Scaife,+Samuel+Middleton

Private Samuel Middleton Scaife, Royal Army Medical Corps, 1st/1st West Riding Field Ambulance (Territorial). Regimental No: 146.



1882: Birth on 31st May. Registered in Keighley. Parents Joseph and Mary Scaife, father's occupation: Timber Merchant. His family was living at Woodfield House, Keighley. Baptism on 28th June, at St Peter's Church, Keighley. 1891: Census. Age 8 years. Living at 54, South Street (Keighley (Woodfield House) with Grandparents, parents, cousins. Started at Keighley Trade and Grammar School in this year. 1897: Left Keighley Trade and Grammar School in this year. Shortly after this he attended Giggleswick Grammar School. 1901: Census. Age 18 years. Living at 54, South Street (Keighley (Woodfield House) with Parents, brothers and sisters. Occupation: Timber Merchant and Trader. 1911: Census. Age 28 years. Living at 54, South Street (Keighley (Woodfield House) with Parents, brother and sisters. Occupation: Assistant In Timber Trade. 1914: 16th September. Enlisted with the 1st (Territorial) West Riding Field Ambulance. Aged 32 years and 4 months. Height: 5 foot 9, 1/4 inches. Chest: 40 inches plus 2 inches expansion. Physical development: Good. Signed 'Overseas Service' paper on same day. 1915: Embarked Southampton 13th April. Disembarked Le Havre in France on 14th April. Granted Leave 17th July to 21st July (in the field). 1916: Killed in action on 3rd July, just three days after the start of the Battle of the Somme. Buried in Plot XXIV, Row N, Grave 4, of SERRE ROAD CEMETERY No.2. He had served for 1 year and 292 days.

Remembered on the St Peter's Church War Memorial. Remembered on the Giggleswick Grammar School war memorial. Remembered in the Keighlian Magazine Roll of Honour for Keighley Trade and Grammar School. He was awarded the 1915 Star, British war Medal and Victory Medal for his war service.

'Keighlian' magazine obituary: SAMUEL SCAIFE PRIVATE, R.A.M.C. Private Samuel Scaife, the eldest son of Mr Joseph Scaife, Timber Merchant, was a pupil from 1891 to 1897, when he left to enter Giggleswick Grammar School. He was afterwards engaged in the timber trade and entered the Army immediately after the outbreak of war. He went to France in March, 1915, and was killed instantaneously by the bursting of a shell on July 3rd, 1916. Mr Scaife was 34 years of age and unmarried.

THE KEIGHLEY NEWS. SATURDAY. JULY 15, 1916: FORMER GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOY KILLED. Private Samuel Middleton Scaife (34), R.A.M.C., Eldest son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Scaife, Marfleet House, Bingley, and formerly f South Street, Sawmills, Keighley, has been killed in action. The sad news was rceived from Lieutenant Anderson, of the R.A.M.C., who, writing on July 3, said: I am very greatly distressed to have to inform you that your son Private S. Scaife was killed this morning. A shell entered his dugout and killed him instantaneously. Your son had won the highest regard of all the members of the ambulance, and we all feel his death most keenly. His comrades in his section who were out on duty at the time were terribly upset, and his death has cast a gloom over all the ambulance. You have at least the consolation of knowing that your son did his duty, and did it bravely and willingly. Please accept the deepest sympathy of all his officers and comrades. Private Scaife formerly attended the Keighley Trade and Grammar School and the Gigggleswick Grammar School. He joined the R.A.M.C. at the commencement of the war, and had been abroad since April, 1915. He was a single young man, and prior to his enlistment he was in business with his father at the South Street Sawmills, Keighley.