2nd Lieutenant William Samuel Scruby

Title (Mr/ Mrs/ Capt/ Rev etc): 

First name(s): 

William Samuel

Surname only: 

Scruby

 

Second Lieut William Samuel Scruby, 12th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action near Thiepval on the Somme on September 26th, 1916. He was aged 25 and had planned to marry during his next leave.

He had joined the Coldstream Guards in the ranks (Pte 11338) at the outbreak of war and only received his commission three months before his death in recognition of meritorious conduct in the field. He was gazetted to the Middlesex Regiment.

Second Lieut Scruby was born in Newbury, Berks, the eldest son of the Rev William J.T. Scruby, who was minister of High Town Methodist Church from 1899 to 1908. Rev Scruby died in Hinckley, Leics, in 1911, but at the time of his son's death his widow, Alice, was living at 37 Westbourne Road, Luton, her home given the name Hinckley House.

Details of his death published in both The Luton News (October 5th, 1916) and The Luton Reporter (October 9th) are confirmed on William's medal rolls index cards, but the date on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and in "UK Soldiers Died in The Great War" is given as June 29th,1916 (29-6-1916 instead of 26-9-1916).

 

Service or Civilian?: 

Regiment: 

Medals Awarded: 

Place of Birth: 

Newbury
United Kingdom

Place of Death: 

Somme
France

War Memorial Location: 

Grave Location: 

France

World War I Address: 

37 Westbourne Road
Luton
United Kingdom

Individual Location: 

Classifications: 

Images: 

2nd Lieut William Samuel Scruby

Connects to: 

Year of Birth: 

1 891

Year of Death: 

1 916

Month of Death: 

Sep

Day of Death: 

26

Keywords: 

Most Relevant Date: 

Tuesday, September 26, 1916

Source: 

Source Date: 

Thursday, October 5, 1916