Buried at Plumstead Cemetery Education Epsom College Role Armed force officer | Name Robert Scott Rank Lieutenant Colonel Awards Victoria Cross | |
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Allegiance Cape Colony
South Africa Unit Cape Mounted Riflemen
Kimberley Light Horse Battles/wars Basuto Gun War
Second Boer War
World War I Died October 3, 1918, Wynberg, Cape Town, South Africa Battles and wars Basuto Gun War, Second Boer War, World War I People also search for John Frederick McCrea, Edmund Hartley, Peter Brown Service/branch Cape Colonial Forces, South African Army | ||
Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Scott, VC, DSO (22 April 1857 – 3 October 1918) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
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Early military career
Scott was born on 22 April 1857 at Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. He was the son of Fleet-Surgeon Robert Charles Scott (RN) and Mary Elizabeth Scott, and entered Epsom College in 1870 and joined Granville House. He was an active member of the College Corps. After leaving College in 1871 he went on to join the Cape Mountain Riflemen in 1876. He served in the Frontier Wars of 1877 and the Zulu War of 1878-9.
Details of Victoria Cross
Scott was 21 years old, and a sergeant in the Cape Mounted Riflemen, Cape Colonial Forces during the Basuto Gun War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 8 April 1879 during an attack on Morosi's Mountain, South Africa, Sergeant Scott volunteered to throw time-fuse shells as hand grenades over a wall of stone barricades from behind which the enemy were bringing heavy fire to bear on the Colonial troops. Sergeant Scott made his men take cover in case the shells burst prematurely before making two attempts to throw shells over it. At the second attempt the shell exploded almost in his hands blowing his right hand to pieces and wounding him severely in the leg.Later career
Scott later served in South Africa during the Second Boer War, where he was in command of the Scott´s Railway Guards, attached to the Kimberley Light Horse. The Railway Guards did work on the Orange River - Kimberley line, and was engaged by the enemy several times during the war. Following the end of hostilities, Scott left Cape Town for England in June 1902. He later served in the First World War. He later achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel.