SCOTT, William Burgess
| Service Number: | 6637 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 September 1916, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 30 October 1899 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St Mary's, Glenelg |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Bray-sur-Somme, France, 11 August 1918, aged 18 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Glenelg and District WW1 & WW2 Honour Board, The South Australian National War Memorial, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board, Unley Wayville Honor Roll, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6637, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 6637, 27th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Miltiades embarkation_ship_number: A28 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Jan 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 6637, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Miltiades, Adelaide | |
| 11 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 6637, 50th Infantry Battalion, "The Last Hundred Days", --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 6637 awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-08-11 |
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"ON ACTIVE SERVICE.
Private W. B. (Willy) SCOTT, son of Mr. W. Scott, Young-street, Wayville, has been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry in France. Private Scott is a member of a Machine Gun Company attached to the 50th Battalion, and is not yet 19 years' old." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 24 Aug 1918 (nla.gov.au)
Biography contributed
Completed by St Dominic's Priory College
William Burgess Scott was born on August 30, 1899 to Jack and Madeline Scott. He lived with his parents at 3 Young Street, Wayville and attended St Mary’s school in Glenelg. Prior to the war he worked as a Clerk.
Just five days after his seventeenth birthday, he was enlisted into World War 1, on September 4, 1916. William was a year underage for enlistment but there is no evidence of permission from his family so it can only be assumed that he faked his age to gain entry to what he probably thought was going to be an adventure not to be missed.
As seen in his admission papers, William Burgess Scott was 5’3 in height, 116lbs/52kgs, He had a medium complexion, he had grey eyes and dark brown hair.
He served in the 50th Infantry Battalion and embarked from Adelaide on the 24th of January 1917 and disembarked in Devonport UK, on the 27th of March 1917. During the journey he was ill and spent time in the ship’s hospital.
He proceeded to France 23 July 1917 and was taken on strength in the field the following month. He became ill with gastro in September and was admitted to hospital in France and then was diagnosed with debility. He recovered and rejoined his unit 24 October 1917
He went to fight for Australia in Bray-sur-Somme, France the entirety of the time he spent in the war.
On the first of June 1918, he was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry during operations at Villers Bretonneux on the night 24/25 April 1918. He demonstrated great skill and initiative while in charge of a Lewis Gun team. He set a fine example of courage and cheerfulness.
Shortly after this, on August 11, 1918, William Scott was killed in action in Bray-sur-Somme, France. There have been two different theories as to how he was killed. One document says he was killed in an aerodrome by bombs from the air, and another says that he was shot in the head by a sniper.
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