The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (278) Lieutenant Frank John Scott, 10 Battalion, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Blanch, the story for this day was on (278) Lieutenant Frank John Scott, 10 Battalion, First World War.

278 Lieutenant Frank John Scott, 10th Battalion, AIF
KIA 9 October, 1917
Photograph: A02131

Story delivered 16 January 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Lieutenant Frank John Scott.

Born at Port Broughton, South Australia, on 2 December 1894, Scott was educated at Gawler Public School, after which he was employed as a porter at Gawler Railway Station. At the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted at Morphettville Racecourse for service with the 10th Battalion. Amongst the first men accepted for service, he helped to set up the fledgling camp.

Scott embarked with 10th Battalion from Outer Harbour, Adelaide, in October 1914, arriving in Egypt in December. He refused a promotion to lance corporal as he did not wish to be separated from his best friend. He was in the first wave of men that set foot on Gallipoli during the initial landings on 25 April 1915, and remained on the peninsula throughout the campaign. He was promoted to lance corporal in August and, by December, to sergeant.

Following the evacuation of Gallipoli, the 10th Battalion returned to Egypt before sailing for France and the Western Front in March 1916. The Battalion's first major action was at Pozières, where Scott was noticed for his work assisting Lieutenant Arthur Blackburn during the action for which the latter would eventually be awarded the Victoria Cross. For his part, Scott was commissioned as a second lieutenant.

At the end of 1916 he was promoted to lieutenant and in January 1917 was made adjutant of the 10th Battalion. His brother, Cleve, also joined the battalion that month after transferring in from the 43rd Battalion.

During the hard fighting at Polygon Wood in September, the 10th Battalion suffered heavy casualties and Scott took command of D Company. Following the capture of the wood, the battalion moved into reserve, during which time Broodseinde Ridge was captured. The battalion was back in the front line only days later.

On 9 October the battalion took part in a raid a German position known as Celtic Wood in an attempt to distract the Germans from the attack towards Poelcappelle. The raid began at 5.20 am. It was broad daylight and the raiding party took heavy casualties before entering the wood. Scott led his party on a flanking move of the wood, but met heavy resistance and was forced to withdraw. During this time, Scott was shot in the head and killed instantly. One of Scott's men attempted to recover his body, but the ferocity of the German fire forced him to leave it behind. After the war, Frank Scott's name was added to the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. His parents later had his name added to his brother's headstone; Lieutenant Cleve James Scott MC was killed on 22 July 1918 near Merris, and was buried at La Kreule Military Cemetery in Hazebrouck, France.

The names of Frank and Cleve Scott are listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War, and Frank's photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Lieutenant Frank John Scott, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.