Sgt Robert George Scott. VC .DSO. Cape Mountain Rifles.

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Posts : 420 Join date : 2011-05-14

Littlehand,

Just to clarify although the link that you posted states Robert George Scott VC took part in the Zulu War, this is actually untrue.

Scott was awarded his VC for his actions at Moirosi's Mountain, whilst serving in the Cape Mounted Rifles, on 8th April 1879. Moirosi's Mountain was in what then referred to as Basutoland - the modern day kingdom of Lesotho - an entirely separate campaign that was fought mainly by the volunteer forces from the Cape Colony against the Sotho people at the same time as the Zulu War.

kwaJimu1879

I am no expert, but Scott was of the Cape Mounted (not mountain) Rifles, correct?

Posts : 3066 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

Hi Tasker

You are correct.

Digest of Citation reads:
During an attack on Morosi's Mountain, South Africa, during the Basuto War, Sergeant Scott volunteered to throw time-fused shells, as hand-grenades, at the enemy who were bringing heavy fire to bear on the colonial troops. He threw the time-fused shells over a line of stone barricades. Sergeant Scott made his men retire under cover, in case a shell should burst prematurely. By taking this precaution, he probably saved many lives. He then advanced in a determined manner, all the time under extremely heavy fire, and, having got to the foot of the wall, made two attempts to throw shells over it. On the second attempt, owing to a defect in the fuse which he had just lit, the shell exploded, blowing his right hand to pieces and wounding him severely in the left leg.

On 8th April 1854, he married Constance Mary Daniell and had four children, Dulcie Mary; John Dayrell Sinclair; Robert Falkines Sinclair (1893) and Guy Sinclair (1896).

In September 1879 he was promoted Lieutenant. He served as a Major, with the Kimberley Light Horse, in the South Africa War of 1899-1902, where he was mentioned in despatches, received the Queen's Medal with three clasps, the King's Medal with two clasps, and he received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), London Gazetted on 27th September 1901.
He also saw service in the European War (WW I). During the Cape Rebellion, as a Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded the Kimberley Commando in the vicinity of German West Africa (1914-15).