James Scott-Elliot was born in Charlton, London on 6 Nov 1902. He was the son of Lt-Colonel William Scott-Elliot DSO. He was educated at Wellington College, and after Sandhurst was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers on 1 Feb 1923. He transferred to the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in 1935 and went to Staff College in Camberley in 1937. His time in the pre-war military took him to Egypt, Hong Kong, Shanghai and India.
When war broke out he accompanied the BEF as a brigade major in 154th Brigade with the 51st Highland Division, seeing action in Lille and Le Havre. After evacuation from France he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 8th Battalion A&SH, in April 1942. He then served in North Africa in December 1942. He commanded the 17th Indian Infantry Brigade in the invasion of Italy, being awarded the DSO twice; firstly at Centuripe in Sicily and secondly at the landings at Termoli in October 1943. The brigade defeated the Germans at Mozzagronga. Later he was given command of the 167th (1st London) Brigade in Italy, the first brigade to cross the River Po.
After the war he was appointed Deputy Director of Military Training at the War Office. In 1950 he was Deputy Commander of the 51st Highland Division, promoted to GOC the Division in 1952. In 1954 he was appointed Colonel of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, until 1961, and he retired from the army in March 1956. He was Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries from 1962 to 1967.
Major-General Scott-Elliot had many interests, natural history, archeology, antiquaries, and was a dowser, an exponent of the art of divining underground water sources and minerals. He wrote a book on the subject; ‘Dowsing: One Man’s Way’ (1977).
He was married to Cecil Margaret du Buisson in 1932. They had two daughters and a son, Lt-Col Alastair Scott-Elliot, CO of the Argylls. However, they were divorced in 1969, and at the age of 69 he re-married in 1971, to Faith Dorothy Caldwell Cook, (previously married to Walter Courthauld). James Scott-Elliot died on 12 September 1996.
