Sanford John Palairet Scobell was born on 26 September 1879, the son of Sanford George Treweeke Scobell, of Down House in Redmarley and of Osborne House, The Park, Cheltenham, by his wife Edith, fourth daughter of Septimus Henry Palairet, of the Grange in Bradford-upon-Avon, who was of Huguenot descent.

[2][3][4] His father was a major in the Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars and the regiment's Honorary Lieutenant Colonel in 1896;[3] he was the son of Rev.

[10] When the First World War broke out in August 1914, Scobell was studying at the Staff College, Camberley, and was hurried through schooling.

[10] From 23 October 1919 to 23 March 1920, Scobell was a GSO with the Military Mission to Russia during the Russian Civil War; he was then transferred to the Black Sea and Turkey, where he remained until August 1923.

On 1 December 1928 he was made an assistant adjutant general at the War Office and promoted to colonel with seniority from New Year's Day 1922.