The 1901 census lists the father's name as Peter Stephen Bott, born at St Sampson's and living at 31 the Pollet, St Peter Port. A printer for the Press, his family can be traced back to 1480, in Alderney. Work called him to Wales, where some of his children were born, before returning to settle in Guernsey.

He and his wife Anne had seven sons at this time, the eldest being William R. Bott, born in about 1887 in Wales. 8292 Pte Bott served with the 2nd Dorset Regiment in Mesopotamia, as part of the 6th Indian Division.

The Division was ordered to take the advance up the Tigris valley to Baghdad, but was not strong enough to overcome three successive Turkish positions.

They were now reduced to 50% of their original numbers, and withdrew to Kut where they were besieged and could not be relieved. The the 2nd Dorsets had no choice but to surrender after a 100 day siege, and were forced on a 'death march' to Turkish prisoner of war camps. Of the 12,000 men who went into Turkish captivity, 70% died on the march and through subsequent ill treatment. Pte Bott however survived the war.

The second son, Herbert John Bott was born in about 1888, and joined the Royal Navy, where the Gazette de Guernesey of November 1914 lists him as a second class steward on HMS Hindustan. Officer's Steward Herbert Bott, R.N, age 28, was lost on H.M.S. Torrent on 23 December 1917 . Torrent was one of three Destroyers torpedoed on the night of 22-23 December 1917, near the Maas lightship, off the Dutch coast. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval memorial.