8400 PTE M.SCOTT R.IR.RIF.
Matthew Scott
Born Ballymacarrett, Co.Down, Ireland circa 1893
Son of Matthew & Mary Scott
To France 26/8/14 with 2nd Royal Irish Rifles & qualified for the Aug-Nov 1914 Clasp
KIA F&F 26/10/14 near Neuve Chapelle, during the Battle of La Bassee
The Regimental History records: 'The battalion, previously very short handed, was now practically without any officers. At 3am on 26 October 1914, the enemy broke through the line in the vicinity of B & D Coys and no further trace of these companies could be found. In the afternoon A & C were ordered up into the firing line... That night the enemy was driven back & the trenches were reoccupied'
In 'There's a Devil in the Drum' Cpl Lucy of 2nd Royal Irish Rifles recorded: 'Once more the lines of German infantry, apparently inexhaustible, came over the field of dead, and again those of us still sound stood up to stave them off, but our strong ranks of riflemen were gone, and our weak fire caused alarmingly few casualties. The enemy swarmed everywhere in sight, and wearily, with bloodshot eyes and tired limbs, we destroyed them, shooting at one group, until we saw another threatening nearer. We shot and shot, and we stopped them once more on our company front, but they got in again on the left, and to some purpose... One man, not waiting to be bayoneted by assaulting Germans, got out of his trench to sell his life dearly... he was reported to have bayoneted six oncoming Germans and held up the attack in his immediate vicinity, until a seventh German, refusing the challenge of cold steel, checked in his stride, stood back and shot the Irishman through the forehead'
Commemorated on Le Touret Memorial, France
With copy of his Medal Index Card, SDGW & CWGC details plus a Regimental History extract
Condition: With old copy 'Aug-Nov' Clasp on silk ribbon, VF
