Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Walter Vernon Scott, a railway station master, born 1866 in Cambridge and his wife Kate Scott (nee Smith, married on the 4th October 1886 in St. Peter’s Church, Whetstone, Leicestershire), born 1867 in Blaby, Leicestershire. Clifford’s mother died aged 28 in November1895 and was interred on the 21st November in Blaby Cemetery, Leicestershire. Clifford’s father married Elizabeth Franklin, on the 24th August 1897 in the Parish Church, Glen Parva and South Wigston, Leicestershire, Elizabeth was born in 1879 in Leicester. Clifford Ernest was born in the 3rd quarter of 1895 in Blaby and was baptised on the 28th July 1895 in All Saint’s Church, Blaby, his siblings were, Walter Vernon, born 25th February 1888 and Leonard George, born 1889, the latter two siblings were both born in Stantonbury, Buckinghamshire, Frederic, born in the 2nd quarter of 1893 in Blaby and baptised on the 20th April 1893 in All Saint’s Church, Blaby and his half blood sibling, Robert, born 22nd June 1900 in Glen Parva, Leicestershire and baptised on the 21st July 1900 in the Parish Church, Glen Parva and South Wigston, in March 1901 the family home was at The Station Masters House, Charnwood Street, Coalville, Leicestershire. In April 1911 Clifford was employed as a telegraph messenger boy and was residing in the family home at The Station Masters House, Charnwood Street, Coalville, together with his father, a railway station master, his step mother and sibling Frederic, a pupil teacher and half blood siblings, Robert, a schoolboy and William Franklin, a schoolboy, born 1905 in Coalville. Clifford’s older brother Frederic also fell.
Clifford’s father was the Station Master at Blaby and shortly after Clifford's birth he obtained the same position at Coalville East Railway Station. Clifford’s mother tragically died in the year he was born. His father was in the fraught situation of struggling to maintain his job, and looking after four young boys, after a while he fortunately remarried Elizabeth Franklin, and from this relationship two further sons were born. Clifford was educated at Coalville Grammar School, and took up employment as a telegram messenger on leaving school. He later took up employment as a clerk with the London and North Western Railway Company. He enlisted in the 1/5th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment in the first week of the war, no doubt encouraged by his brother Frederic. Clifford met his death whilst serving with “A” Company in Trench 50, in the Ypres Sector where so many of his comrades also lost their lives. On the 1st September 1915 our artillery bombarded the German lines and the Germans retaliated. Initially they sent over salvoes of whiz-bangs, and finished off with heavies, 8 inch, 5.9’s and shrapnel shells. The attack lasted from 10.45am until mid-day. In “A” Company except for Company Sergeant Major GORSE’S and the Signaller’s, every dugout was hit, and Privates C. E. SCOTT and F. W. PRINGLE, the two officers? batmen were killed, while A. H. CASSELL was badly wounded. 2nd Lieutenant J. WYNDHAM TOMSON had a miraculous escape when a 5.9 shell passed straight through the roof of the dugout and failed to explode. In an attempt to save the three batmen, Private ARTHUR WHITBREAD rushed to the spot and regardless of the shells which were falling all around, started to dig them out, scraping the earth away with his hands, until joined by Sergeant’s GORE and BAXTER, who came with shovels. A letter from 2nd Lieutenant J. Wyndham Tomson to Cliff's parents reads:- Dear Mr and Mrs Scott, I am in command of No.2 platoon of the 5th Leicestershire Battalion. I have to write that a shell hit the roof of Cliff's dugout. He was unconscious when we took him out, but our Medical Officer, Captain Barton, could not possibly have been able to save his life. He died soon after excavating him, Cliff was one of the best, always cheery and willing, I would like you to know that his best friends ? Privates A. Tovell and T. Robson dug his grave. I shall miss him very much. Yours Sincerely J. Wyndham Tomson, 2nd Lieutenant (1/5th Leics). Clifford wrote a letter to his parents two days before he was killed:- We got shelled a lot as we were going into the trenches and I had to take cover in a ditch, but I'm all right. Earlier in the war Clifford was wounded when some shrapnel tore into his thigh, but he recovered after spending two to three days at a Dressing Station. Sadly Private Arthur Whitbread a Loughborough man who had striven in vain to save Clifford, lost his own life at St. Elie Left Sector on the 28th July 1917.
Clifford’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment (Territorial Force), being allotted the service number 2488, and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 27th February 1915. He was awarded the 1914-15 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 1 Sept-15 - TRENCHES. Between 4.00 and 4.30am our guns bombarded on left. Enemy replied with universal shells from 4.10 to 4.40am over A1 and 50. Between 10.10 and 10.45am shrapnel over A1 and 50. 10.45 to 12 noon shrapnel and crumps over same trenches. Our field guns and howitzers replied. Intelligence: 2nd Lieutenant J. D. HILLS commenced special duties as Brigade Intelligence Officer.
On Friday June 11th 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LOCAL CASUALTIES. – It was reported at Coalville, on Thursday, that Private Clifford Scott, serving with the 5th Leicestershire Territorial’s, had written to his father, Mr. Scott, L. and N.W. Railway stationmaster, Coalville East, that Private H. G. Blackham, of the same battalion, had been killed in action. Blackham was one of 50 recruits selected from the first company of Territorial’s formed in Coalville to be sent to the 5th battalion, and left in October. He was employed as a clerk in the Bosworth Division Conservative Association’s offices in Hotel-street, Coalville, under Mr. Wm. Baldwin, the Conservative agent, and was the only son of Mr. Blackham, Unionist agent of North-East Derbyshire, living at Staveley, near Chesterfield.
On Monday September 6th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL CASUALTIES.” – Son of L. & N.W.R. Station Master. – Mr. W. V. Scott, London and North Western stationmaster, Coalville East, has received the sorrowful news that his son, Pte. Clifford E. Scott, 1-5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, was killed in his “dugout” in the trenches by a shell on Wednesday, the 1st instant. Lieut. J. Wyndham Tomson sent the intimation in a letter of sympathy. Pte. Scott was one of the first 50 Territorial’s trained at Coalville to join the 5th Battalion of the Leicester’s at Luton. His brother, Fred, obtained a commission in the Leicester’s, while another brother is serving in the county forces. His father, the respected station master at the Coalville London and North-Western Railway Station, is chief officer of the Coalville St. John Ambulance Brigade. He volunteered his services for the war, but was prevented by his company, owing to the scarcity of railway officials. He took an active part in the recent parade gala in support of the Leicester Royal Infirmary and local charities, acting as secretary of the committee. The fullest sympathy is extended to him and his family in the loss they have sustained.
In November 1915, Volume 4 of the London and North Western Railway Gazette published the following article relating to Clifford. - Aged 20, son of Walter Vernon Scott and Elizabeth Scott of Station House, Coalville East, Leicester. Previously wounded as stated in the July 1915 issue of the London and North Western Railway Gazette, yet he had died from his wounds as reported in the November 1915 issue of the same journal. In the obituary given for Scott in the November 1915 issue of the journal, it was said that he was killed in action at Zillebeke (Belgium) in September 1915. In a letter sent to his parents from one of his officers, it states that he was killed by a shell that landed on his dug-out, but he did not suffer. He was also described as one of the best men in the platoon, and that his death was a great loss to the officer, and the rest of his men. And they ensured that he was buried in a grave, and respects were paid.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday March 19th, 1915

Mrs W. Hurst, of Forest Road, Coalville, has received letters expressing thanks to the ladies of Coalville and district for gifts of mittens, helmets, etc., from Pte. C. E. Scott, and Pte. A. Lovell, which they received while at Luton, also from H. J. Smith, who is acting as nursing orderly in the 14th stationary hospital, France.

Coalville Times article - Friday 9th July 1915

The fourth son of Mr Scott, Pte. Clifford Ernest Scott, is only 20 years of age, and has been at the front since last February. He was one of the first fifty Leicestershire Territorials to leave Coalville, and has been in several engagements. During one of these a few months ago, he was struck by a piece of shell and received a flesh wound in the thigh, and after being a few days at the dressing station he was able to take his place in the front line again. Before joining the army he was engaged as a clerk in the L. W. R. Railway goods shed at Whitwick.

Coalville Times article - Friday September 10th, 1915

Another Territorial Killed - Son of Coalville East station master - Shell falls on his dug-out.

We regret to record the death of another Coalville soldier, Pte. Clifford Ernest Scott, son of Mr W. V. Scott, stationmaster at Coalville East L & N.W.R. station, who was killed in action on September 1st. He was in the 5th Leicestershire Territorials, joining the army soon after the outbreak of war and received most of his training at Luton. He was one of the first fifty territorials to leave Coalville and was 20 years of age.

The sad news was conveyed in the following letter from the deceased’s officer:

In the Trenches, September 2nd.

“Dear Mr Scott, - I am in command of No. 2 Platoon of the 5th Leicesters, in which your son was a private, and I am extremely sorry to have to be the bearer of the sad news that he was killed yesterday morning by a shell which fell on the roof of his dug-out. He was unconscious when taken out and only survived a few seconds and you will be relieved to hear that he suffered no pain. He was one of the two best men in my platoon and his death is a great loss not only to me but also to the platoon, to which he always set a good example by the willingness with which he did anything you wanted and his cheery spirit. Only recently he had undertaken the duties of acting as my servant and a perfect one he made. I shall miss him very much indeed, as he always anticipated every wish and I shall never be able to replace his loss. I would give anything if I could only see him back again among us all. He was buried last night close behind the firing line and as a last respect to him, his friends in the platoon, Tovell and Robson, dug the grave. The rest of the platoon have asked me to convey to you their deepest sympathy in your great loss and please accept the same from me. – Yours very sincerely.”

J. Wyndham Tomson
2nd Lieut. 5th Leicestershire Regiment.

Pte. A. G. Tovell, referred to in the letter is a Hugglescote lad, and Pte. Robson, the other mentioned, hails from Ellistown. Mr Scott also received a letter from Tovell in which he says that he and Robson asked permission to dig Scott’s grave and bury him, and this was granted.

The deceased soldier wrote a cheery letter home dated two days before he was killed, in which he referred to them being shelled by the Germans as they were going into the trenches and for a time had to take cover in a ditch.

On Monday morning, Lance-Corpl. A. W. Hanson, son of Mr E. Hanson, cashier at Messrs. Wootton Bros’ engineering works, arrived home on 7 days’ leave and brought with him the personal belongings of Scott including a few trophies which had been picked up on the battlefield by the deceased soldier and these have been handed to Mr Scott.

Clifford Scott was a nice lad, and the affectionate regard shown for him by his officer in the letter above recorded was shared by all who knew him. Before the war he was engaged as a clerk at the L & N.W. Railway goods shed at Whitwick. His father is well known and highly respected as the superintendent of the Coalville Ambulance Brigade and as the indefatigable secretary of the Coalville Charity Parade. Much sympathy is felt for him, Mrs Scott and the family. Two other sons are serving in the forces, and one of those, Fred, who before the war was studying for the teaching profession, has been awarded a commission and is now in the trenches.

Coalville Times article - Friday November 10th, 1916

MEMORIAL SERVICE

On Sunday evening an impressive service was held in the Coalville London Road Baptist Church in memory of thirteen former scholars of the Sunday School who have fallen in action. Their names are, Lieut. Ford, Lieut. T. Dooley, D.C.M., Sergeant Alfred Wesson, Sergeant G. H. Wesson, Privates C. W. Jewsbury, H. G. Wharmby, Clifford Scott, T. Black, E. S. Boot, F. Martin, Jos. Wardle, James Wardle and J. Martin.

There was a large congregation which included the members of the Coalville Volunteer Training Corps, under the command of Commandant J. S. Turner. The pastor, the Rev. F. Pickbourne, conducted the service and gave an appropriate address. The choir rendered Sullivan’s “Homeland” and Mr J. H. Starkey (organist) played a funeral march by Beethoven. Suitable hymns were also sung by the congregation.

Researched conducted and submitted (including photograph from the Coalville Times) by Andy Murby 5/9/2017