No.13234, Lance Corporal,Herbert William SCOTT
Aged 24
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Herbert Willam Scott was born in Burwell on 15th March 1891 (Newmarket Q2-1891 3B:559), baptised in Burwell on 21st May 1891, son of John and Martha SCOTT (née WEBB).
1891 census...Aged 2 months, he was at High Town, Burwell with his father John SCOTT [39] farm labourer; his mother Martha [40] born Exning; sisters Lucy [16] and Kate [6]; brothers George [15] farm labourer, Harry [12], Arthur [9] and Albert [2]. All except his mother were born in Burwell. A brother Tom had died in 1881. 1901 census...Aged 10, he was at High Street, Burwell with his parents and brothers Arthur (horseman on heath), Albert, and Robert [7] born Burwell. 1911 census...Aged 20, a ploughman/labourer, he was at High Street, Burwell with his parents and brother Robert (ploughman/labourer). His elder brother Henry died as a prisoner of war in France in 1918 and is buried just along the coast from Herbert, at Wimille. see here A younger brother, Robert, was killed in action in France in 1918. see here |
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He enlisted in Newmarket.
The 9th Suffolks had suffered severe gassing in the period 19th-20th December in front of St Jean, near Ypres. This may well have been the eventual cause of Herbert's death at a base hospital in Wimereux, just outside Boulogne. They did have one spell in the trenches at St Jean over Christmas, before moving back to Poperinghe on the 30th, but they seem not to have had any killed at that time. The Cambridge Independent Press of 31st December 1915 reported :- Burwell Soldier Dies from the Effects of German Gas Mr. John Scott, of Burwell, has been informed of the death of his third son, Private Herbert Wm.Scott, who has died in hospital in France form the effects of gas used by the Germans in the trenches. Mr. Scott's eldest son, George, served in the South African War without a wound or illness of any kind. He is now employed by the Jockey Club. His second son, Arthur, is in Cambridge Hospital, one leg having been amputated after being smashed by a shell. His youngest son, Robert, has been wounded and frost bitten, but has just rejoined his regiment. The utmost sympathy is felt in the village for Mr.and Mrs. John Smith in their bereavement. |
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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