Thiepval Battlefield, September 1916.
Earnest Brookes © IWM (Q 1073)
Major Michael Claud Scarborough
12th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
Killed in Action
Date of Birth: 1883
Place of Birth: Colyford, East Devon
Date of Death: 26 September 1916 aged 33
Buried: Remembered on Thiepval Memorial, Somme; Seafront Memorial and St Michael’s Church Memorial, Teignmouth. Remembered on family grave in Teignmouth Cemetery in Devon
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Major Michael Claud Scarborough, MID age 33. Born at Colyford, East Devon in 1883, Michael was baptised on 18 January.
His father was Elijah Impey Scarborough, a gentleman from Beer in Devon, and his mother was Margaret Blanche Scarborough (née Gilliard), from Hereford.
In 1891 he was living at Kingsholme, Colyford with his family.
1891 Census Scarborough
Mentioned in Despatches
The 1901 census showed him boarding in Gravesend where he was listed as an army officer.
By 1911 and Michael was shown as a Lieutenant serving with the army in Lehoug, India.
The family moved to The Clintons, Teignmouth, later that year. His older brother Reginald died of wounds in Gaza on 2 November 1917.
Michael had received his first commission as 2nd Lieutenant with the Middlesex Regiment in January 1903. He was gazetted Lieutenant with 3rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment April 1905, and gazetted Captain in February 1913; by July 1915 was serving in France with the 12th Battalion. His medal card shows he was awarded the 1915 Star as a Captain and War and Victory medals as a Major. Mentioned in General French’s despatches at end of 1915.
Michael was killed in action during the assault on Thiepval* on 26 September 1916. Remembered on Thiepval Memorial, Somme; Seafront Memorial and St Michael’s Church Memorial, Teignmouth. Remembered on family grave in Teignmouth Cemetery.
Major Michael Claud Scarborough
*There were 430 casualties over 26/27 September from 12th Middlesex Regiment, all of the officers were killed or wounded.
Michael's two sisters, Marion Scarborough and Gabrielle Scarborough were registered as nurses with the Red Cross and both worked at Teignmouth Auxiliary Military Hospital from January 1915.
