Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.M. group of four awarded to 2nd Lieutenant J. Scott, Machine Gun Corps, late Royal Fusiliers

Military Medal, G.V.R. (8142 A. Sjt. J. Scott, 1/R. Fus.); 1914-15 Star (8142 Pte., R. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.), mounted as worn, minor contact marks, very fine and better (4) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Selection of Medals from the Collection of the Late Noel Morris.

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M.M. London Gazette 21 October 1916.

John Scott was born at Dumfries in June 1895, the son of a lay preacher in the Church of Scotland. After completing his education, young John was employed as a Clerk at Carlisle Railway Station by the agent for the Glasgow and South Western Railway.

Enlisting in the Royal Fusiliers in August 1915, Scott was quickly transferred from the 18th to the 1st Battalion and embarked for France, gaining rapid promotion to Acting Sergaent by the time of his M.M.-winning exploits in the following year, an award that was almost certainly for bravery on the Somme - the 1st Battalion manned the front line between Delville Wood and Trones Wood in August 1916, and put in an attack against enemy positions at Guillemont on the 17th, and “Hill Street” and “Brompton Road” on the 21st, activity that resulted in over 400 casualties.

In April 1917 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Machine Gun Corps, and advanced to Lieutenant in October 1918. Soon afterwards, however, as the Armistice approached, he was severely wounded in ‘both thighs, the right leg, hands and chin’, injuries that necessitated the amputation of his leg and a finger (local newspaper sources refer).

Scott returned to his post with the Glasgow and South Western Railway and worked as Glasgow Central Station. He died at Rutherglen in May 1952, aged 56 years.

Sold with an original Machine Gun Corps war service certificate inscribed to ‘Lieut. J. Scott’, framed and glazed; and an old embroidery of the crest and motto of the Royal Fusiliers.