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dbf · 31-03-2008, 07:36 PM

Reason for my interest

Robert Scott V.C. 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment.

From The Times:

SGT. ROBERT SCOTT, V.C.
Sergeant Robert Scott, who won a Victoria Cross in the South African War, died in hospital on Tuesday at Downpatrick, Co. Down. He was 86. Scott was born at Haslingden, Lancashire, in June, 1874, and joined The Manchester Regiment in 1895. He won his V.C. during the great attack on Ladysmith (he went through the whole siege without once being absent from duty) on January 6, 1900. While the attack on Caesar's Camp was in progress Scott - then a private - and Private Pitts (who also won a V.C.) occupied a sangar, on the left of which all the British had become casualties and their positions occupied by Boers, and held their post for 15 hours under extremely heavy fire. During this action Scott was wounded.

From A Victoria Cross anomaly? The Manchesters at Caesar’s Camp by David Humphry

In the action at Caesar’s Camp the Manchesters lost 33 men killed, one died of wounds and 40 officers and men wounded out of a British total of around 170 killed and 250 wounded for the combined actions of Caesar’s Camp and Wagon Hill. This was the largest number of casualties of any British unit.

Surrounded by the bodies of their 14 dead comrades Privates Pitts and Scott held out in their sangar without food for 15 hours. Some contemporary accounts also state that they have no water during this time but in a subsequent interview Pitts said that they had plenty - no doubt from the water bottles of their dead comrades. Both men fought on gallantly against seemingly impossible odds and Scott recorded that they expected to be killed or captured at any moment.

Both men were awarded the Victoria Cross (London Gazette, July 26, 1901). Their combined citation reads, “On January 6 1900 during an attack on Caesar‘s Camp, Natal, South Africa, 16 men of “D” Company were defending one of the slopes of the hill. The defenders were under heavy fire all day, the majority being killed and their positions occupied by the enemy. At last only Private Pitts and Private Scott remained. They held their post for 15 hours without food and water, all the time exchanging deadly fire with the enemy, until relief troops had retaken the lost ground and pushed the enemy off the hill.”

Private James Pitts died in Blackburn just short of his 78th birthday on Feb 18, 1955. His medals are in the Museum of the Manchesters in Ashton-under-Lyne. These are Victoria Cross, Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith and Belfast, King’s South Africa Medal clasps South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, 1937 Coronation Medal (GV) and Meritorious Service Medal. It is surprising that his group does not include the 1953 Coronation Medal as coronation medals are customarily awarded to living VC recipients. By 1953 Pitt’s second wife had died and he was in failing health so it is possible that he was awarded the medal but that it became separated from (or was never included with) the rest of his group.

Although a Lancashire man, Private Robert Scott died in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland on February 22, 1961 aged 86. His medals, also in the Museum of the Manchesters, are Victoria Cross, Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps, Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith and Belfast, King’s South Africa clasps South Africa 1902 and 1902, 1939-45 War Medal, 1937 Coronation Medal, 1953 Coronation Medal, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (GV) and Meritorious Service Medal (GV). The surprise here is that Scott earned a 1939-45 War Medal but no World War I medals. Despite being 62 on the outbreak of World War II he volunteered and was accepted for service in the Royal Air Force where he worked for some time in the security capacity.

From Devotion to Duty by James W Bancroft (Excerpt)

The Manchester Regiment

Five of the Manchester Regiment’s fourteen Victoria Cross recipients were never domiciled in the Manchester region, outside their duties at the Barracks. Two were:

JAMES PITTS and ROBERT SCOTT

During the siege of Ladysmith, on 6 January 1900, Boer commandos made an attack on an outpost at Caesar’s Camp. Privates Pitts and Scott, 1st Battalion, occupied a sangar, on the left of which all our men had been shot down and their positions occupied by Boers, and held their post for fifteen hours without food or water, all the time under and extremely heavy fire, keeping up their fire and a smart lookout, though the Boers occupied some sangars on their immediate left rear. Private Scott was wounded. The award was gazetted on 26 July 1901.

James Pitts was a Blackburn man, born on 26 February 1877. He returned to Blackburn after his military service, where he died on 18 February 1955. For further information about him see The Blackburn VC’s by R Walsh and H Kirby.

Robert Scott was born in Haslingden, Lancashire, on 4 June 1874, where he worked in a cotton mill from the age of ten until he enlisted in 1894. He recovered from his wound and was Orderly Room Sergeant at Ashton Barracks during the Great War. He left the service in 1923 and went to live in County Down, Ireland, where he joined the police force. He served with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and was employed with the civil service until his retirement. He died at Downpatrick, County Down, on 22 February 1961 and is buried in Kilkeel.

31-03-2008, 07:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
dbf Silly old moo Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Co Down, Northern Ireland Posts: 932	Reason for my interest Robert Scott V.C. 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment. From The Times: SGT. ROBERT SCOTT, V.C. Sergeant Robert Scott, who won a Victoria Cross in the South African War, died in hospital on Tuesday at Downpatrick, Co. Down. He was 86. Scott was born at Haslingden, Lancashire, in June, 1874, and joined The Manchester Regiment in 1895. He won his V.C. during the great attack on Ladysmith (he went through the whole siege without once being absent from duty) on January 6, 1900. While the attack on Caesar's Camp was in progress Scott - then a private - and Private Pitts (who also won a V.C.) occupied a sangar, on the left of which all the British had become casualties and their positions occupied by Boers, and held their post for 15 hours under extremely heavy fire. During this action Scott was wounded. From A Victoria Cross anomaly? The Manchesters at Caesar’s Camp by David Humphry In the action at Caesar’s Camp the Manchesters lost 33 men killed, one died of wounds and 40 officers and men wounded out of a British total of around 170 killed and 250 wounded for the combined actions of Caesar’s Camp and Wagon Hill. This was the largest number of casualties of any British unit. Surrounded by the bodies of their 14 dead comrades Privates Pitts and Scott held out in their sangar without food for 15 hours. Some contemporary accounts also state that they have no water during this time but in a subsequent interview Pitts said that they had plenty - no doubt from the water bottles of their dead comrades. Both men fought on gallantly against seemingly impossible odds and Scott recorded that they expected to be killed or captured at any moment. Both men were awarded the Victoria Cross (London Gazette, July 26, 1901). Their combined citation reads, “On January 6 1900 during an attack on Caesar‘s Camp, Natal, South Africa, 16 men of “D” Company were defending one of the slopes of the hill. The defenders were under heavy fire all day, the majority being killed and their positions occupied by the enemy. At last only Private Pitts and Private Scott remained. They held their post for 15 hours without food and water, all the time exchanging deadly fire with the enemy, until relief troops had retaken the lost ground and pushed the enemy off the hill.” Private James Pitts died in Blackburn just short of his 78th birthday on Feb 18, 1955. His medals are in the Museum of the Manchesters in Ashton-under-Lyne. These are Victoria Cross, Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith and Belfast, King’s South Africa Medal clasps South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, 1937 Coronation Medal (GV) and Meritorious Service Medal. It is surprising that his group does not include the 1953 Coronation Medal as coronation medals are customarily awarded to living VC recipients. By 1953 Pitt’s second wife had died and he was in failing health so it is possible that he was awarded the medal but that it became separated from (or was never included with) the rest of his group. Although a Lancashire man, Private Robert Scott died in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland on February 22, 1961 aged 86. His medals, also in the Museum of the Manchesters, are Victoria Cross, Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps, Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith and Belfast, King’s South Africa clasps South Africa 1902 and 1902, 1939-45 War Medal, 1937 Coronation Medal, 1953 Coronation Medal, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (GV) and Meritorious Service Medal (GV). The surprise here is that Scott earned a 1939-45 War Medal but no World War I medals. Despite being 62 on the outbreak of World War II he volunteered and was accepted for service in the Royal Air Force where he worked for some time in the security capacity. From Devotion to Duty by James W Bancroft (Excerpt) The Manchester Regiment Five of the Manchester Regiment’s fourteen Victoria Cross recipients were never domiciled in the Manchester region, outside their duties at the Barracks. Two were: JAMES PITTS and ROBERT SCOTT During the siege of Ladysmith, on 6 January 1900, Boer commandos made an attack on an outpost at Caesar’s Camp. Privates Pitts and Scott, 1st Battalion, occupied a sangar, on the left of which all our men had been shot down and their positions occupied by Boers, and held their post for fifteen hours without food or water, all the time under and extremely heavy fire, keeping up their fire and a smart lookout, though the Boers occupied some sangars on their immediate left rear. Private Scott was wounded. The award was gazetted on 26 July 1901. James Pitts was a Blackburn man, born on 26 February 1877. He returned to Blackburn after his military service, where he died on 18 February 1955. For further information about him see The Blackburn VC’s by R Walsh and H Kirby. Robert Scott was born in Haslingden, Lancashire, on 4 June 1874, where he worked in a cotton mill from the age of ten until he enlisted in 1894. He recovered from his wound and was Orderly Room Sergeant at Ashton Barracks during the Great War. He left the service in 1923 and went to live in County Down, Ireland, where he joined the police force. He served with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and was employed with the civil service until his retirement. He died at Downpatrick, County Down, on 22 February 1961 and is buried in Kilkeel.