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Australia

Son of William and Beatrice SCOTT, Waghorn Street, Ipswich, Queensland

PRO PATRIA MORI

Military Cross

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He carried out several daring reconnaissances under heavy fire, and obtained most valuable information. He has at all times set a splended example of courage and determination.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 133
Date: 21 August 1917

Sgt. Charles Douglas Scott, 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment, wrote to his mother at Ipswich, Queensland, from hospital in Epsom on 4th January 1916.
“I hope to be discharged from hospital early next week. I will have six weeks furlough, and some of it I intend spending in Scotland. I still have addresses (which you gave me before I left Queensland) of your friends and I will visit them. I have also to visit a friend, whom I met in this hospital, at Gullane, East Lothians, so that I will see Edinburgh as well as Glasgow. I am thoroughly sick of hospital and sick of the rain and wind which make six out of every seven days miserable. I would dearly like to be back with the regiment in Egypt now. The Egyptian winter is beautiful, and besides there is great satisfaction in being with one's dear pals — for the boys I lived with in the regiment are my dearest pals — in whatever is happening. So far as circumstances (weather and my own condition) allowed, I have enjoyed my stay in England, for there is much of interest to see and hear and the people are awfully good to we Australians. My pal (Sergt. Grant) and I have to go to a Mrs. Thompson's place in Epsom to dinner to-night. She is a fine lady. She does a lot for the boys in this ward, and she has a son (a Tommy officer) just about to return to the front after having, been severely wounded, whom she wishes us to meet. Last week, a Tommy private, of the 13th Hussars, who has been in France since the outbreak of the war, and who is home on seven days' leave, took us to his home to tea. He is a married man with three kiddies, and he has a very nice home, and he and his wife went to no end of trouble to entertain us. I've got a little boy friend, who wants me to go to tea at his place this afternoon. I promised him I would come, but I don't know how I am going to do it. I got a letter from Miss Jose Bytheway, or rather Mrs. Claude Taylor, for she was married in December, asking me to come and see her at her home in Pembroke Gardens, London, W., when I get out on furlough. I don't remember whether I have told you, but I met her at a concert of ours here at which she sang, early in December. So you see I have not only had a good time, but have a good time in prospect. We had a jolly Christmas. The doctor put as many of us as he could on ordinary, or full, diet for the occasion, and I can tell you we took full advantage of the concession. We had a bonsor dinner, and no end of fun, morning and afternoon, ending up with a dance in the evening. We are nearly all Australians in this ward, and for most of us it was our first English Christmas, so we fairly made it spin. We didn't bother waiting until the girls wandered absent-mindedly under the misletoe bough provided for the purpose; we carried sprays of the plant about with us and held it over the girls. We reversed the old order of things, taking the misletoe to the fair ones instead of taking the girls to the misletoe, and let me tell you it is a much more businesslike method. Remember me to all friends.”
Formerly a journalist for the 'Queensland Times' and 'Brisbane Courier,' Charlie Scott was transferred to 47th Battalion, AIF, on 6th September 1916. Commissioned on 8th February 1917'; awarded a Military Cross; and promoted Lieutenant on 11th May 1917. He was killed in action at Messines on 7th June 1917. Buried in Messines Ridge British Cemetery, he was the son of William and Beatrice Scott, of Ipswich, Queensland.
 'Queensland Times' (Ipswich, Queensland), 6th March 1916.

Word was received in Ipswich last evening that Second Lieutenant Charles Douglas Scott, M.C., was killed in action on June 4. The deceased soldier was a son of Mrs B. Scott, of  Waghorn-street, Ipswich. He was a fine athlete, particuiarly so far as football was concerned, having represented the State in that branch of sport. At the time of his enlistment he was a member of the "Courier' literary staff. 
His death will be deeply regretted by a large circle of friends with whom he was very popular. Only lately information was received m Brisbane, confirming the conferring of the  Military Cross on Lieut. Scott. Lieut. Scott received the congratulations of General Birdwood, who in his covering letter said 'I am so glad that you received the Military Cross for  the excellent reconnaissance work which you did in No Man's Land, and for the good work you did in the operations early last month."