258619 Pte. Frederick Scott British Army 12th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers from:Belfast (d.30th Sep 1918) Frederick Scott was Irish. Whilst the 12h Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers were encamped at Tring, Herts, he sent a letter to his mother stating that he was expecting to be on the move. The letter was not dated, but was postmarked from Tring in December 1914. In it, Frederick thanked his mother for the two shirts she had sent him, but was apologetic that he could not get allowances for her. He did say in his latter that if anything should happen to him, then she would get his effects and pay. His mother, Mrs R Scott, lived at 45 Spencer Street, Belfast.
Accounts 4 at the War Office deemed under the Wills Act of 1837 that this letter constituted an informal will and thus released Frederick's effects to his mother. My research into the Army Pay Services during the Great War found that, as of January 1915, all dependents of soldiers, including wives, common-law partners, and parents who had relied on the support of their sons before enlistment, were deemed entitled to dependent allowances from the date of enlistment. Therefore, Mrs Scott would no doubt have received allowances backdated to the day of Frederick's enlistment. I am researching Irish soldiers' wills that are held in the National Archives of Ireland, Dublin.
|