Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Malcolm Frank "Frank" Scragg

Malcolm Frank Scragg, known as Frank, was born on 3 January 1926 at Stirling West, South Australia. By the time of his military service, he was residing at Payneham, later living at 19 Hardy Street, Croydon Park, South Australia.

Frank enlisted in the Australian Military Forces (Second World War) on 14 February 1944 at Wayville, South Australia, and was allotted Service Number SX33436. He served with the rank of Gunner, attached to the 2nd Australian Heavy Artillery Signals, and was later associated with 2/6 Regiment, 7th Division.

Following the end of hostilities, Frank undertook post-war service in the South-West Pacific region, including:

Japan, from February 1946 to July 1947,
and involvement in the Balikpapan campaign, part of Australia's final operational commitments of the war.

For his service, Frank was entitled to the Australian Service Medal 1945–75, with clasps including Japan and South-West Pacific. Archival correspondence from the Army Medals Section between 1996 and 1999 documents his persistent efforts to have his medals and entitlements properly issued and corrected—particularly the South-West Pacific clasp, which was initially delayed and later confirmed as having been forwarded in December 1998.

The records reveal a determined veteran who actively advocated for accurate recognition of his service, maintaining regular written contact with military authorities.

In the decades following his discharge, Frank Scragg remained steadfast in ensuring that his wartime service was properly and formally acknowledged. From at least 1996 through to 1999, he engaged in persistent correspondence with Army and Defence authorities regarding his entitlement to the Australian Service Medal 1945–75 and its associated clasps, particularly for service in Japan and the South-West Pacific. Despite providing consistent and accurate service details — including his service number, unit, and post-war deployment to Japan from February 1946 to July 1947 — administrative delays and incorrect assumptions required him to repeatedly restate and defend his record. When advised that a clasp had supposedly been issued but not retained, he firmly rejected the implication, stating that he had never received it. Through letters, follow-up enquiries, and direct communication with multiple departments, he pursued resolution over several years, ultimately achieving formal recognition. His actions reflect a quiet determination that his service, like that of his fellow veterans, be accurately recorded and honourably acknowledged.

Sources

National Archives of Australia: B883, SX33436 (service correspondence, medal issue records, and handwritten letters, 1996–1999)
Australian Army Medals Section correspondence (Directorate of Honours and Awards)
Handwritten service statements by Gnr M. F. Scragg

Biography by Trevor Pyatt 23/01/2026