Scotty joined the 19th Queen Alexandra’s Own Royal Hussars in 1915 and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in the trenches.
Also at this time, on October 8th 1918, he took part in what was probably the last cavalry charge in the British Army, leading his Squadron against a battery of German field guns and machine guns. His horse was shot from under him, and he was taken, prisoner.
He transferred to the 4th Hussars on the amalgamation of the 19th with the 15th Hussars in 1922.
Later, just prior to the War, he commanded the 4th Hussars with great distinction, and between 1939 and 1942 commanded the 22nd Armoured Brigade in the desert, during which he was awarded the DSO. After this, he was Commandant of an Indian tactical school.
From 1954-1958 he was Deputy Colonel of the 4th Hussars to Winston Churchill.
Although he was best known in the sporting world, during the period between the wars, as the most famous pig-sticker of all times, winning the Kadir Cup three times on his ‘CARCLEW’, and all the pig-sticking trophies as the leader of the ‘BIG THREE’ (Bunny Head, Tich Catto and himself), immortalized in the well-known painting by Snaffles, probably the sport he loved best for the longest period of his life was foxhunting, and he was a difficult man to follow even at the age of 80 with the Warwickshire Hunt, whose Secretary he was for many years.
