Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Biography of Robert Clifford Scott

Before the War
Robert Clifford Scott was born at York, Western Australia, son of Ellen Elizabeth Scott and Robert William Scott. He was 6 feet high, weighed 138 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. His religious affiliation was Presbyterian. He moved to Norwood, South Australia, where he took the job of a civil servant. Clifford had previous military experience, with two years in the Senior Cadets of the 49th Ball, and an assumed two years in another army course. He enlisted at the age of 21, on the 4th of January 1916. He enlisted at Adelaide, South Australia.

During World War I

Robert was assigned to the 4th Field Artillery Brigade, which was commanded by Harold William Grimwade, Joseph Lexden Shellshear, William Howard St Shear, and Bertram Alexander Gordon Watts, and was comprised of recruits from the pre – war 7th Field Artillery Brigade and men from the 8th Field Artillery Brigade, as well as 3 artillery batteries. The brigade boarded the ship HMAT A67 Orsova.

The brigade moved to Egypt, joining up with the 2nd Australian Division, comprised of the 17th, 18th,19th, 20th, 22nd and 26th Australian Infantry Battalions. The 4th Australian Field Artillery Brigade was the only Artillery unit in the 2nd Division.

The 4th Field Artillery Brigade moved to Alexandria for France on March 1916, as the AIF moved to the Western Front. They arrived at the port of Marseilles, where the brigade took a train to Le Havre for 800km, where the brigade armed themselves with their artillery and vehicles on 8 April. This was their first time at the Western Front.

The 4th Field Artillery Brigade’s and the 2nd Division’s first battle was at the Battle of the Somme, where the brigade was constantly battling the Germans. In September they were given some rest but returned to the Somme in November. In June 1917 the brigade moved to Flanders and supported multiple attacks, in places such as Messines, Passchendaele, and Broodseinde, being in constant action until November, as part of the 3rd Battle of Ypres. It suffered the greatest number of casualties during this period, with nearly 300 men killed, wounded or ill in just two months.

On the 28th of August 1917, Robert was taken on strength – transferred - to the 13th Field Artillery Brigade. He fought with them for only two days before he returned to Australia on the Demosthenes to transfer to the Australian Army Postal Corps, where he remained for the remainder of his army career, before he received the Victory medal and the British War Medal for serving in the Australian Imperial Force in the Australian Army Postal Corps.

After the War
After the war, Robert Clifford Scott married Jane Elizabeth Sydenham on the 23rd of February 1919, at St John’s Church at Newington, Southwark, London.

Anzac Spirit
ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The ANZAC spirit is the particular temperament displayed by soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC day remembers the ANZACS who lost their lives during WWI. There are many qualities that define the ANZAC spirit, but main ones include resourcefulness, refusal to give up, courage and bravery in the face of adversary, initiative, friendship, and standing up for, and protecting, others.

Robert Clifford Scott displayed ANZAC spirit in many different ways. Scott showed spirit by repeatedly engaging in battle, despite multiple trips to the hospital. Scott also showed spirit by fighting with his battalion, helping his comrades – in – arms, and providing moral support. Scott displayed the ANZAC spirit by showing the determination to never give up, repeatedly being deployed to battle to contribute to the war as much as possible.

Bibliography

UNSW n.d., Details, Canberra, accessed 28 March 2018, <https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=269138>.

NAA n.d., National Archives of Australia, Australian Government, Canberra, accessed 28 March 2018, <http://www.naa.gov.au/>.

Australian War Memorial n.d., Home | The Australian War Memorial, Australian Government, accessed 28 March 2018, <http://www.naa.gov.au/>.

Australian War Memorial n.d., 4th Australian Field Artillery Brigade | The Australian War Memorial, accessed 28 March 2018, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51114>.

Australian War Memorial n.d., 13th Australian Field Artillery Brigade | The Australian War Memorial, accessed 28 March 2018, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51122>.

Australian War Memorial n.d., 2nd Australian Division | The Australian War Memorial, accessed 28 March 2018, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U50967>.

Men of the 4th Field Artillery Brigade enjoying lunch behind a camouflaged gun 1918, Photograph, Australian War Memorial, accessed 28 March 2018, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C261561>.

Group portrait of the headquarters staff, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, at Thuin.1919, Photograph, Australian War Memorial, accessed 28 March 2018, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C39302>.

The tug 'Racer of Melbourne' pushes the troopship HMAT Orsova (A67) away from the wharf watched by a crowd. 1916, Photograph, Australian War Memorial, accessed 28 March 2018, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1043372>.