James Bruce Scott

Major General James Bruce Scott, C.B., D.S.O., M.C. was an officer in the British Indian Army best known for commanding the 1 Burma Division during the Japanese invasion of Burma in 1942. James Bruce Scott was born in 1892 (his surname is sometimes shown as Bruce-Scott, but this is not correct [See London Gazette] . He attended Exeter School and then served in the Indian Army during World War I, being awarded the Miliary Cross.

On the 2 November 1936, he was promoted Lieutenant Colonel and assumed command of the 1 Battalion, 8 Gurkha Rifles. On the 29 June 1939, Scott was transferred to Burma where he was appointed to command the newly formed Maymyo Brigade, on promotion to the rank of Local Brigadier [London Gazette] . On the 1 July 1941, Scott was promoted Acting Major General and assumed command of the embroyonic 1 Burma Division. This formation was raised in response to the increased tension in South East Asia, and comprised the Maymyo Brigade (re-designated as the 1 Burma Brigade) the newly formed 2 Burma Brigade and the 13 Indian Infantry Brigade, which had arrived from India in April 1941. The 1 Burma Division was one of only two British divisional formations in Burma at the time of the Japanese invasion. Scott commanded the division throughout the difficult Burma campaign of 1942. In the retreat from Rangoon his division was trapped in the vicinity of Yenangyaung and his force had to fight its way out of the encirclement to link up with the force sent to rescue it. During the campaign, Scott was promoted Temporary Major General on the 1 July 1942. He successfully extracted his division from Burma and led it into India. Scott was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on the 28 October 1942 for his leadership in Burma. On arrival in India, the 1 Burma Division was re-designated as the 39 Indian Infantry Division on 20 June 1942.

Scott was appointed as the Inspector of Infantry in India with effect from 28 March 1943 [London Gazette] , his promotion to Major General being made substantive on 20 June 1943 [London Gazette] . On the 12 November 1943, he was appointed General Officer Commanding Peshawar District in India. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 1 January 1944. After three years in post, Scott relinquished his command on the 12 November 1946 [London Gazette] , retiring from the Indian Army on the 10 May 1947. Scott died in 1974.

References

ource

* [http://www.generals.dk/general/Scott/James_Bruce/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II: James Bruce Scott]
* [http://www.ordersofbattle.com/PersonData.aspx?PerX=13 Military Career of James Bruce Scott]