Scott, Vernon Alexander

No.3631 – Corporal Vernon Scott – 51^st Battalion AIF

Vernon Alexander “Sonny” Scott was born in North Fremantle WA on 6^th February 1894 to John and Phoebe Scott. The family lived in Victoria Road North Fremantle and Vernon was educated in the local primary school.  The family later moved to Rockingham where his younger brother Sidney was born and then to Bunbury. While here he served with the local cadets unit but this ceased when the family moved to Pinjarra.

At this time Vernon was working for the WA Government Railways as a railway porter. On the 29^th September 1915 Vernon went and enlisted in the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner finding him to be 5 feet 5 inches tall; weight of 146lbs; chest measurement of 35-37 inches; dark complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

Upon his successful enlistment Vern was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.31 Training Depot. He remained there until the 16^th October when he transferred to No.4 Depot Battalion. He spent just over two weeks here and on the 1^st November 1915 he was assigned to the 8^th Reinforcements to the 28^th Battalion AIF. Vern would train with this group in WA for the next two and a half months while they waited for their departure orders to arrive.

These orders finally came through and on the 17^th January 1916 they boarded the HMAT Borda in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for Egypt, arriving there just over three weeks later. On being disembarked at Alexandria Vern and his group were sent on to the 7^th Training Battalion at Zeitoun. He would remain there until the 3^rd March 1916 when he was transferred to the newly forming 51^st Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir Camp.

Vern would train with this Battalion in Egypt for the next few months as they prepared for service on the Western Front in Europe. Their orders to depart Egypt finally came through and on the 5^th June 1916 they boarded the transport ship HMT Ivernia in Alexandria and set sail for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 12^th June 1916. After being disembarked the men were marched through the city to the railway station, where they boarded trains which took them to the north of France.

After being billeted in the Armentieres sector, the 51^st Battalion would have their first experience of trench life in late June in Fleurbaix. They would suffer large casualties from the German artillery; however they were relieved from this front in mid July and were sent to the Somme battlefield. The 1^st and 2^nd Australian Divisions had captured Pozieres and the line was advancing towards Mouquet Farm. The 51^st Battalion would fight two large actions around the farm in mid August and the 3^rd September.

The Germans had heavily fortified the farm and despite initial success, both attacks failed with heavy casualties resulting for the 51^st Battalion. Fortunately Vern came through the Somme campaign unscathed and he travelled with his unit to Belgium where they would spend the next two months in the Ypres sector. It was here that Vern was promoted to temporary Corporal.

By November 1916 the 51^st Battalion was back on the Somme battlefield in the vicinity of Flers. They would remain in this sector for the 1916/17 French winter which would prove to be one of the coldest for decades. On the 14^th December Vern was promoted to Corporal amidst the mud, rain and shell holes of the Flers sector. It wasn’t until late February 1917 that some forward movement occurred.

The Germans had been building a defensive position miles behind their line in order to shorten the amount of territory they were holding. This position was to be known as the Hindenburg Line and though they were withdrawing the Germans weren’t leaving without a fight and for the next six weeks several sharp battles occurred between the AIF and the Germans around Bapaume and the outpost villages.

On the 2^nd April 1917 the 51^st Battalion was involved in the Capture of Noreuil. Along with the sister units of the Brigade they did manage to capture the village but the German defence was fierce and forty seven soldiers of the 51^st Battalion were killed. Vern was severely wounded in this action when he was struck in the abdomen with shrapnel. He suffered a compound fracture and he was taken to the 13^th Field Ambulance where medical staff attempted to treat his wounds. Unfortunately Vern’s wound haemorrhaged and he died the same day at the Field Ambulance near Bapaume.

Corporal Vernon Scott was buried at Bapaume Australian Cemetery in plot A.19.

His brother No.3636 Private Sydney Scott also served in the AIF, going away with the same reinforcement group from WA. Sydney was severely concussed in July 1916 and was evacuated with shell shock. He recovered and returned to serve with the 51^st Battalion in France & Belgium and fortunately he made it back to Australia in 1919.

Vern’s mother Phoebe Scott would receive a pension of 40/- per fortnight from the military after her his death.