Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Charles Edward Scott, born on 8 December 1889 at Dunedin, was the fourth son in the family of fourteen of Thomas Walter and Caroline Elizabeth (née Adams) Scott, of Kensington, Dunedin. Thomas and Caroline were both born in London, England, and married at St Peter’s, Bethnal Green on 13 July 1868. They were in St George in the East, London in 1871, with two daughters, 2 year old Lucy and4 month old Caroline. In 1874 they migrated by the “James Nicol Fleming” to Dunedin, New Zealand, with three daughters. Eleven more children were born in Dunedin. All fourteen reached adulthood. Charles was educated at Forbury School, South Dunedin. He had 2 months off school for illness when he was 8½ years old. He did well, nevertheless, earning a Merit certificate in Standard III in 1899, a First Class award in Standard VI in 1902 and a special award for drawing, and in 1903, his final year, he was placed second in Standard VII mapping.

When Charles enlisted on 20 October 1914 at Timaru, one of those selected to go to the front as reinforcements, he was a labourer living at Winchester, South Canterbury. By trade he was a cabinet maker, having served his time with Mr H. M. McLauchlan, the father of Alexander Robertson McLauchlan who worked for a time in Timaru and was killed at the Dardanelles in August 1915. Single and of Church of England affiliation, he was 24 years 10 months old and named his father as next-of-kin – T. W. Scott, 6 Broughton Street, Dunedin. Of “fair to dark” complexion, with blue eyes and light brown hair, he was 5 feet 6½ inches tall and had a chest measurement of 32-35 inches. His sight, hearing and colur vision were all good, his heart and lungs normal, and his limbs and chest well formed. His teeth were only fair, with a full upper plate. He was free of all diseases and slight defects, had been vaccinated, and was in good bodily and mental health. There was a blue scar under the front of his nose(?).

Private C. E. Scott left with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the 2nd Reinforcements on 14 December 1914 for Egypt, arriving there on 29 January 1915. He was posted to the Main Body at Ismailia on 5 February. Embarking at Alexandria for the Dardanelles on 12 April 1915, he was dead less than two weeks later. Charles was among a number of men in the Canterbury Infantry Battalion who were first reported missing, in May 1915. He had in fact been missing since the landing. A Court of Enquiry convened at Moarscar Camp, Ismailia, on 16 January 1916 found that he was believed to have been killed in action on 25 April 1915 at the Dardanelles. He was twenty-five years old.

Death notices appeared in the Otago Daily Times, Evening Star and Otago Witness of 26 January 1916, some nine months after this tragic loss - “He did his duty.” There was a memo in 1919 that his medals - 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal - were to go to his father, which did happen in 1923. The memorial plaque and scroll were also sent. In October 1919 the Public Trust Office completed Administration of his estate. Any undrawn field-pay and the Active Service Gratuity were to go to his next-of-kin, his father. His oldest brother, Thomas Walter Scott, who served also in World War One, was in the artillery section at the front when Charles was killed. He, too, was one of the first to volunteer for service. An older sister had died at Dunedin in 1914 before Charles and Thomas enlisted. Private Charles Edward Scott (No. 6/1396) is one of 753 New Zealanders who died at Gallipoli and, having no known grave, are commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing at Gallipoli. He is remembered on his parents’ headstone in the Southern Cemetery, A portrait of Charles Edward Scott, printed in the Auckland Weekly News 1915, is attached to his Cenotaph Database record.

Charles's name is inscribed on the Timaru War Memorial Wall and on the Winchester War Memorial which was unveiled in a touching ceremony on 23 May 1920. This impressive memorial in honour of the heroes who fell in the Great War, was the first to be unveiled in South Canterbury. On the monument are inscribed: “Our Glorious Dead.” and “We lie dead in many lands so that you may live here in peace.” The proceedings opened with the Lord's Prayer, followed by the singing of the hymn “Lead Kindly Light” and, after the unveiling, the laying of wreaths by the school children as the names were read. In addition to the names of ex-pupils are those of six others who left from the district, one being Private C. E. Scott. Several fine tributes were paid to these brave men who had given their lives nobly in order that others might live in peace. “God had destined New Zealand to be a great country, said Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., “and those men had helped to make it such. It was now for those who were left behind to continue to make it a still better little country, and by doing this they could best show their appreciation of the sacrifices which the soldiers had made. While they mourned for and honoured the dead, they must not be unmindful of the living, and. must see to it that those who had returned from the war maimed were not allowed to want.” The National Anthem was sung; a volley was fired, the Last Post was sounded, and “Flowers of the Forest” was played.

“In Proud and Grateful Memory of The Ex-Pupils of Forbury School Who Laid Down Their Lives in the Great War 1914 – 1918” reads the tablet of Dunedin’s Forbury School. The damaged tablet and pieces of the wrought iron gates were found and returned to the school in May 2008, but the original marble plaque on which were inscribed the names of the 30 ex-pupils who lost their lives, may have been lost forever. Forbury was the largest school in Otago when this memorial was unveiled in early April 1924. The National Anthem was played by the school band, the hymn “Our God, Our Help in Ages Past” was sung, prayer was offered and a scripture passage read. Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., said that their boys “knew that they were fighting for right against might.” He wanted those gathered to appreciate all they owed the boys who had laid down their lives for them. “They had said good-bye to all they loved.” After the unveiling, the “Last Post” was sounded and many very handsome wreaths were placed on the gates. The Mayor reminded the children of the freedom they now enjoyed under the British flag, and the headmaster said that “the hearts of the children in the upper classes should glow with pride when they passed through the gate and remembered the noble sacrifices that had been made for them.” To close, the benediction was pronounced and the National Anthem was sung.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [19 November 2013]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives ref. AABK 18805 W5550 0102483) [18 December 2013]; CWGC [19 November 2013]; Southern Cemetery Dunedin headstone image (Dunedin City Council) [22 November 2013]; NZ BDM historical records (Department of Internal Affairs) [22 November 2013]; Evening Star, 22 December 1899, 19 December 1902, 17 June 1915, 26 January 1916, 7 April 1924, Otago Daily Times, 22 December 1899, 19 December 1902, 19 December 1903, 16 February 1914, 24 May 1915, 11 & 17 June 1915, 2 September 1915, 26 January 1916, 7 April 1924, Timaru Herald, 20 October 1914, 24 May 1920, Evening Post, 24 May 1915, 27 January 1916, Press, 24 May 1915, 18 June 1915, 27 January 1916, Otago Witness, 26 May 1915, 8 September 1915, 26 January 1916, Dominion, 27 January 1916, Temuka Leader, 25 May 1920 (Papers Past) [19 November 2013; 13 July 2014; 25 May 2015; 29 March 2017; 12 May 2017; 06February 2018; 18 November 2019; 07 April 2020]; School Admission Records (Dunedin Branch NZSG) [2013]; Family Trees (ancestry.com.au) [25 May 2015]; Southern cemetery, Dunedin, headstone image (Dunedin City Council); NZ History (nzhistory.govt.nz) [07 April 2020]; Otago Daily Times (www.odt.co.nz) [07 April 2020]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available.

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC brnach NZSG

Currently Assigned to

TS