Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Scott, Venture capital, Defence Science Organisation was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Background
Scott was born on 22 April 1857 at Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. He was the son of Fleet-Surgeon Robert Charles Scott (Registered Nurse) and Mary Elizabeth Scott, and entered Epsom College in 1870 and joined Granville House.
Career
After leaving College in 1871 he went on to join the Cape Mountain Riflemen in 1876. He served in the Frontier Wars of 1877 and the Zulu War of 1878-1879. Scott was 21 years old, and a sergeant in the Cape Mounted Riflemen, Cape Colonial Forces during the Basuto Gun War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Venture capital. On 8 April 1879 during an attack on Morosi"s Mountain, South Africa, Sergeant Scott volunteered to throw time-fuse shells as hand grenades over a wall of stone barricades from behind which the enemy were bringing heavy fire to bear on the Colonial troops.
Sergeant Scott made his men take cover in case the shells burst prematurely before making two attempts to throw shells over lieutenant
At the second attempt the shell exploded almost in his hands blowing his right hand to pieces and wounding him severely in the legal Scott later served in South Africa during the Second Boer War, where he was in command of the Scott´s Railway Guards, attached to the Kimberley Light Horse.
The Railway Guards did work on the Orange River - Kimberley line, and was engaged by the enemy several times during the war. Following the end of hostilities, Scott left Cape Town for England in June 1902.
He later served in the First World War.
Membership
He was an active member of the College Corps.