9/393 Captain Kenneth Scott, MC & bar, 25/7/1889-7/12/1950.

Kenneth Scott left Port Chalmers on October 16 with the 5th Regimental Squadron of the Otago Mounted Rifles, as a Corporal.  He had seen peacetime service with the Otago Hussars.

He saw action at Gallipoli with the Otagos and was transferred to the Pioneer Battalion in March, 1916 as a Sergeant.  A few months later he was promoted the Second Lieutenant. 

LIEUTENANT SCOTT. 

One of the names cabled out in the list of recipients of the Military Cross after the Messines battle is that of Second Lieutenant Kenneth Scott. We think there can be no reasonable doubt in identifying this recipient as the son of Mr Alexander Scott, of Arngibbon, Burnside. Kenneth is 25 years old. He used to be in the Otago Hussars, and went away with the main body, in the Mounted Rifles, as a corporal. He is now in the Pioneer Corps.  -Evening Star, 13/7/1917.

Second-Lieutenant KENNETH SCOTT, Pioneer Battalion — When in charge of a tractor line which was supplying batteries with ammunition he showed the most untiring energy in successfully carrying out the work by day and night, although the line was steadily shelled for over a week, and was continually being wrecked. His fine example was a great inspiration to all ranks.   -Lyttelton Times, 19/10/1917.

In the confused fighting towards the end of 1918, Captain Scott won a bar to his Military Cross and a visit to Buckingham Palace to be presented to HM George V.

PAGE 328

Supported by a considerable weight of artillery, the enemy launched an attack at dawn on August 18th against our positions at Puisieux and along the slopes of the Serre Ridge, occupied by 10th Company, under command of Lieut. K. Scott, M.C. The assaulting party numbered approximately 100 men, including a proportion of what were technically known as storm troops, which had been brought for the purpose from as far afield as Douai. The enemy were apparently completely unaware of our dispositions; for they manœuvred into a position which gave every advantage to our infantry. The immediate result was that the majority of the attackers were shot to pieces by the concentrated fire of Lewis guns and rifles, and the few who succeeded in reaching our lines surrendered. The captures totalled ten unwounded and three wounded prisoners and three light machine guns. The unexpected destructiveness of our fire was exemplified by the fact that the bodies of two officers and 25 other enemy ranks were found dead in one group, and seven in another. The moral of our troops at this period was extremely high; as was demonstrated by the fact that immediately the attack was launched the front line garrison swung forward of its own accord with the object of destroying the enemy's flanks and rear.  -Official History of the Otago Regiment, NZEF, in the Great War, 1914-1918.

DEEDS OF VALOUR

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Lieutenant Kenneth Scott, M.C, Otago Regiment, closely pursued the enemy, and effectively supported another company in its attack, by which three machine-guns and many prisoners were captured without loss to our men. He afterwards defeated a heavy counterattack by the enemy, very few of whom regained their own lines. He displayed marked capacity of command, and his example of personal courage inspired all around him.  -Evening Post, 15/1/1919.

Kenneth Scott retired from the Army, with the rank of Captain, in 1920.  He farmed on the family property, and was a feature on the rugby field and of the Otago Hunt, as he had been before the war.  He played for local clubs and the Otago team in the 1920s until he suffered a serious injury on the field.

Our National Field Game

Players On The Ball 

In Town and Country  (excerpt)

Ken Scott, the Pirates hooker, of Dunedin met with a serious accident last week whereby he lost the sight of one eye and badly damaged the other. It goes without saying that he has the sympathy of all followers of the game.   -NZ Truth, 16/8/1924.

OTAGO HUNT

MEET AT BURNSIDE 

Weather permitting, the Otago Hunt Club will hold its weekly meet this afternoon over the property of Mr Ken Scott, “Arngibbon," Burnside and not at North Taieri as published in yesterday morning’s paper. As this is an entirely new run a large turnout of members is expected. An excellent view of the hunt may be obtained from the back of Mr Scott’s house. Followers will meet on Kalkorai Valley road, about a quarter of a mile above the Burnside saleyards, at 2.50 p.m.  -Otago Daily Times, 17/6/1939.

OBITUARY

Mr Kenneth Scott

The death occurred yesterday of Mr Kenneth Scott, of “Arngibbon,” Burnside. Mr Scott, who was 57 years of age, was the youngest son of the late Mr and Mrs Alexander Scott. He had a distinguished military career in the 1914-18 war. He was connected with the Otago Hussars before the war, and when hostilities broke out he enlisted immediately, sailing from Port Chalmers as a trooper. He gained quick promotion and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-colonel, being attached to the Otago Infantry Regiment. He served in Gallipoli, France and Egypt, and was awarded the M.C. and bar. He was a member of the Pirates Football Club for many years and was an outstanding hooker. He was engaged in farming right up to the time of his death and was highly respected and very popular in the district.  -Otago Daily Times, 8/12/1950.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.