Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Scott, son of William and Mary Jane Scott, born in Northumberland in 1851 and 1853 respectively, was born at Newburn, Northumberland, in 1875, one of 6 known children, he was the eldest of 3 sons and had 1 elder and 2 younger sisters. He married at Gateshead Registry Office, County Durham, January 26th 1895, to Mary Ann Quinn born 1876 in Scotland. By 1901 they had moved to 27, Wilson Street, Teams, Gateshead, which became their permanent home. Employed at Redheugh Colliery as a coal miner/hewer he supported his wife and children. By 1911 Mary Ann had given birth to 8 children of whom only 5 survived, Mary Ann 1896, Harriet 1898, William known as Willie June 26th 1899, Julie August 16th 1901 and George January 2nd 1909, post 1911 Grace August 14 1913.
George enlisted at Gateshead June 26th 1915, assigned as Private 23531 Durham Light Infantry and posted to the 11th Battalion, February 10th 1915, made up primarily of miners, which had been made the 20th Division’s Pioneer Battalion in the January. July 20th 1915 attached to the 20th Division the Pioneers departed for France where they worked more as labourers, repairing roads, reinforcing barbed wire, digging and draining trenches but were deployed as infantrymen as and when required.
Private Scott was sentenced June 1st 1915 to 10 days Field Punishment No.2, having overstayed his pass from May 25th to May 31st 1915. His punishment consisted of loss of pay, transferal to a Punishment Battalion, where, fettered and handcuffed but not attached to a fixed object, he was subjected to hard labour and marches.
He returned to the regiment and resumed his duties, June 16th, until it was transferred at the beginning of 1916 to the Somme. Here the battalion worked at night repairing old and digging new trenches in preparation for the Battles of the Somme which commenced July 1st 1916, having been delayed by one day due to bad weather. The 20th Division did not participate at any major offensives on the Somme until the Battle of Delville Wood, July 15th-September 3rd 1916. Private 23531 George Scott was killed in action August 2nd 1916 and interred at Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps, Somme, France, grave I. E. 66. The cemetery formally known as the 10th Brigade Cemetery was only 1.6 kilometres from the front line. Private Scott was 41 years of age.
His widow Mary Ann at the time of his demise was living at 17, Wilson Street, she moved after his death to 192, Saltwell Road, Bensham, Gateshead with her unmarried children. She received all monies due to her husband as per his will, a pension of 23 shillings a week for herself and 3 children as of February 19th 1917, a claim for her daughter Mary Ann’s child Henrietta Scott, both of whom she and her deceased husband supported, having been refused and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Scott is remembered at Redheugh on R43.01 and at Teams on T68.02
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 201
