Look Up Request WO372/17 Pte William H SCOTT

[hscott21]

Trying to find War Service Records for William H (Hogarth) SCOTT.  Soldier Number: 32682 Private, Royal Scots and/or Soldier Number: 31742 Private, Gloucestershire Regiment.

Have managed to find Medal Records but really wanting to get War Service Records.

Born 1893, Causewayside, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Not resident in UK, so any help greatfully appreciated.

[ShaunJ]

His service records don't seem to have survived (60+% were destroyed by enemy action in WW2). There's a war pension record on Fold3 for William Hogarth Scott 31742 Gloucester Regiment.

[MaxD]

From his medal information we can squeeze a little extra info.  He served first with 1st Battalion Royal Scots (Royal Regiment) (known informally as Pontius Pilate's Bodyguard as the oldest regiment in the British Army although there is much argument with that!).  At some stage he was transferred to 2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment.  The record that ShaunJ spots (I don't have access) may have details.

He didn't serve overseas until the start of 1916 (no Star medal) at which time both battalions were in Salonika were they remained throughout the war.  Unfortunately the war diaries which include the two battalions have not been digitised so are not on line.  http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4558045
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4558048
They can be copied but it can be an expensive process particularly as we don't know when he went from one to the other (unless in the pension record).
The Regimental Musem of the Royal Scots http://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/museum/ lists war diaries among its collections, probably worth getting in touch with them. 

Meanwhile anything you can read about the Salonika campaign and in particular 27 Division will give a flavour of his war.  There may be general stuff to find about both battalions on line.


MaxD

PS.  Forgive if you know this already but the Royal Scots should not be confused with the Royal Scots Fusiliers or indeed anything else starting with Royal Scots!

[hscott21]

Thank you so very much for such a quick heads-up.  Will definitely get onto following up your info.

Actually have my father in law's medals, and thought that when we found the medal records, we would easily go on to find his war service records.

Looks like I will be busy!

[hscott21]

Shaun J - Of course, I couldn't resist having a quick look before I sign off.  However, I have only got a trial membership for Fold3, so am wondering if I will be able to look at any records.  Also, I didn't seem to be able to enter specific info such as soldier number to narrow down my search.  I only came up with a Scott who was born in Morayshire.  Is it possible to give me a link for the search you did?

Many thanks

[ShaunJ]

I just searched for "William Hogarth Scott" (the inverted commas facilitate an exact search). This is the only hit that comes up on Fold3


https://www.fold3.com/image/643381969

[MaxD]

I don't know whether ShaunJ has seen the record but the ledgers which I have seen in that series are post war records of pension claims and payments and while interesting don't give any detail (apart perhaps from dates) of the actual service.  They are explained here:

https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/articles/the-western-front-associations-pension-record-card-and-ledger-archive/

MaxD


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[hscott21]

Thanks again ShaunJ and MaxD, we are much further forward on the details now. 

Arden Street was the correct address as William's father was a Brass Founder/Polisher from that address.  We didn't know that my husband's father contracted malaria.  I wonder if the entry "AP" meant Alternative Pension on account of his malaria?  And, yes Salonika has been mentioned by family, so we will do some digging around the other records.

Thanks