Guest-Scott, Maurice D

Full Name: GUEST-SCOTT, MAURICE DOUGLAS

There is some confusion in the official papers about his name. In the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database “Guest” is his third christian name, rather than part of his hyphenated surname.

Photograph of Maurice Douglas Guest Scott.

(Source – Find A Grave website – www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=24718168)

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Rank: Captain
Date of Death: 17/03/1918
Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps and The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Awards: M C
Grave Reference: In East part.
Cemetery: OCKBROOK (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD

Additional Information

• Born – 13 Sep 1895 in Mussoorie, Bengal, India.
• Lieutenant 1^st Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
• Captain in Royal Flying Corps
• After service in the infantry early in World War I, Scott transferred to aviation in February 1916. He began as an observer in 18 Squadron’s Vickers Gunbuses.^[5] On 3 April 1916, he was credited with capturing a German two-seater reconnaissance craft at Souchez.^[6]
• He would subsequently train as a pilot, being appointed as a Flying Officer on 21 May 1916,^[7] and being posted to 54 Squadron to fly Sopwith Pups. At the start of Bloody April 1917, on the 5th, he teamed with Frank Hudson, Reginald Charley, and another pilot to destroy a German observation balloon. On 9 May 1917, he destroyed another enemy two-seater. Two days later, Scott was part of a patrol that included William Strugnell, Oliver Sutton, and three other squadronmates. They caught up with a German recon plane and destroyed it, for a victory apiece. On 1 June, Scott and Sutton drove an Albatros D.III fighter down out of control over Honnecourt, and Scott became an ace.^[8]
• He subsequently transferred to 46 Squadron^[9] and was appointed Flight Commander, along with a promotion to temporary captain, on 21 June 1917.^[10] He began a string of seven wins on 4 September 1917 by teaming with four squadron mates to drive down an Albatross two-seater south of Scarpe. He would tally six more wins that month, destroying a DFW recon craft, and driving down two Albatros D.Vs and two German reconnaissance planes. On 8 October 1917, he was relieved from combat duty to return to Home Establishment.^[11]
• Maurice Douglas Guest Scott died in an airplane accident on 17 March 1918.^[12] He was awarded the Military Cross the following day.^[

Citation for award of the Military Cross

Reported in the London and Edinburgh Gazettes March 21st, 1918.

“Lt. (T./Capt.) Maurice Douglas Guest Scott, N. Lan. R., Spec. Res., and R.F.C.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in aerial combats. On one occasion his patrol encountered seven enemy machines, two of which he drove down out of control. He has destroyed eleven enemy aeroplanes, and proved himself a very dashing patrol leader”.

Death

He was killed in a flying accident a Tangmere Aerodrome on 17th March, 1918, possibly executing a forbidden “barrel roll” in his biplane.

Newspaper Report of Scott’s Inquest

(Derby Daily Telegraph, 21st March, 1918 – FindMyPast)

He is buried at All Saints Church, Ockbrook.

His mother Agnes was his beneficiary.

Campaign Medals

In common with other military personnel, he was awarded the Victory and British War Medals after the war. He was also awarded the 1914-14 Star, by virtue of his service with the Loyal Lancashire Regiment.

He was posted to France in October, 1915.

Tracing the Family 

Father

• Phillip Guest Scott b1865 in India d 1910
• Occupation Civil Engineer
• In 1881 he was living with his sister (wife of a doctor) in Teignmouth Devon

Mother

• Agnes Mary Kirkham b1865 d1932
• Birth about 1865 in Benares, India
• 1911 She was living in Bedford with her son Percy and Maurice and her sister in law Emily.
• Died 22^nd April 1932 while living at Rollington House, Redlynch, Wiltshire
• Having lost all of her close family, in her will she left £1224 to her brother Percy Kirkham , whose affairs were being managed by a power of attorney.

Brother

• Percy Guest Scott b1893 in Raveyeinge, India  d 18/5/1914 at Station Road Borrowash
• Cause of death Infantile Paralysis (Polio) (source death Certificate)
• 1911 Census in Bedford with his mother.  He is described as paralysed.
• Death certificate confirms connection to Borrowash and Station Road.
• By 1910, much of the world experienced a dramatic increase in polio cases and epidemics became regular events, primarily in cities during the summer months. These epidemics left thousands of children and adults paralyzed.  It was not until the 1950s that vaccines became available to protect the population.

Cousin

• Grant Trevalin Body b 1878 in Devon d 14/9/14 in France
• Captain in the Regular Army 1^st Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
• Missing presumed killed 14^th September 1914.