Private Wilson Weir Scott
Wilson Weir Scott was born on 7 February 1898 at Tycusker, Arva, County Cavan, the fifth of nine children of farmer John Scott and his wife Margaret (née Walker). By the time of the 1911 Census he and his brother John were working as farm servants at Dromore, Lisgillock, County Cavan, on the farm of John McNeill.
Scott enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 10 December 1915 (No.2033). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France in 1916 or the first half of 1917, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st or 2nd North Irish Horse Regiments.
In August-September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and its men, together with some surplus to the needs of the 1st NIH Regiment, were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry regiment. Most, including Scott, were transferred on 20 September and posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt five days later. Scott was issued regimental number 41335 and posted to B Company.
He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917.
Scott was one of the many posted as missing following the 9th (NIH) Battalion's fighting withdrawal from St Quentin from 21 to 28 March 1918 during the German spring offensive. It was later learned that he had been captured, unwounded, on 27 March at Erches, near Roye, when much of the battalion had been overwhelmed by the fast-moving German advance. He remained a prisoner until the end of the war, held at camps in Bohain, Giessen and Limburg.
On 5 August 1919 Scott was discharged, being 'no longer physically fit for war service' (paragraph 392 (xvi), King's Regulations), due to a 'contused foot (right) tubercular', which had been aggravated by his military service. He was awarded a grant for farming stock and appliances (presumably in lieu of a pension).
On 15 July 1922 Scott emigrated, sailing from Liverpool for New York.