Andrew Stewart Scott - Edinburgh

First post :)

Hi to everyone, I am currently tracing my family tree, My Grandad served with the Commandos during the second world war, unfortunately he passed away just over 15 years ago so any information i have is vague.

He never spoke much about the war but some snippets came through at times, I know he was well travelled and was a champion boxer. He once told a story of how he captured a small squadron of Germans on his own.

maybe someone would remember him, he was raised in Musselburgh East Lothian and married on 1st June 1940, i could be wrong here but I am informed when he married he had just joined the Commandos as a private, the date seems a bit too early for me but could be wrong.

any information would be appreciated.

I have also carried out a search on here on how to research my grandad, and I will be sending off for his records, that is if I can trace him

Hi Richard,
Welcome to the CVA.

As you have browsed through the forums you will appreciate that the info you've provided so far is a little sparse, but I'm sure that as soon as you received your Grandfather's Service Records you be able to provide us with a little more info to work on and indeed a lot of your questions may be answered.
[Once you've got the service records - which may take a couple of months - please let us know if you need help deciphering them]

do you have any photos of you grandfather in army uniform - these could help to confirm whether he was in the Commandos. Chances are that he got married in uniform - any wedding photos?

Any other info you can provide is always of help.

Regards,
Nick

Thanks for the resonse Nick, yes i understand the information is a bit scarce, Once i obtain his service records i should hopefully find out more. I think I would need a bit of help to decipher them! :)

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 18/09/2010 14:30:38

Just a possibility, remote I know, as I am sure there was more than one person with the surname Scott in the Commandos, but there was a No.9 Commando Private Scott who was a bantam weight boxer. I will ask Ron to check the original Commando Association records next week. See this link to the scorecard for a Commando Boxing Match.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/6/boxing+team+result/Boxing+score+sheet.jpg.html

If you post a photo of him here from his army days that might help.

Regards

Pete

thanks!

there is a good chance that is him, i know he was around 5ft 3 and slim built, I have just been informed that he was a bantam weight.

excellent find!!

on a side note NIC, I have found another post you have made giving this link:

http://www.whobegatwhom.co.uk/9commandooverseas.pdf

near the end of the page at the honours part I can see an A.Scott was awarded the M.M

I know he definately recieved an award for bravery. what an excellent resource tool this site is

Richard...here is an extract from the book Commando Gallantry Awards of WW2 by George Brown:

Pte. Andrew Scott 2938003, Camerons, No.9 Commando
Military Medal (Immediate)
Action at MonteFaita, night 2nd-3rd February 1944

During this action in which Pte. Scott's troop captured an enemy Comapny HQ, Pte Scott was rendered unconscious by the blast of a shell. When he recovered consciousness the Commando had withdrawn after heavy casualties and the position had been reoccupied by the enemy. In full view of the enemy position, however, he immediately started to attend to wounded men who it had been impossible to evacuate during the withdrawal. When he saw that the position had been reoccupied by the enemy, Scott unhesitatingly advanced to the position to obtain assistance for the injured, and although unarmed, took seven of the enemy occupants of the position prisoner. He persuaded the prisoners to carry 5 wounded men into a house where he compelled the prisoners to dress their wounds. Scott remained in the enemy lines with the wounded and prisoners until our own stretcher parties came forward and with their assistance he organised the prisoners into stretcher bearer parties to carry the casualties back to our lines. By approaching the enemy position unarmed and single handed and taking seven prisoners, Scott showed outstanding courage and his actions were responsible for saving the lives of at least 5 of our casualties (L.G.29.6.44)

This does tend to fit in with what you said in your original message. Have you made thorough enqs. of all your extended family as if he is one and the same man I would imagine someone will have his actual Military Medal

Good luck and keep us informed of your progress

Pete

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 22/09/2010 10:12:20

...and here is the entry from the London Gazette detailing the award of the Military Medal:

London Gazette wrote:No. 2938003 Private Andrew Scott, The Queen's
Own Cameron Highlanders (attd. Special Service
Troops) (Hawick, Roxburgh)

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36586/pages/3072

Click on the London Gazette link - you'll be faced with a page of names...
on the left hand side you'll see a 'pair of binoculars', click on them and they'll bring up a small search box. Enter either the surname or the service number in the box and click search - the person you are looking for will be highlighted...

Nick

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 27/06/2015 12:48:39

thanks guys, you have been a tremendous help 8)

on a side note, My Gran unfortunately had to sell of the medals etc., included was a nazi flag and a german officers pistol.

I should be getting my hands on some photos, there is one or two of him in uniform, been phoning round all the relatives

cant thank you guys enough for the help

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 22/09/2010 12:09:42

Hi Richard

Having checked the original Commando Association records (my thanks to Ron Youngman for his help) it would appear that Pte. Andrew Scott MM may have originally joined No.11 Commando before moving to No.9 Commando. Again this might fit in as 11 Cdo was formed in Galashiels in June 1940, same month as yr Grandad married and only about 30 miles from where your Grandad lived, and his former Regiment was Scottish as well. No.11 Commando, also known as the Scottish Commando, was later disbanded at the end of 1941. However nothing can be confirmed until you get his service record so you have a couple of months of waiting once you have applied for it. You may wish to browse the photos in the respective albums of No.11 and No.9 Commando as there are several unidentified Commandos amongst them

Regards

Pete

Richard

Did your Grandparents ever live in Hawick after the war ?

Pete

Pete,

according to the London Gazette entry: Pte Andrew Scott MM was from Hawick, Roxburg.

Nick

Hi Nic,

yes My grandparents settled in Hawick, my Grandmother was from there. My grandfather always loved living down in the borders, he lived the majority of his life there and they had 8 children together :D

Richard,
thanks for getting back to us to confirm the Hawick connection - I think Pete may have some good news for you...

nick