A Great War and North West Frontier pilot’s campaign group of five awarded to Wing Commander P. G. Scott, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, late 9th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. He flew his F.E.2b to great effect whilst serving with 20 Squadron, and was accredited with at least 1 enemy aircraft destroyed and 1 forced down out of control, and would have added to his tally if not for a large number of inconclusive combats fought throughout 1916.

Having served as a flight commander with 83 Squadron in 1918, Scott went on to fly with 27 Squadron on the North West Frontier in 1922. He served in an Intelligence capacity with No. 1 (Bomber) Group in France during the Second War. Suffering from depression Scott killed himself with his Great War service revolver in 1951

British War and Victory Medals (Capt. P. G. Scott. R.A.F.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1921-24 (F./L. P. G. Scott. R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted for display, slightly polished, therefore nearly very fine (5) £700-£900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Rob Campbell Collection relating to Clevedon, Somerset.

View
Collection

Philip George Scott was born in Worthing, in June 1895, and educated at Clifton College. He resided at Bank House, Clevedon and was employed as a surveyor prior to the Great War. Scott was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, 14 September 1914. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in July 1915, and underwent pilot training at 5 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron.

Scott gained his Wings in a Maurice Farman Biplane at the Military School, Birmingham, 10 August 1915. He was posted for operational flying as a pilot to 20 Squadron (F.E.2b’s), St. Omer and then Clairmarais, in January 1916. The Squadron were tasked with fighter reconnaissance and escort duties:

‘The squadron’s first successful encounter with the Germans came on February 7, when Lt G. P. S. Reid, with Lt. S.Billinge, escorted a Corps reconnaissance machine which was attacked by a Fokker. As the German pilot pulled out of his attack, he glided across the front of the FE, giving Billinge the chance to fire 35 rounds into the “Eindecker” and sending it down rapidly with smoke coming from its engine. A week later, on the 13th, came a double victory when Lts J. T. Kirton and Billinge drove off two scouts which attacked them and then sent down a double-engined biplane which crashed near Mouscron. Later that day Lts. P. G. Scott and F. Miller [sic - should be Maller] sent a two-seater down “out of control.” (Top Scorers, The Record of 20 Squadron, RFC/RAF, by N. Franks and F. Bailey, refers)

Scott’s observer, Second Lieutenant F. Maller, adds further detail to the pairing’s first success in his combat report for 13 February 1916:

‘Escorting Recc machine of 15 Squadron, an F.E. behind was attacked, we seeing same turned sharply and dived towards it, emptying machine gun down into the fuselage of enemy machine, the same making a vertical nose dive towards earth, and was not seen seen to come out of it.’

Scott and Maller continued to fly throughout February, and then ‘in March Major C. W. Wilson, who had commanded 20 since its formation, relinquished command to Major C. J. Malcolm, ex-27 Squadron. There was only one decisive action during the month when Lts. Scott and G. H. Exley destroyed a Rumpler on the 9th, but Lts. Heyward and D. E. Gayford were hit and forced down, both being slightly injured and becoming prisoners of the Germans.’ (Top Scorers, The Record of 20 Squadron, RFC/RAF, by N. Franks and F. Bailey, refers)

Scott adds further detail for the action from his combat report for 9 March 1916:

‘Acting as Escort to Southern Reconnaissance (Lille - Tournai), F.E. 6340, being slower than the rest of the machines fell to the rear. When west of Lille, four enemy machines resembling the Rumpler Biplane pursued us without attacking, until between Lille and Tournai. At this point one of the machines attacked us, diving from our left rear and passing about 30 ft. over our heads. Both sides were firing. He was then driven off by another F.E. believed to be Capt. Howett’s machine.

A mile west of Torunai, another Biplane was driven off by a general attack of F.E.’s.

On the return journey, in the vicinity of Blandwin, a hostile machine of the Rumpler type attacked us being at the same height as ourselves. We turned towards him. He then dived to the left and following, we caught him broadside on. We emptied a drum of ammunition into him at a range of ten yards. Immediately heavy smoke issued from his engine and he went down in a spinning nose dive; and was seen to crash a few seconds later in a field.’

Scott continued to be frequently engaged with the enemy throughout April, as his combat reports show:

‘2 April 1916. Whilst on patrol Boesinghe - St. Eloi to protect other machines of the Squadron doing photographic work, a hostile biplane made persistent attempts to drive us back over our own lines, attacking us in each case from above. We fired all 4 drums at him and eventually drove him off.

Ten minutes later, two hostile machines were seen approaching from the direction of Poperinghe. We turned to meet them. They both put their noses down and got back over their own lines. We came up with them over Warneton and followed them firing down from above until half way to Menin when we had exhausted all our ammunition. As we approached Menin the German observation balloon was hauled down to the ground.’

On the receiving end for once

At the end of the month, Scott and his Observer had a lucky escape:

‘24 April 1916. On nearing Roulers, we saw several enemy machines making wide circles round the Reconnaissance and Escort, evidently endeavouring to get behind it. On our way back from Roulers, we were attacked by a Fokker Monoplane from behind. We turned, fired one drum at him and he went slowly down.

On turning again to rejoin the rest of the Escort, a Rumpler Biplane dived on us from above and as we had not got another drum on to our gun, we had to dive steeply to avoid his fire. After desultory fighting with this and several other machines, we fired two red lights when the remainder of the Escort came to our assistance, diving over us and driving off the attackers.

We then tried to get into our position in the Reconnaissance formation, but a hostile machine high up above on our N.W. side made such accurate shooting on us that it was only by side-slipping and switch-backing furiously we were able to avoid being brought down. As it was, the machine was badly shot about. In all seven drums were fired and we eventually crossed the lines at 6,000ft, having lost 3,000ft in the fighting.’

Scott continued to fly with the Squadron throughout the next few months, and was involved in many inconclusive combats. The latter is illustrated by his combat report for 14 July 1916:

‘While on escort to bombing raid on Westroosebeke a “Fokker” was noticed pursuing B.E.2c’s just above the clouds at a height of about 7,500 feet. A spiral was made down to 8,000 feet, and fire was opened by the F.E.

At the end of a drum the Fokker put his nose down steeply and disappeared through the clouds, with smoke coming out of his engine.

On three other occasions similar attacks were made on Fokkers, each of which had the effect of making the hostile machine relinquish his pursuit of the B.E.2c’s and go down through the clouds.’

Scott subsequently advanced to Captain, and was posted as ‘A’ Flight Commander to 83 Squadron (F.E. 2b’s), Auchel, France in March 1918. The Squadron was employed on night reconnaissance and night bombing duties for the rest of the war. Scott carried out bombing raids on targets such as Bapaume, Armentieres and Cambrai Railway Station.

North West Frontier - a lucky escape

Scott continued to serve after the war, and represented the R.A.F. at Rugby in 1920. He served as a flight commander with 27 Squadron on the North West Frontier of India in 1922:

‘On January 12, 1922 five Ninaks of 27 accompanied four DH 10s of 60 on a bombing raid against Dhatta Khel, north of Dardoni where hill raiders had taken refuge after ambushing an Army column, causing heavy casualties, in the Spinchilla Pass of North Waziristan. The full story of this particular raid reflects the difficulties of aircraft serviceability and the flying conditions of the period. Leading the formation was Sqn. Ldr. Sherren (60) at the head of a diamond formation of DH 10s flown by Fg. Off. Hamersley (No.2), Fg. Off. Chick (No. 3) and Fg. Off. George in “the box”. Behind them came 27’s Ninaks led by Flt. Lt. Grenfell (A Flt) with Fg. Off. J. Oliver at No. 2 position, Fg. Off. Waters at No. 3, Flt. Lt. Scott (B Flt. Cmdr.) at 4 and Fg. Off. Lewin (A Flt). Immediately after take-off, Waters and Chick developed ignition trouble and landed again, Waters crashing in the process although without injury to the crew. Just after passing Kohat en route Hamersley experienced an oil leakage and turned his DH 10 for home, while Grenfell, after passing over Bannu, fired a green Very light to indicate engine trouble and turned back to Bannu. A second DH 10 also left at this point.

With some fifty miles still to go, the bombers were reduced to four, three Ninaks and a DH 10. These reached Dhatta Khel at 3.45pm after two and a quarter hours flying and located the target area in a hollow, surrounded by 5,000 ft high mountains. Bombing commenced from 1,500 ft with the leader (John Oliver) releasing one 112lb and a 20lb on the centre of the canvas-tented camp of the rebels. He also released a 230lb but this failed to explode. With the raid completed, all four crews set course for Kohat, at that time an emergency landing ground only, where they intended to spend the night.

Oliver then noticed that Scott’s 230lb had failed to release a “hang up”. Having been duly warned by hand signals of his unwanted “lodger”, Scott landed very delicately at Kohat without unsticking the bomb. During ground inspection however, he discovered a leaking radiator which delayed his departure the following day.’ (The flying Elephants refers)

Scott advanced to Squadron Leader in July 1927, and took over the command of the Air Training Section of the Armament and Gunnery School at Eastchurch, in September of the same year. He was posted to the command of 29 Squadron (Siskins), North Weald, in December 1929. Scott transferred to a post at R.A.F. Cranwell in July 1930, and was still serving there when he took part in the handicap race at the R.A.F. display at Hendon in 1933.

Scott was posted to 203 (Flying Boat) Squadron, Basra, Iraq, in October 1933, and served at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, Felixstowe, from February 1936. He was posted to Headquarters No. 3 (Bomber) Group for Intelligence Duties in April 1938, before being posted in a similar capacity for service with No. 1 (Bomber) Group in France, in August 1939.

Scott retired as Wing Commander in 1944, and in later life resided at Hillbrow, Farnborough Hill. He suffered from depression and shot himself with his Great War service revolver in May 1951.

Sold with extensive copied research, including a photographic image of the recipient.