Papers of Major General James Scott Elliot, 1920-1990

Major General James Scott Elliot was born in 1902 into a military family, his father being Lt Colonel W. Scott Elliot DSO. Scott Elliot was educated at both Wellington College and Sandhurst and went on to have an impressive military career. This included service in Egypt, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and India. During the Second World War, Scott Elliot was sent to France where he contributed to battles in Lille and Le Havre. In 1942, he was then put in command of the 6th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was awarded the DSO twice. In 1943 he was sent to the west coast of Italy where he commanded the 167th (London) Brigade of the 56th Division.

After the war, he took up a career as Deputy Director of Military Training from 1948-50. He then became Deputy Commander of the 51st Highland Division and then Commander until he retired in 1956. Scott Elliot then represented Caerlaverock on the Dumfriesshire County Council until 1961. He then served as Lord Lieutenant of Dumfriesshire from 1962-1967.

Scott Elliot had a variety of interests in other fields including history, archaeology and dowsing. He became President of the Dumfries and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society as well as President of the Society of Antiquaries (Scotland) between 1962 and 1967. He was the President of the British Society of Dowsers until 1976 and in 1977 Scott Elliot published his book Dowsing: One Man’s Way.