| Robert Henry Scott was the son of William and Matilda Scott. He was born in Belfast.
|
| There is a major discrepancy regarding his age. The CWGC gives his age as death as 42, giving a birth date around 1874. However his Canadian enrolment papers give his date of birth as 19 July 1887. This puts age at enrolment as 28, dying a year later at 29.
|
| Robert Henry Scott attended Drumglass National School.
|
| Robert obtained a B.A. (probably in the area of Law) from the Royal University of Ireland. The Royal University was the name give to the amalgamation of all Ireland's higher education establishments so it's not possible to say where he studied.
|
| He took his degree while principal of Andersonstown National School, Belfast.
|
| Robert moved to England where he taught in schools in Ramsgate and Winchester and took his Inter. Sc., London.
|
| During his holidays he returned to Dungannon and played for the Dungannon Cricket Club.
|
| Robert Scott emigrated to Canada.
|
| Before enlisting, Robert was a law student. He had also served in the 60th Rifles (Moose Jaw) previously.
|
| Robert enlisted on 14th March 1915. He gave his next of kin as his mother, who was living at 1 Kyle Terrace, Dungannon. He was not married.
|
|
|
| Private Scott went to the front in June 1915 and took part in all the fighting up to his death with only one slight casualty during that time.
|
| From the Tyrone Courier dated 25th November 1915 : Good news on both sides – Canadian's Cheery Letter
|
|
| Private R H Scott B.A., of the Canadian contingent, writing from the Western front to his mother at 1 Kyle Terrace, Dungannon, under date 19 November 1915 says :-
|
| “Just finished a good supper in the reserves Badajos Huts of which 9 Platoon occupies the Brisbane hut and hasten to send our thanks for the nice big parcel of chocolate and clothing received here this afternoon. The sweet part did not last five minutes and the rest will be appreciated for a long time to come. You could not have chosen the things better or sent them at a better time. We had quite an enjoyable trip last time with several little local truces with Fritz when we exchanged greetings and songs until he warned us “duck now, officer coming” and the shooting match was resumed. Weather today dry and frosty – quite a welcome change from the wet and mud. Received a small parcel in the trenches from J.B. Give our best thanks to J.C for papers safely delivered and much read. Everything going fine and dandy and prospects seem bright enough. Very good news reaches us on both sides”
|
| From the Tyrone Courier dated 6 April 1916 : Thanks from the Front
|
|
| In addition to the letters published last week, received by Mr W N Thornberry, principal of Drumglass National School, acknowledging receipt of packets of chocolates from the boys of the school, the following postcard has been received from Private R H Scott, B.A.:
|
| 'Thank you very much indeed for you kind gift to us older boys. Guess pennies are as common with you as sous are with us. I will call and see you when I get leave. This is one of a bunch of cards I picked up in the trenches last trip and we expect to leave this old barn any minute now for another stretch up there. If any of you ever go to Canada, we will try and help you out if you find us. I am asked to return the best thanks and good wishes of No 9 Platoon, 28th (North West) Battalion, 2nd Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force (C.O.E.F).'
|
|
|
| Letter dated Monday 5th June 1916 (from Robert to his brother John)
|
|
| Dear John, got yours on 5th June 1916. Okay with the enclosed picture and was glad of the news and to know that life in the distressful island is still quite bearable, although I guess it sometimes seems to be not altogether a normal little bit of heaven. Had a letter also from Dungannon, with all good news and a cutting telling about the challenge cup won by Wfd. Please convey my hearty congratulations and hopes for still more improvements. We can have a contest at stringing words when I get back and the shadow of the censor no longer blurs the page while I write. Glad to know the golf goes well and to hear of your success against bogey. Always though bogey a hard opponent; he is so consistent, it always seems an uphill fight. I had a bone in my left hand broken, which gave me my first experience of hospital life and partly accounts for my long delay in writing. Quite well again and back at work. Not likely to get leave for a bit yet as the many who drew 24 is on leave now and my number is 117. Under the circumstances, I thought it well to get our paymaster to send you £5 from me to pay Belle for the copy of Science and Health and any other little debts I left behind. You might send a pound note to pay Corporal Gentles of our platoon for a diabole he brought back from London and several other things he got for me and forwarded to you. We are getting quite a bit of sport these days and as my job is not always bomb-proof, I thought it best to scribble out a short form of will in my pay book on 3rd June, and here it is again for today’s date in case my pay book gets lost.
|
| Will: I leave everything I possess to my eldest brother, John S Scott, Headmaster, Model School, Ballymena, County Antrim, Ireland. Signed R H Scott
|
|
| Either one of these, or both, will server my purpose and there should be enough to pay the £15 I borrowed and other items too numerous to mention. My name is still in the books of Smith and Thompson for about £3.10, so I suppose they should get it. Of course if mother needs any money I know she can always get it from you and there should be enough left to help out that way. I just thought it no harm to say all this in case I might go west before my turn for leave and some of the boys do occasionally get knocked out. My rest in the hospital has done me a ot of good so I now feel better than ever and don’t intend to snuff it until I have to.
|
| I had a nice long letter and useful big parcel from L and everything goes well enough in Scotland. I would be glad of another flash lamp. The last ne finished a day or two ago and was very useful on many awkward occasions. The battery and the lamp just suited each other and the case and all those grew old and faded together. I must leave something to say for the next time and anyhow this is quite enough to go on with. Please give my best thanks and kind regards to Bella, Wfd and W. hope to join in a foursome before the winter comes and promise to make it interesting for W. Well, best wishes for happiness and all kinds of good luck to the lot of yer. Yours affectionately, Bob.
|
| Private Robert Henry Scott was serving with the 28th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry when he was killed in action on 15th September 1916.
|
| The Canadian Circumstances of Death Register records that Private Scott was killed in action on 15th September 1916. During military operations, he was hit in the stomach by a bullet and died soon after reaching a dressing station. His unit were involved in an attack in the vicinity of Courcelette at the time.
|
|
| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 9th October 1916:
|
|
| Private Robert Scott, B.A., Canadian Infantry, killed in action on 15th September, was a son of Mrs Scott, McKee’s Terrace, Dungannon, and brother-in-law of Mr J C Simpson, proprietor of the Tyrone Courier, Dungannon. He was a native of Belfast, and had been a teacher in educational establishments in Winchester and Ramsgate. Afterwards he emigrated to Canada, and was a law student there at the outbreak of the war. He had had fifteen months active service in the field.
|
| From the Tyrone Courier dated 12 October 1916:
|
|
| On Friday morning Mrs Scott, 1 Kyle Terrace, Dungannon, received information from the Canadian Records Office that her youngest son, Private R H Scott B.A., of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, had been killed in action on 15th September. Mr Scott was born in Belfast and took his degree in the Royal University of Ireland (R.U.I.) while principal of Andersonstown National School, Belfast. He afterwards taught in schools in Ramsgate and Winchester and took his Inter. Sc., London. During his holidays he played for the Dungannon Cricket Club and had many friends. He emigrated to Canada some years ago and became a law student and joined the Canadian army at the outbreak of war. He crossed to the front in June 1915 and took part in all the fighting since with only one slight casualty till his death.
|
| Robert’s brother, John B Scott, was headmaster of the Model School in Ballymena.
|
| Private Robert Henry Scott has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial, near Arras in France.
|
|
| The CWGC record Private Robert Henry Scott as the son of William and Matilda Scott of McKee's Terrace, Dungannon, Ireland.
|
|
