Driver Samuel Scattergood
T/370548 667th Heavy Transport Company, Army Service Corps
Samuel was born in 1884 at Riddings, Derbyshire, one of 6 sons born to William Scattergood a coal miner hewer and his wife Lucy (nee Winfield). Both of his parents originated from Ilkeston. In 1901 the family was living at High Street, Riddings and Samuel, aged 16, was an iron foundry labourer. He had brothers William, Alfred, Isaiah, James and Arnold.
On 29th June 1910 Samuel married Rose Beatrice Giles a 25 year old spinster from Market Street, Codnor Park at Ironville, Christchurch. In 1911 Samuel and Rose were living at Dixie Street, Jacksdale and Samuel’s occupation had changed to pipe dresser. It seems that Rose and Samuel did not have any children.
Samuel enlisted on 24th Jun 1916 but was not called up until 11th March 1918 when he was posted to the Army Service Depot at Blackheath. His service record has not survived and as he did not serve overseas on active service it does not appear that he was awarded any medals. He was described as 5’6″ tall with brown hair, blue eyes, a fresh complexion and with a scar on his forehead. Samuel was also a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, an approved society under the 1911 National Insurance Act, able to financially help members in the event death, or being unable to work due to sickness or accident.
Arthur served until December 1918 when he was transferred to the Class W reserves ‘for all those soldiers whose services are deemed to be more valuable to the country in civil rather than military employment’. Class W reservists received no pay, did not wear uniform and were not subject to military discipline but were liable to be recalled to the colours at any time.
Just 14 months after leaving the army, in February 1920, Samuel died at the General Hospital, Nottingham of cellulitis and septicaemia. In March 1920, good friend and neighbour from Edward Avenue, Jacksdale, Percy Bonsall who had also served in WW1, wrote on behalf of Samuel’s widow to the Army Service Corps Records’ Office at Woolwich. The ASC replied instructing them to contact the regional ‘Local War Pensions’ Committee’ at Low Pavement, Nottingham. In April 1920 Samuel’s widow, Rose was sent a form to complete, requesting date and cause of death plus a full medical report from the practitioner who attended the case, specifically stating whether in his opinion the disease from which the deceased died was contracted on, or aggravated by his military service. Later in June 1920, Rose sent a letter of appeal from her current address of Edward Avenue, Jacksdale. ‘Sir, Having made an application for a pension owing to the death of my husband, (Driver S. Scattergood, no 370548 A.S.C.) and hearing nothing from you for a period of eight weeks, I beg to ask that you will expedite my case. If long delay is necessary is not there some authority on which I can draw a weekly allowance as I have nobody to support me and I must have something to live on. Kindly let me know what I am to do, yours faithfully R.B. Scattergood ‘
The records do not indicate whether a pension was ever awarded so it is not known whether Rose received any help either from the Army or from the Ancient Order of Foresters. As Rose had no children it is possible that she may have found work of some kind but just after the war priority for employment was given to returning veterans and for many of those employment was also in short supply. In 1924 Rose married Horace Vernon.