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Pte. John "Jock" Scott
British Army 5th Btn. Cameron Highlanders
from:Douglas, Lanarkshire
In December 1914, five months after the start of the Great War, my grandfather, John Scott, known as Jock, volunteered for service as a private with the 5th (Service) Queens Own Cameron Highlanders a new battalion, formed as part of Kitchener's Army. He was immediately posted to Aldershot for training and was later transferred to France as part of the 26th Brigade in the 9th (Scottish) Division. He first saw action at the Battle of Ypres in April and May 1915.
Four months later, Jock was posted to Loos where he sent a postcard to his fiance, Nan Wighton, on 16th of September 1915. The words were brief and simply read: "Just a P C to let you know that I am getting on all right and keeping well. Hope this finds you keeping well. Jock"
Following the commencement of the Battle of Loos on 25th of September 1915, the 5th Camerons were heavily involved in the early fighting, particularly in the assault on Hohenzollern Redoubt. However, the attack went badly wrong and they suffered horrific casualties. Jock was hit in the leg by a large piece of shrapnel and had to crawl over a mile back to the allied lines. However, he would later say that he was one of the lucky ones, since many of his friends and comrades either didn't survive or were maimed for life.
Following field surgery in France, Jock was returned to the United Kingdom for further treatment and recuperation at Swinton Grange Red Cross Hospital in Malton in North Yorkshire. After he was wounded, Jock was no longer fit for combat duties but his war was not over. He was assigned to the Cameron Labour Corps, which carried out a whole range of defence works duties in the UK and in overseas theatres, especially in France and Flanders.
