jos Hollingsworth, Cecil Scott and G Lambert are at present sick but not seriously.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 31 December 1915: ‘Old Folks Christmas Treat at Warsop. For the fifth year in succession the old people of Warsop were entertained to tea in the Lower School-room on Monday, the 27th instant … At the conclusion of the repast, the Rector (the Rev. RJ King) addressing the company … Proceeding, the Rector said how pleased he was – and no doubt the whole company with him in welcoming two of ‘our brave defenders’ Pte. Cecil Scott and Pte. Geo. Lambert, on leave for Christmas from the Dardanelles, and Middy [Midshipman] Phil Tinsley, who were present during the proceedings. (Cheers).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 26 April 1918: ‘Warsop Casualties. Warsop mourns the loss of several young and gallant residents, who have recently paid the supreme sacrifice in the present titanic struggle … Mr and Mrs J Scott, of Sherwood-street, have been officially informed that their only son Sergeant Cecil Scott, of the Royal Marines, was killed on the 6th inst. A fellow sergeant, writing to Mrs Scott, explains how the gallant young fellow me his death: ‘It was our task to drive the Germans out of Aveluy Wood, and we were lined up on the edge of the wood in the morning, and engaged the enemy at once. We advanced about 50 yards into the wood and your son was leading his platoon. We took up our positions here, and it was then I heard that Sergeant Scott was hit. I went to the spot and found him quite dead. Death must have been instantaneous, for a bullet had passed straight through his heart.’ The writer expresses his personal regrets and proceeds to say how much Sergt. Scott’s death will be felt by his company, for he was respected by officers and men alike.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
